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Kettlebell TGUs for long-armed people (elbow problems)

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TimmyCK

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Hey folks! Been working on my TGUs a lot lately, and there's something giving me a bit of difficulty. My arms are fairly long and in the tall sit position, to keep them packed, my arm has to be about 45 degrees from vertical. My elbow feels a bit vulnerable being so far out - sometimes I feel it hyperextending a bit (like in the first pic - admittedly I should have been stabilizing more), especially on the way down. Not pain or anything, just a bit of discomfort during and after (also I have no chronic elbow problems). How do my fellow tallish, long-armed guys and gals do it?

Thanks in advance!
 

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Hey folks! Been working on my TGUs a lot lately, and there's something giving me a bit of difficulty. My arms are fairly long and in the tall sit position, to keep them packed, my arm has to be about 45 degrees from vertical. My elbow feels a bit vulnerable being so far out - sometimes I feel it hyperextending a bit (like in the first pic - admittedly I should have been stabilizing more), especially on the way down. Not pain or anything, just a bit of discomfort during and after (also I have no chronic elbow problems). How do my fellow tallish, long-armed guys and gals do it?

Thanks in advance!
First thing I would do is get with a SF certified instructor, if you haven't already, to see what can be tweaked with your form. If that's not possible check out a video that @mikhael has posted on his training thread of him doing a tactical get-up from a goblet position as far as the bell is concerned. This might take care of your elbow issues.
 
I personally encourage people to also find the best and "comfortable" position when practicing an exercise. I can give you directions but the "feel" is something us as coaches can't experience. That's where feedback and communication becomes important.

As you mentioned you feel vulnerable and discomfort when doing it in a certain way, but there is a next best thing which is very similar to the first but changes just enough for you to feel comfortable, I would stick with what feels good.

The way you do it in the second picture doesn't look bad, at least for now. A heavier bell might be a different situation.

Some might disagree with me but as long as you're not doing something to compromise the safety of the exercise, and there is a small change in an angle which allows you to perform an exercise safely, for me is good enough. In case you are planning on going for very heavy ones then the situation might change.
 
@TimmyCK
First of all, I'm not a get up technician. I was RKC certified and recertified over a decade ago when Pavel was there and have taught a number of people here and there over the years, but besides demonstration reps, I've barely practiced or trained the get up . It's just not my thing. So any real get up aficionados, feel free to correct me.

But I notice a couple of things that might be causing discomfort.

First, if your elbow hyperextends, work on finding and maintaining a neutral position. If your elbow tends to go beyond neutral to lock out, learn what neutral feels like, stop there, and don't go all the way to the end of the range of motion.

Second, maybe it's the camera angle, but it looks like your tall sit is not as tall as it could be. Since you are not sitting tall, you need to put more pressure on your arm to support your upper body and the bell, and your shoulder ends up very extended with your hand quite far behind you. If you start with your support arm at about a 45 degree angle to your torso, your hand ends up about even with your hip, not way back behind you. On the way down it should be the same.

There may be some mobility/flexibility issues restricting your tall sit with the bell overhead (very common), or it may just be a matter of paying attention to it.

as long as you're not doing something to compromise the safety of the exercise, and there is a small change in an angle which allows you to perform an exercise safely, for me is good enough.
I totally agree with this, but just from that picture, I feel like being able to sit up tall and support the weight through your torso to your hips instead of taking a lot of it on your down arm might make a big positive difference.

Here's a StrongFirst video of Zar Horton demonstrating a get up. Notice that on the way up, when he reaches the tall sit, he slides his hand in closer to his hip because he is sitting up very tall. He doesn't do this on the way down; he just puts his hand on the ground and keeps it in one position until he is all the way down, but the point is that the taller you are sitting, the more vertical the down arm is, the closer the down hand can be to the hips, and the less pressure is on it in the tall sit.

 
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You can move it a bit to the side and see if that feels more comfortable.

I have long arms myself (wingspan is that for someone who is at least 5 inches taller than me) so it's always about finding the angles that feel best for your structure
 
First of all, I'm not a get up technician
You're dropping a lot of good knowledge for someone who is not a get up technician !!!

Anyway totally agree with what you say.
I just feel that people who just want to train a movement get overwhelmed by too much information or correction, so if what they do is safe, its good enough. As I mention things change when wanting to train to go way heavier.

Keep dropping this good info!!!!
 
You're dropping a lot of good knowledge for someone who is not a get up technician !!!

