Kettlebell Training Steve Cotter HUMAN KINETICS Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cotter, Steve, 1970- Kettlebell training / Steve Cotter. pages cm 1. Kettlebells. 2. Weight training. I. Title. GV547.5.C68 2013 613.713--dc23 2013013814 ISBN-10: 1-4504-3011-2 (print) ISBN-13: 978-1-4504-3011-1 (print) Copyright © 2014 by Steve Cotter All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. This publication is written and published to provide accurate and authoritative information relevant to the subject matter presented. It is published and sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, medical, or other professional services by reason of their authorship or publication of this work. If medical or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. The web addresses cited in this text were current as of August 2013, unless otherwise noted. Acquisitions Editor: Tom Heine; Developmental Editor: Laura Pulliam; Assistant Editor: Elizabeth Evans; Copyeditor: Alisha Jeddeloh; Graphic Designer: Joe Buck; Cover Designer: Keith Blomberg; Photograph (cover): © Tono Balaguer/easyFotostock; Photographs (interior): © Human Kinetics; Visual Production Assistant: Joyce Brumfield; Photo Production Manager: Jason Allen; Printer: United Graphics We thank Grinder Gym in San Diego, California, for assistance in providing the location for the photo shoot for this book. 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Box 80 Windsor, ON N8Y 2L5 Torrens Park, South Australia 5062 800-465-7301 (in Canada only) 0800 222 062 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Europe: Human Kinetics 107 Bradford Road Stanningley Leeds LS28 6AT, United Kingdom +44 (0) 113 255 5665 e-mail: [email protected] E5718 This work is dedicated to my wife, Samantha, a most amazing and beautiful woman, the love of my life, and the person who drives me to be a better man in everything that I do; to my precious children, Rileigh, Elizabeth, and Daniel, who give me great pride for the wonderful people they have become; to my students, who inspire me to share my gifts and experience with the world; and to you, dear reader, without whom this work would have no purpose. This page intentionally left blank. Contents Foreword vi • Acknowledgments vii • Introduction viii 1 The Kettlebell Advantage . 1 2 Getting Started With Kettlebells. 7 3 Exercise Principles . 25 4 Setting Goals, Assessing Fitness, and Training Safely. 33 5 Warming Up and Cooling Down . 43 6 Basic Exercises . 73 7 Intermediate Exercises. .101 8 Advanced Exercises . .141 9 Creating a Customized Fitness Program . .177 10 Sport-Specific Training Programs . .187 Appendix: Nutrition and Hydration 203 • Glossary 206 About the Author 213 v Foreword he date was September 18, 2004. I was phenomenally gifted communicator, coach, and driving to my Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) teacher. It’s no surprise that since the afore- Tschool in Walled Lake, Michigan, to mentioned date, Steve has traveled all over the attend a kettlebell seminar with Steve Cotter. world teaching thousands of people and inspir- Earlier that week, I had seen a picture of Steve ing them in a similar fashion. I’m proud and in a book doing a one-legged squat (pistol) honored to have him as a mentor, and I know with two 70-pound (32 kg) kettlebells. Crazy countless others feel the same. athleticism, world-class martial arts skills, and In this book, you have the rarity of a truly innovative views on fitness and coaching—I comprehensive reference source. Most fitness thought training with him would be awesome books and products tease with incomplete infor- but somewhat of an impossibility due to him mation so you will be locked into a never-ending being in San Diego and me being in Michigan. purchasing loop of sequels, repeats, and so on. Two days later, I noticed a flyer at our BJJ school That is not the case here. Steve has taken a lot that he was flying in to teach. Two days after of time and effort in ensuring you get the whole that, I was training with him. picture and not just a snapshot of kettlebell This stream of events changed my life and lifting. You get the exercises, the progressions, became a theme for my experiences with Steve. the variations, the programming, and so much There are no impossibilities, and with the more. right thinking and attitude, you can manifest Enjoy your journey! You have chosen an excel- almost anything. Steve is much more than a lent navigator in Steve to take your knowledge, great athlete. He transcends that by being a wellness, and performance to the next level! Ken Blackburn IKFF international team leader, head master trainer, and director of kettlebell competitions vi vii Acknowledgments am a firm believer that there is a time to be Patterson, and later from the great Grandmaster a student and a time to be a teacher. There Kao San Lun. In my life as a fitness professional, I is a saying that when the student is ready, I would be remiss without mentioning my dear the teacher will appear. This principle has friend David Weck, inventor of the BOSU bal- guided me in my own professional develop- ance trainer and the WeckMethod, who has ment over the years, sometimes as a student had a profound impact on my understanding of and sometimes as a teacher. In this fast-paced, movement development and human potential. instant-gratification world most of us operate All of you, in one way or another, have taught in, it is easy to lose track of where we came me things of value and for that I am thankful. from. The martial artist in me has always had Similarly and even more important to me is a profound respect and appreciation for the to acknowledge that behind every great work traditional arts and their history. Behind every is a great team to support it and help nurture great student has been an effective teacher and it along. My wife, Samantha, is my partner and behind every great athlete has been one or more whatever good I have accomplished is inspired effective coaches. One cannot truly understand by her love. Whatever I may achieve in life, all there is to learn without first understanding nothing can ever make me prouder than being the work that came before us and that brings us a father to my beautiful, talented, adventurous to our current state of knowledge. children, Rileigh, Elizabeth, and Daniel. As such, it is an honor for me to thank the Special thanks to my friend Dave Depew, various kettlebell teachers I have learned from for making his excellent Grinder Gym in San over the years of study, practice, and teach- Diego available for the photo shoot and to the ing of kettlebell lifting. In no specific order, I outstanding models Alice Nguyen, John Parker wish to acknowledge the following kettlebell and Cameron Yuen. There would be no finished instructors I have had the pleasure of interact- work, without the professional guidance of the ing with and learning from in various stages Human Kinetics team, editors Laura Pulliam and of my development: Pavel Tsatsouline, Valery Tom Heine and our cameraman, Neil Bernstein. Fedorenko, Dmitri Sateav, Pantalei Filikidis, Lastly, if an art form is to survive the gener- Oleh Ilica, Sergei Rudnev, Sergei Merkulin, ations of time, there must be a transmission of Dr. Vladamir Tikhinov, Ken Blackburn, and knowledge and experience from one generation Arsenij Zhernakov. In addition, before I ever to the next. In this spirit, I acknowledge the many picked up my first kettlebell, I was introduced to students around the world with whom I have had the Chinese martial arts and the art of teaching the honor and pleasure of sharing my knowledge, by my first physical training instructor, Sifu Mike experience, and method of kettlebell lifting. vi vii Introduction ix Introduction n the last few years, there has been a signifi- conditioning, muscular stamina, fat loss, and cant increase in the popularity of kettlebells increased strength and power simultaneously Iand kettlebell sport, a previously little-known due to the comprehensive, holistic nature of fitness tool and ethnic sport originating from kettlebell training. Further, you will increase Russia. Athletes, coaches, personal trainers, fit- the general fitness attributes of agility, balance, ness enthusiasts, and busy professionals looking coordination, strength, power, and endurance. to accomplish a lot of exercise in a short amount If ever there were an all-in-one fitness program, of time have all gravitated toward this remark- kettlebell training is it! able all-in-one fitness method that seamlessly Kettlebells have a unique design that makes combines strength training, cardiorespiratory them different in form and practice from the conditioning, core stabilization, coordination, more widely known barbell and dumbbell.