26 Dec 2011:
A big crowd showed up for last night’s Combined Kettlebell class. I was pleasantly surprised. We started with a long session of progressive deadlifts in many variations including Romanian DL’s. I had Leland demonstrate the one handed DL with two kettlebells. This group is getting very strong, and conventional deadlifts with our two biggest kettlebells (185 pounds total) are just not that difficult for most of our students. However hooking two heavy kettlebells in one hand for sets of deadlifts is still plenty challenging.
Next I took requests. The size and enthusiasm of the group put me in a great mood. The students were very much of the same mind. Many immediately requested the striker’s floor press, several requested the windmill. So we did both. The striker’s were well executed by all. Lindsey and Britt broke PR’s, doing perfect presses with double 35’s.
The windmill is advanced kettlebell lifting. It is part of RKC level II testing, and many well experienced RKC’s struggle with windmills at that course. This crew all did excellent. The drill is an extreme challenge to hip mobility, balance, body awareness, and shoulder & torso stability. We started by doing the move unweighted, empty hands. Then progressed to the low kettlebell version, and finally the high kettlebell version. A number of high ranking, female RKC’s have claimed the windmill is the most effective ass firmer on the planet, surpassing even Hardstyle kettlebell swings. High praise indeed.
Last was a fast lft complex, swing-clean-snatch, in the 30/30 interval. These 3 lifts represent the fundamental ways of applying hip extension speed and power. The clean and the snatch also train full body stability. Switching gears rapidly and repeatedly from one to the other with power and precision, is the ultimate expression of primitive, functional athletics.