Top Three Training Mistakes When Training With Kettlebells

You got yourself some kettlebells and are READY to use em!  But…you’ve watched so many videos and read so many different things about how to use them, you’ve got analysis paralysis.

OR…

You’ve been using them for a while- like you would dumbbells- and you’re not really sure if you're doing it right, or what else you can do with them.

No matter what your exposure is to bells, here are the three most common mistakes that people with all levels of experience make.

Not understanding the purpose of the exercise (which in KB’s, most often looks like using arms instead of your backside).

From first glance, kettlebell swings and cleans look like a great arm exercise, don’t they?  Swings could be seen as a front raise. And cleans?  Seems like great bicep and shoulder work. 

And yes, your arms are being used in both these moves- but they aren’t the driving force for moving the bell.

Both these exercises are Ballistic in nature; meaning they’re designed to improve your fast twitch muscle fibers, developing power and speed strength, by using explosive movement.

Conversely, a front raise and a bicep curl are strength building exercises- known as Grinds- that train your slow twitch muscle fibers, using controlled movements of those particular muscles to move weight.

Ballistic moves use your whole body- especially your core muscles- to move, swing, or throw the weight.

And the driving force for moves like swings, cleans, jerks? Power comes from your entire backside- back/glutes/hamstrings and your hips.

Not spending time on a good set up.

The way you start impacts the way you finish.

A common cue I give my clients for every upright move is to set ‘standing plank’.  

Think about how you would get into (a proper) plank on the floor…

Lock your shoulders back and down.  Draw your navel in (not sucking in, but bracing through your core as if preparing to be gut-punched), squeezing your glute muscles. Tuck your chin to keep your neck in line with your spine. Hips in neutral position (looking for the middle ground between sticking your butt out and rounding through your back).

Taking a strong set position eliminates energy leaks; wasted attention to muscles and tendons that aren’t in charge of or ready for the range of motion you’re asking of them.

And it further reduces compensations your body would take to create the most efficient movement (the traps keep your shoulders stable and if you’re not engaging them, your ability to move weight will have less power).

Again, knowing what the purpose of each exercise helps with your set up.

Using weight that’s too light.

Like you, I’ve picked up a weight that’s too heavy before and hurt myself (more than a few times lol).  I completely get the fear you might have about a heavy cast iron ball with a handle. 

 Kettlebells are intimidating- and the fear of injury is real.

Except that in  those ballistic moves meant to build and produce power moves, having a weight that’s too light is just as likely to cause injury than lifting a weight that’s too heavy.

Why?

This whole post has been talking about knowing the purpose of an exercise.  And if you think a kettlebell swing or clean is an arm exercise, then you’re definitely going to pick a lighter weight.

And when you’re swinging a weight that’s light enough to do a front raise, you are very likely to over-exaggerate that entire movement.

It often looks like this:

swinging the bell really high and losing the shoulder lock/ stability in the upper back, dumping into your low back because you just keep going on that swing, overarching.

And losing any sense of solid form is because you aren’t required to pay attention to it. 

You should definitely be swinging a bell that’s heavier than one you can press overhead (here’s where you can read more about how to pick the right size kettlebell).  

If you don’t know where to start, I suggest hiring a trainer for a session to help you with the basics.  You can also check out the first week of my 8 week DIY course The Kettlebell Skills Blueprint, where I go over 8 foundational KB moves and incorporate them into a progressive program that builds both strength and mobility.

Knowledge is power when it comes to training safely and efficiently with kettlebells. Taking some time upfront will save you from both injury and from frustration. 

Happy swinging!