Around two weeks ago I wrote a post titled There’s a Time and Place For Everything. Kettlebells Included, where I essentially explained that everything in the realm of strength and conditioning is a tool, and should be viewed as such.
I don’t care if we’re referring to kettlebells, TRX, sandbags, strongman, chains, bands, or whatever the hell THIS contraption is supposed to be….you could make an argument that there’s a time and place for everything, and that they’re a tool in the toolbox, and need to be used at the right time, with the right person, for the right job.
When I wrote the piece, I wasn’t entirely sure how people were going to react to it. On one hand, I felt I was making a compelling argument and that a statue would be erected in my honor for making so much sense. Conversely, I knew I was “kinda, sorta” throwing one group of individuals to the lions and was fully prepared for the avalanche of hate mail and push back I was going to receive.
Worse case I figured some kettlebell bully was going to show up at the facility, tell me I was some big stupid head, and give me a massive atomic wedgie.
It never happened. Thank god.
I seems I was able to relay my message successfully and with no major incidents. Yay me!
Nevertheless, in light of what I wrote I felt compelled to expound on a few things in a recent staff in-service we filmed to demonstrate to the world that we actually do incorportate kettlebells in our every day programming. TRUTH!!!!!
A few things to note before we begin:
1. There are only a handful of things I consider myself to be an expert in:
– Omelete making.
– Watching Star Wars.
– Being awesome.
While I feel I’m fairly competent, get-ups and swings aren’t what I would consider my strong suits.
Speaking frankly, I hate doing get-ups. I do them, obviously. I just hate them with a passion. There’s no tip toeing around it: they rank pretty high on the Things That Generally Suck Or Really Irritate Me List , juuuuuust above passing a kidney stone and juuuuuust below Justin Beiber.
Having said that, there’s no denying their efficacy towards building total body strength and bringing to the forefront any mobility and/or stability “leaks” in the kinetic chain.
It’s like what I always say: the exercises that we hate the most are generally the ones that elicit the greatest benefit.
Anyways, admittedly I’m NOT an HKC or an RKC (I do hope to attain an HKC soon) and I’m fully aware that there might be some nitpicky things that I’m doing wrong in the video, as well as a handful of things I missed noting.
I’m all for an open discussion on how I can improve my coaching, and if there’s any glaring mishaps or discrepancies, I’d encourage any experts to chime in. Please!
If, however, you’re going to bust my chops because I didn’t dorsiflex my left pinky toe enough, then all I have to say is: “come on……..really?”
All in all, I feel this is a pretty decent representation of how to go about coaching both the get-up and swing effectively (and safely) – especially with beginner and intermediate trainees. Keep it simple.
2. This was a very, very impromptu presentation. I was literally sitting in my office when Chris Howard walks in and says, “Tony, you’re up. Staff in-service in five minutes.”
Crickets chirping……….
I had no idea I was supposed to do the staff in-service, so I put my shirt on, pounded a protein shake, and I was off.
My apologies if it seems little “disorganized.”
3. I’m REALLY sorry about the length. I realize no one wants to sit there and watch a 30 minute video on anything (unless it’s about Katy Perry’s boobs), and I had every intention of dividing this into two separate tutorials, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out iMovie.
I sat in front of my computer for at least 45 minutes last night trying to figure out how to import a file, and I just couldn’t do it. You might as well have asked me to figure out how to solve global warming.
Anyways, just to give you a heads up: I begin everything with how to coach someone through a “naked” half get up to a “naked” full get-up. Then, at around the 17:00 minute mark I switch gears and discuss the swing.
Okay, enough with the formalities. Here you go. Let me know what you think!
