In order for your kettlebell training to be as safe as possible, and therefore allow you to train without the risk of injury, you must pay attention to the basics – it seems pretty obvious but a lot of people skip this step and end up with substandard technique and training as a result. Picking up the kettlebell, racking the kettlebell and locking out the kettlebell are all things that should be done with care and learnt thoroughly. These are fundamentals, and are not intuitive for most people so require a bit of time and attention to get spot on. Here are some training tips to ensure your pick up, rack and lockout are safe and correct: Pick Up You’d be surprised how many people injure themselves, not during a hard set, but when they pick up or put down the kettlebell.  Why?  Because during the set they’re concentrating on what they’re doing and they’re not concentrating when picking it up – that’s how something so simple can become injurious. To safely pick up the kettlebell: Look forward Hinge at the hips Soften your knees Ensure your lower back remains neutral Shins should be close to vertical Stand up and [...]

Technique First:  A Case for Kettlebell Safety By Steven Khuong, CSCS As the kettlebell becomes more mainstream, it is pertinent that ripped hands, bruised forearms, and torn ligaments not become synonymous with the tool.  Independent of any dichotomy regarding styles or programming, people using kettlebells or teaching with them have a responsibility to protect themselves and others from injury in the process. It doesn’t matter if you choose to use the kettlebell for sport, fitness, feats of strength, juggling, or power development; having a solid technical foundation should be a prerequisite to what you creatively do later. Gripping kettlebells incorrectly can lead to blisters, skin burns, and bruising.  Not fixating the bell overhead can lead to extraneous stress on the shoulder and elbow joints as well as other detrimental effects associated with unsafe handling. Good technique is paramount to long term health and human performance. The Current World Champion, Fedor Fuglev (photo courtesy of www.icechamber.com) I believe we can all learn some things about safety within the context of sport.  Competitive athletes using the kettlebell simply can not afford to let the tool injure them.  Thus, they spend the necessary time mastering the fundamentals of safety and proper handling based [...]