RKC News - April 2016

What does kettlebell training have to do with magic? For me, some exercises with the kettlebell have something magical about them. Alongside the Turkish Get Up (TGU), the Bottom Up Press definitely belongs to these wondrous exercises.

Not only is nearly the entire body involved. From the feet to the lockout over the head with the extended hand, the muscle chains work together.

The Bottom Up Press is a kettlebell exercise that has a certain self-regulating or self-correcting effect. In addition to the torso, the shoulder joint, elbow joint, and wrist are mobilized, stabilized, and strengthened equally. Weaknesses are revealed and can be further improved with additional corrective exercises.

In 2014, after a second severe herniated disc and massive shoulder problems (overuse and inflammation), I finally realized that I could not continue training as I had been.

I signed up for an "Enter the Kettlebell Seminar," and it quickly became clear to me that training with the kettlebell does something entirely different to my body than my previous strength training. Kettlebell training affects the body holistically and not in isolation.

Body and self-awareness improves enormously and leads to greater mindfulness with a transfer effect in everyday life. A much-praised example of this is the TGU. The body's statics realign in a wondrous way.

After completing the HKC, I was even more determined to continue on the "Hardstyle" path. When I prepared for the RKC in early 2015, both sides of my shoulder were already free of pain and inflammation, but not yet mobile, stable, and strong enough to meet the certification requirements in a reasonable way.

The normal press and consequently the snatch posed problems for me. In addition to the basics like swing, TGU, goblet squat, and clean, I dedicated myself intensively to the Bottom Up Press in my preparation. My mobility, stability, and strength improved significantly, especially in my shoulders. My conclusion: We can all improve and change at any time; we just need to stay committed, preferably with the support of the RKC, as you won't be left out in the rain.

Max Shank recommends that your current working weight for the press and the Bottom Up Press should not differ by more than 4-8 kg.

This prevents possible overloading, as the Bottom Up Press only allows what is currently reasonably possible. The recommendation for press training is to work with the Bottom Up for at least 60%.