Wrapping Your Wrist May Save Your Noggin

I’ve never dropped a kettlebell during a workout. Well, except when I’m doing some kettlebell juggling… but other than that, I’ve never lost my grip on one unless it was to intentionally squash a cockroach. (Ok, I’ve never actually used it for such crude (yet satisfying) purposes. I just thought I’d go with a little imagery. Work with me here.)

Sweatbands May Work, But They Won't Necessarily Make You Look Cool

A common fear among people who first hear of the Russian kettlebell is that, surely, it must be dangerous. Well, first of all, don’t call me Shirley. Um, sorry. Second, the cool thing about kettlebells is the fact that, the more you work out with them, the stronger your grip gets. This, in turn, greatly reduces the chances of your ever losing control of the beast.

It’s for this second reason, among other reasons, that I always encourage my students to master the two handed swing first, followed by the one handed swing. They on swinging the kettlebell higher as the confidence level allows. Once they are comfortable with swinging the kettlebell, they then progress to snatches for the overhead action. The reason I tell you this is to back the fact that, as long as you start off at ground floor with the two-handed swing and progress from there and avoiding working to failure, losing your grip should never be an issue, even for a beginner.

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