RKC News - September 2018

How does kettlebell training fit into recreational basketball? Quite well, as my journey into kettlebell sports clearly shows. I have passionately played basketball for about 25 years and have suffered numerous typical basketball injuries in the past. Torn ligaments, ligament strains in the ankles, capsule tears in the fingers, and knee problems. Over time, the knee issues became so severe that I could no longer play sports without pain medication. Visiting various doctors and physiotherapists led to physical therapy, manual therapy, and insoles. None of this alleviated the complaints. So, I stuck with the painkillers that had worked for me. They only provided very short-term relief. The pain often became so intense that I had trouble walking or going down stairs. This lasted a good ten years until an unexpected turn. It began when my girlfriend, looking for a physical outlet, stumbled upon a micro-gym in our town that offered RKC kettlebell training. She quickly became incredibly enthusiastic about it and soon managed to convince me to try a trial session as well. Initially, I was more than skeptical as I saw the exercises they were doing. TGU, squats in all variations, exercises that triggered knee and ankle pain just from watching. We started with light kettlebells, working on the squat and the kettlebell swing. Soon it became clear that these exercises were balancing out the imbalances in my thighs. After about 8 weeks of kettlebell training, the knee pain was almost gone! The explanation came from the last MRI: The pain was caused by a piece of the kneecap being torn off by the quadriceps. With the even development of the muscles, the load is now distributed better, allowing me to engage in sports or climb stairs pain-free again. Just a few years ago, this would have been unthinkable. In addition to these improvements, I have become quicker, more explosive, more stable, stronger, and more mobile through the training, allowing me to keep up well with my much younger teammates. In terms of strength, mobility, stability, and jumping ability, I have also made significant gains through the exercises swing, military press, farmer's walk, or suitcase carry. Even though I have now written a lot about my experiences and the development of my body, it is important for me to convey these connections and to show through my example what a fantastic transfer and what possibilities for overcoming deficits this sport offers. Therefore, I can only highly recommend the right kettlebell training to any recreational athlete. Yours, Benedikt

…that even NBA professionals have discovered the benefits of training with the versatile kettlebell? For example, NBA superstar Dwayne Wade regularly incorporates it into his workouts for kettlebell deadlifts and reactive step-ups.