Subject: Beyond the kettlebell get-up

The kettlebell get-up done according to the standards listed in Kettlebell Simple & Sinister is the safest and most biomechanically sound way to perform this valuable exercise that ingrains many important movement and strength skills.

 

Once you have reached the “Simple” standard, consider other get-up variations. Practice them as part of your warm-up or on your “variety days” when you are following a different program.

Pavel “Sinister” Macek, StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor

and the author of today’s newsletter

Get-Down to Get-Up


We prefer to teach it “from the ground up,” following the neurodevelopmental sequence—but doing the drill top-down helps you optimize foot and hand placement and dial in your angles.


Press, push press, jerk, snatch, or bent press the kettlebell overhead, then descend from the top. Observe the positions and angles of your limbs—and replicate them on the way up.



Paused Get-Up


Own the positions. Multiple half get-ups with pauses of up to 30 seconds at each transition helped me to finally conquer the Beast.



“Tai Chi” Get-Up


The opposite of the above. Focus on seamless transitions. Don’t stop—move smoothly and gracefully through every phase.



Resilient Get-Up


Add any of the following (just not all at once) to any phase of the get-up:

  • Neck rotation

  • Arm rotation

  • Head and arm rotation

  • Shoulder elevation/depression

  • Protraction and retraction

  • Press

...and a lot more that I teach at the StrongFirst RESILIENT seminar that covers a lot more than the get-up.

To learn about the StrongFirst RESILIENT seminar,

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