PVC Pass Throughs: 30 seconds

With hands wide and arms long, raise arms up and over the head until PVC touches behind you.

Kettlebell Ankle Stretch: 1:00 each side

Step out into a lunge and place bottom of kettlebell on the top of front knee. Use the weight to drive the knee forward over the toe with the heel still flat on the ground.

Kettlebell Swings

A heavier kettlebell means a greater emphasis on positioning. Last week we talked about keeping the bell high on the body. This week our focus turns what the lower body is doing. Sometimes there is the tendency for athletes to “squat” to put power into the bell as opposed to “hinging”. When athletes “squat” with the weight, knees are sent forward and the bell travels further down the body. When athletes properly “hinge” with the weight, knees and hips travel back, creating a vertical shin. This loads the posterior chain, which is the main mover for the kettlebell swing. We can practice this movement pattern on the group. Using a lighter kettlebell, bring athletes through:

Putting kettlebell down between each:

5 Kettlebell Deadlifts

5 Hip Pops (load back, squeeze glues, arms passive)

5 Russian Swings

5 Full Swings

Grab Workout weight:

5 Full Swings

Toes to Bar

This couplet today will test our capacity with toes to bar. The kettlebell will tax athlete’s upper bodies and grip strength. This makes a long, powerful kip even more important from the onset of the workout. Many times a fast kip gets repetitions completed faster, but is very demanding on the core. Bringing the chest through and squeezing the glutes with long legs beneath the bar may be a slightly slower cycle time, but will create more whip, allowing athletes to hold onto the bar for larger sets. Prepping these movements here:

5 Scap Pull-ups

5 Kip Swings

5 Knees to Chest

5 Toes to Bar

Sandbag

Main thing to focus on to sandbag today is making sure that athletes create their forward lean at the ankle and not the hips. Leaning at the hips can restrict breathing and cause athletes to over-stride to make up for excess back strain. Leaning at the ankle create a “falling” position that uses gravity to the athletes favor.