Confession time,
I really like it when I program a new exercise and the client gets a kinda sick look on their face and goes,
“This is one of those things that looks really easy, but I know wont be”
Yep, makes my day.
And Tall Kneeling Behind the Back Kettlebell Holds despite their innocent appearance can be like torture for many.
Why So Awful?
If you have a craptastic bracing system you’re gonna suffer.
And guess what?
Most of ya’s got a craptastic bracing system.
What the Hell is a “Bracing System” Anyway?
Your bracing system is how you stack the body to create and absorb maximal tension through the system.
The goal of bracing is to limit (prevent) forceleaks.
Typically this involves:
- A neutral spine position (cylinder or pillar position)
- A diagrammatic (360 degree) breath <—–this is NOT a fake “belly” breath where you breath in, then push your gut out. Its a breath that pushes out in all directions AS you pull the breath in.
- Hard glutes
- Feet rooted/ gripping floor
Why Brace?
Bracing is essential to:
- Maximizing force output
- Resisting forces
- Sparing the spine (and probably other joints)
Back to Tall Kneeling Behind the Back Kettlebell Holds
Just look at em…
They’re literally bracing, stacking the spine, neutralizing the ribcage and hips and breathing through the diaphragm.
The best part is, they SELF CORRECT
Do them long enough, cycle enough breaths, and 9/10 times you’ll turn the correct muscles on (deep core, low traps and gltues), the wrong ones off (upper traps, low back and hip flexors) and kinda “fall” into the correct positions.
Tall Kneeling Behind the Back Kettlebell Holds
Checklist:
- Get a damn pad for the knees. The exercise its self should be enough, no need to bang your kneecaps up for no reason.
- Tall and stacked. From top to bottom:
- Chin packed (make a double chin)
- Chest up, but BOTTOM rib on the abs
- Shoulders back and down.
- Hips neutral (belt line flat/ paralell to the floor)
- Hips extended (no hip crease) <—this should lead to a VERY hard glute contraction through the movement
- Arms long, no bent elbows
- GRIP the bell with the whole hand
- BREATHE through the diaphragm. <—–360° breath
Breath like this:
Bro Tips:
- Get an appropriate bell. The bell should almost pull your shoulders down, but not pull you back and you feel like you need to lean forward. If you do this you’re negating the exercise and wasting your time.
- Think about pressing the bell down through the heels from the SHOULDER.
- Relax, seriously, you’re just holding a bell. Relax, it’s not a test, let the movement come to you. The minute you RELAX and stop trying to beat the exercise you’ll get 1000% more out of it.
- If you feel this in your low back:
- Lower the weight
- Pull your ribcage down and round your belt buckle to the chin and PRESS YOUR GLUTES FORWARD until the hip crease is flat.
- All else fails lose the bell, assume the tall kneeling position and play with your rib and hip position until your glutes activate maximally. Add the bell to that position.
Notice how the chest and shoulders DO NOT RISE with each breath cycle?
But “Bracing” involves the Feet?
You’re right, but if we get the breathing and torso in line guess what’s easy(er) to add in?
You got it…FEET.
So, we take the feet out, control the torso and hips then add feet back in.
About Roy:
