Kettlebell Articles

Practice- Honing the Skill of Strength

Dave Whitley, Master RKC

Jun 08, 2011 11:00 PM

I once read a quote from Houdini that really struck me with its depth. “Magic is practice” The simple honest elegance is so obvious it is easy to dismiss. Strength is the same. Strength is practice. Strength is a by-product of continual practice. The quest for the perfect rep. And that practice begins with movement. “Practice makes perfect” is inaccurate and so is “perfect practice makes perfect”. While this sounds very good and is a step in the right direction, it is also untrue.

Read Full Story

Start Where You’re At

Jeff O’Connor, Master RKC

Jun 08, 2011 06:47 PM

Starting where you’re at seems like a rather obvious and somewhat silly statement. Unfortunately, though, many of us try and start significantly farther down the course than we’re physically able to. Very few of us would try and squat 800 lbs before we had ever done 400. But for some reason most of us jump right into some lifts that require a lot of mobility and a high skill level like the Bent Press and Sots Press. I don’t want to discourage anyone from learning these lifts...

Read Full Story

Hartle-Style and the RKC Snatch Test

by Dr. Michael Hartle, Senior RKC

When I first took the RKC Snatch test in April of 2006, I was required to snatch the 24 kg kettlebell 74 times, without setting the bell down and being only allowed one hand switch, period. There was no time limit but the only rest you could have was at the top in the lockout position. When I was in this position, I would make sure I had my hand open, even for a brief second. If the kettlebell touched the ground at any time during the test, the test was over.

Read Full Story

A Pressing Matter

by Jason Marshall, RKC Team Leader

I remember hanging out at my buddy’s (Alan Martin, RKC) house when his first set of kettlebells came in. He ordered 5 bells. A 16kg, 24kg, 32kg, 40kg and 48kg. After the UPS guy finished cussing us, we opened the first box…which one do you think we opened first? The 48kg, of course! And the first thing we did with it?

Read Full Story

Sushi, Sake, Karate & Kettlebells

by Gary Music, RKC

Karate and Kettlebells is a perfect match, and if you follow the RKC doctrine of Hardstyle the two arts are a perfect match. Just like sushi goes with sake, kettlebells and karate make an unstoppable combination for fitness, strength, speed, power and tournament skill.

Read Full Story

Testing Radiant Tension Variations for Increased Performance in the Kettlebell Press

by Jedd Johnson, RKC, CSCS

Pavel writes about a concept called irradiation, which is a coordinated tension that allows us to execute more strength in a given movement when we tighten other parts of the body, especially the hands.​

Read Full Story

STRENGTH Is A Set of Skills

By Matt Wuchner, RKC

I am a fan of strength. Being strong is pretty useful, and really fun to play around with. I would go so far as to say....

Read Full Story

Russian Systema Breathing

by Andrey Patenko, RKCII

There is no need to tell anyone how important breathing is to one’s life. A man arrives into this world with a breath and finishes his path with his last breath. Yet not everyone knows how to breathe properly and how to regulate many functions of the body with breathing. Many people do not even suspect that once they learn to breath properly they can improve health and, if they are athletes, to improve training and recovery.

Read Full Story

Rep Speed: The Secret To Perpetual Progress

Geoff Neupert, CSCS, Master RKC

Mar 24, 2011 03:00 PM

I have to admit something right up front here – I’m stubborn. Like a mule sometimes, just ask my wife. And my old weightlifting coach, Alfonso Duran. Like you, I am always looking for the next big secret in strength training. Is it “Rest-Pause?” How about Wave Loading? Implementing the Series? Drop sets? Super sets? What? What is it? Would somebody please just tell me – NOW??!!

Read Full Story

Lifting Speed Matters

Chad Waterbury

Mar 24, 2011 03:00 PM

Everyone knows you must lift heavy some of the time. As long as you push yourself and try to add weight to the bar whenever possible it’s tough to screw up maximal strength training.

Read Full Story