Anyway totally agree with what you say.
I just feel that people who just want to train a movement get overwhelmed by too much information or correction, so if what they do is safe, its good enough. As I mention things change when wanting to train to go way heavier.

Keep dropping this good info!!!!

Safe is the entry point
We then look to get better with the given load
We then work on moving up in load with minimal drop in technique..

Rinse, repeat until strong

I personally only really dial in some details when the trainee is working towards certification or attaining certain performance standards (beast tamer, iron maiden, sinister)
 
Safe is the entry point
We then look to get better with the given load
We then work on moving up in load with minimal drop in technique..

Rinse, repeat until strong

I personally only really dial in some details when the trainee is working towards certification or attaining certain performance standards (beast tamer, iron maiden, sinister)
I see what you are saying, unfortunately or not, I have a lot of clients who are happy to just be training, spending an hour away from other things. They don't look to have excellent technique. As long as it is safe and they can make some small progress they are happy.

I feel that here sometimes people forget that not everyone sees things the way we do from a technical point of view. Plenty are just happy to train.
 
I see what you are saying, unfortunately or not, I have a lot of clients who are happy to just be training, spending an hour away from other things. They don't look to have excellent technique. As long as it is safe and they can make some small progress they are happy.

I feel that here sometimes people forget that not everyone sees things the way we do from a technical point of view. Plenty are just happy to train.
Yes exactly so as long as they're safe that's what matters.
 
First thing I would do is get with a SF certified instructor, if you haven't already, to see what can be tweaked with your form. If that's not possible check out a video that @mikhael has posted on his training thread of him doing a tactical get-up from a goblet position as far as the bell is concerned. This might take care of your elbow issues.
Thanks for the tip! I can't seem to find it though - would you mind giving a link? Not sure how to find the training thread...
 
@TimmyCK
First of all, I'm not a get up technician. I was RKC certified and recertified over a decade ago when Pavel was there and have taught a number of people here and there over the years, but besides demonstration reps, I've barely practiced or trained the get up . It's just not my thing. So any real get up aficionados, feel free to correct me.

But I notice a couple of things that might be causing discomfort.

First, if your elbow hyperextends, work on finding and maintaining a neutral position. If your elbow tends to go beyond neutral to lock out, learn what neutral feels like, stop there, and don't go all the way to the end of the range of motion.

Second, maybe it's the camera angle, but it looks like your tall sit is not as tall as it could be. Since you are not sitting tall, you need to put more pressure on your arm to support your upper body and the bell, and your shoulder ends up very extended with your hand quite far behind you. If you start with your support arm at about a 45 degree angle to your torso, your hand ends up about even with your hip, not way back behind you. On the way down it should be the same.

There may be some mobility/flexibility issues restricting your tall sit with the bell overhead (very common), or it may just be a matter of paying attention to it.


I totally agree with this, but just from that picture, I feel like being able to sit up tall and support the weight through your torso to your hips instead of taking a lot of it on your down arm might make a big positive difference.

Here's a StrongFirst video of Zar Horton demonstrating a get up. Notice that on the way up, when he reaches the tall sit, he slides his hand in closer to his hip because he is sitting up very tall. He doesn't do this on the way down; he just puts his hand on the ground and keeps it in one position until he is all the way down, but the point is that the taller you are sitting, the more vertical the down arm is, the closer the down hand can be to the hips, and the less pressure is on it in the tall sit.


Thanks for the tips! You mentioned I'm not sitting as tall as I could - are you referring to a lean (forward back or side) or am I hunched over or not stretching upwards as much as possible? Especially in the first pic I felt like I was getting quite tall so I am curious what you're referring too.

Regarding mobility are you referring to shoulder flexion/thoracic extension?
 
You're dropping a lot of good knowledge for someone who is not a get up technician !!!

Anyway totally agree with what you say.
I just feel that people who just want to train a movement get overwhelmed by too much information or correction, so if what they do is safe, its good enough. As I mention things change when wanting to train to go way heavier.

Keep dropping this good info!!!!
Thanks for the comment! In my case, however, I'm looking to polish, perfect and get really skilled at these movements, so I'm looking for as much feedback and detail as possible. Good to know I don't seem to be doing anything too dangerous though!
 
I feel that here sometimes people forget that not everyone sees things the way we do from a technical point of view. Plenty are just happy to train.

Safe and comfortable are not necessarily the same thing. The technique we teach emphasizes that safety and performance can go hand in hand, and improving technique improves safety.

-S-
 
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