This is the second part of the series covering the Kettlebell Clean.
If you missed part one CLICK HERE, better yet, subscribe to our weekly email updates and you’ll never miss anything again…..!
Anyhow, here’s part 2:
In this section we look in more detail at the bottom section of the clean and the breathing. As kettlebells are often used for high rep sets, especially if you’re competing in Kettlebell Sport or looking to develop your work capacity, you need to get your technique dialled in tight in order to maintain good form and manage fatigue. This drill is one used commonly by the Kettlebell Sports world to develop several attributes that allow them to throw heavy bells around with almost no effort for hundreds of reps. Even if you don’t intend to work high rep sets and instead wish to play with heavy bells for low rep power sets, you still need efficient technique. The drill covered here is a great assistance drill regardless of your training goals.
Between each clean you will perform a number of “lazy” swings, each with a breath at the back of the swing and at the top. After the prescribed number you finish with a clean using the exact same swing and breath pattern, simply finishing the lift off with a third breath.
Why so many breaths? Simple, multiple exhalations mean multiple in breaths which means more oxygen intake and more endurance while maintaining a lower heart rate. Don’t be overly concerned with the in breaths, if you exhale hard you have no other option but to inhale. Allow the body to inhale naturally, you will reflexively inhale much deeper than if you tried with conscious effort.
I will say, this method is best for endurance based lifting, even with the heavier bells. If I’m lifting simply for power and low reps with very heavy bells I exhale a maximum of twice, top and bottom, sometimes only at the top.
Done after your training sets this drill is great for drilling in technique, developing a tenacious grip and building the cardio.
Watch the video for full details then go and have a play:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkDTgbPO42c]
More on the Clean and other techniques can be found in the Kettlebell Lifting Manuals:
Regards Dave www.wg-fit.com
Have you registered for Steve Cotter yet? CLICK HERE immediately for more info