Mike Mahler - Mahlers Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Workshop Manual

Advanced Kettlebell Windmill

Exercise Description

Clean and press a kettlebell overhead with one arm. Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Keep the non-working arm behind your back and turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the kettlebell. Lower yourself as far as possible. Pause for a second and reverse the motion back to the starting position.

Performance Tips

• Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the windmill

• Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit down

• Breathe in as you lower yourself to the floor and out slowly as you return to the starting position

• Keep the repetitions between one and five. Windmills require a great deal of concentration.

• Do not force the range of motion. Stay within your limits and gradually increase the range of motion.

Double Kettlebell Windmills

Exercise Description

Place a kettlebell in front of your front foot and clean and press a kettlebell overhead with your opposite arm. Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the locked out kettlebell. Lower yourself until you can pick up the kettlebell next to your front foot. Pause for a second and reverse the motion back to the starting position.

Performance Tips

• Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the windmill

• Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit down

• Breathe in as you lower yourself to the floor and out slowly as you return to the starting position

• Crush grip the kettlebell next to your foot and slowly stand up

• Keep the rep range between one and three. Double Windmills require a great deal of concentration.

Kettlebell Bent Press

Exercise Description

Clean a kettlebell with one arm. Push your hip out in the direction of the cleaned kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the kettlebell. While you are sitting back and lowering yourself, contract your lat as hard as possible and move your body away from the kettlebell. Continue to bend to the side until the kettlebell is locked out.

Performance Tips

• Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the bent press

• Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit down.

• Breathe in as you lower yourself to the floor and out slowly as you return to the starting position.

• Limit yourself to singles until you are confident with your form.

• Remember that you are not pressing the kettlebell. You are contracting your lat as hard as possible to hold it in a fixed position and moving your body away from the kettlebell.

• Think of the bent press as an extension rather than a press

Kettlebell Side Press

Exercise Description

Clean a kettlebell with one arm. Push your hip out in the direction of the cleaned kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the kettlebell. While you are sitting back and lowering yourself, press the kettlebell at the same time. Continue to bend to the side until the kettlebell is locked out.

Performance Tips

• Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the side press

• Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit down.

• Breathe in as you lower yourself to the floor and out slowly as you return to the starting position.

• Keep the repetition range between one and three.

• Make sure to contract your lat as you press the kettlebell for added stability.

Kettlebell Turkish Get-up (Lunge style)

Exercise Description

Lie on your back and floor press a kettlebell to the top position. Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, pivot to the opposite side and use your non-working arm to assist you in driving forward to the lunge position. While looking up at the kettlebell, slowly stand up. Reverse the motion back to the starting position and repeat.

Performance Tips

• Focus on keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times

• Flex your stomach and glutes to drive off of the floor into the lunge position.

• Look at the kettlebell at all times.

• Breathe in as you stand up and breathe out as you lower yourself back to the starting position.

Kettlebell Turkish Get-up (Squat style)

Exercise Description

Lie on your back and floor press a kettlebell to the top position. Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, pivot to the opposite side and use your non-working arm to assist you in driving forward to the bottom position of an overhead squat. Looking up at the kettlebell slowly stand up. Reverse the motion back to the starting position and repeat.

Performance Tips

• Focus on keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times.

• Flex your stomach and glutes to drive off of the floor into an overhead squat position.

• Look at the kettlebell at all times.

• Breathe in as you stand up and breathe out as you lower yourself back to the starting position.

Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs

Exercise Description

Place one kettlebell between your legs and take a comfortable stance. Bend over by pushing your butt out and keeping your back flat. Pick up a kettlebell and pass it to your other hand between your legs. Go back and forth for several repetitions.

Performance Tips

• Contract your abs and butt at each kettlebell pass

• Turn in the direction that you are passing the kettlebell to

• Set a stopwatch for a certain time period such as 30 seconds to a minute and do as many passes as possible.

One-arm Kettlebell Push Press

Exercise Description

Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebell overhead. Once the kettlebell is locked out, lower the weight to your shoulder and repeat.

