The Moving Target Kettlebell Complex
Here is a simple, but effective kettlebell complex. Systemically, you will get tired, but the muscular stress target shifts and you can keep going without compromising technique.
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Get a Heavier Military Press With the One-arm One-leg Push-up
Putting your kettlebells aside for a few months and conquering the one-arm one-leg push-up will be one of the best things you do in your quest for a heavier military press.
Variable Effort and the Triple-Tier Plan
For over a decade at StrongFirst we have advised against pushing sets to failure and advocated towards always keeping a few reps “in the tank.” In recent years we have heard more and more often from well-known strength coaches, and on the web, about the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Reps in Reserve (RIR). […]
The Art of Appreciating One Thing
(An Excerpt from Kettlebell Axe) “Do you know what the difference between great people and regular people is?” says a coach to an athlete in Yevgeny Yevtushenko’s novel Don’t Die Before Death. “A great person is a gardener of self. He cuts off the unnecessary branches.” In AXE, as in other types of training, pros […]
Deadlifts: Common Misconceptions and Practical Tips
I felt a pop and folded like a house of cards. Two years ago, I herniated a disc during my top deadlift set. I was training earlier than usual so my body was rather stiff. Despite a brief warm-up, I loaded up the usual 405 pounds and got into position. Arms straight, hips hinged, and […]
Cheat Cleans as a Strength Builder
At the SFG I, where many of us learned to use kettlebells as strength tools, we are first taught the swing. As we’ve heard StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor Emeritus, Rif say, “the swing is the center of the kettlebell universe.” The instruction of the swing is then followed by the get-up, the squat, the press, […]
Hardstyle Kettlebell Snatch vs. Barbell Snatch
Introduction One of the very first principles learned in the school of hardstyle kettlebell training is that “power comes from the hips.” In the kettlebell ballistics (swing, clean, and snatch), the hips are largely what drives the lifter’s ability to move a weight from back between the legs to the end point of the movement. […]
The Get-up and the Shoulder Mobility Dilemma
The get-up is one of the foundational exercises of kettlebell training. I suspect that most people who follow StrongFirst are quite familiar with this exercise. If you are a StrongFirst Certified SFG Instructor, then no doubt you have done many repetitions of them on your own and at your Certification. If you have read Pavel’s […]
This Old-Time Deadlift Variation Will Boost Your Strength and Hone Your Technique
By Fabio Zonin, StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor Last time I explained why you should consider the deadlift a “push” rather than a “pull” and taught an effective drill to teach how not to let your hips shoot up at the beginning of a rep. Today I’m going to introduce a special lift that will teach […]
Powerful Imagery to Fix Your Deadlift Mistake and to Lift More
By Fabio Zonin, StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor In the last newsletter, I spoke about the common problem of the “hips shooting up” during the deadlift. (If you missed it, click here.) Today I’m going to introduce a drill that will help you fix it. When you deadlift, your hips and the bar must start moving […]