Performance Tips

• Push the kettlebell off of your upper body.

• Do not squat down too far.

• Breathe in as your lower the kettlebell and breathe out as you push press the kettlebell overhead.

• Look straight ahead at all times.

• Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebell to brace for the kettlebell.

Double Kettlebell Push Press

Exercise Description

Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebells overhead. Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and repeat.

Performance Tips

• Push the kettlebells off of your upper body.

• Do not squat down too far.

• Breathe in as your lower the weights and breathe out as you push press the kettlebells overhead.

• Look straight ahead at all times.

• Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebell to brace for the kettlebells.

One-arm Kettlebell Jerk

Exercise Description

Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Immediately after the initial push, squat down again and get under the kettlebell. Once the kettlebell is locked out, stand upright to complete the exercise.

Performance Tips

• Push the kettlebell off of your upper body.

• Do not squat down too far.

• Breathe in as your lower the weight and breathe out as you jerk the kettlebell overhead.

• Look straight ahead at all times.

• Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebell to brace for the kettlebell.

Two-arm Kettlebell Jerk

Exercise Description

Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly driving both kettlebells overhead. Immediately after the initial push, squat down again and get under the kettlebells. Once the kettlebells are locked out, stand upright to complete the exercise.

Performance Tips

• Push the kettlebells off of your upper body.

• Do not squat down too far.

• Breathe in as your lower the weight and breathe out as you jerk the kettlebells overhead.

• Look straight ahead at all times.

• Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebells to brace for the kettlebells.

One-arm Kettlebell Snatch

Exercise Description

Place a kettlebell between your feet. Bend your knees and push your butt back to get in the proper starting position. Look straight ahead and swing the kettlebell back between your legs. Immediately reverse the direction and drive through with your hips. Pull the kettlebell towards your body as if you are starting a lawn mower. As the kettlebell rises to your shoulder open your hand and punch through straight overhead.

Performance Tips

• Breathe in as you take the weight overhead and breathe out as the kettlebell swings between your legs.

• Punch through at the top forcefully to lock out the kettlebell overhead.

• At the starting position, crush grip the kettlebell. As you raise it past your chest open you hand and get your hand around the kettlebell rather than letting the kettlebell flip over your hand and crush your forearm.

One-Arm Kettlebell Swing

Exercise Description

Place one kettlebell between your feet. Push back with your butt and bend your knees to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat and look straight ahead. Swing the kettlebell between your legs forcefully. Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips taking the kettlebell straight out. Let the kettlebell swing back between your legs and repeat. Switch arms with each set.

Performance Tips

• Breathe out at you swing the kettlebell out and breathe in as the kettlebell swings between your legs.

• Contract your midsection and glutes at the top of the exercise and as the kettlebell swings between your legs for added stability.

• Look straight ahead at all times.

Double Kettlebell Swings

Exercise Description

Place two kettlebells between your feet. Push back with your butt and bend your knees to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat and look straight ahead. Swing the kettlebells between your legs forcefully. Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips taking the kettlebells straight out to chest level. Let the kettlebells swing back between your legs and repeat.

Performance Tips

• Breathe out at you swing the kettlebells to chest level and in as the kettlebells swing between your legs.

• Contract your midsection and glutes at the top of the exercise and as the kettlebells swing between your legs for added stability.

• Look straight ahead at all times.

Section II: Kettlebell Exercise Programs

EDT/Kettlebell Program for Size and Strength

This is a workout program that requires four workouts per week. Each workout takes forty-five minutes to an hour. If you are taking longer than an hour, then you are doing something wrong. With EDT, the goal is to do as many reps of each exercise in each "Personal Record Zone" (PR Zone). Pick exercises and kettlebells that you can handle for at least six to ten repetitions. Start each PR zone by doing three to five repetitions for each exercise. As fatigue builds, lower the reps to one to two and take longer breaks between each set. At the end of each PR Zone record the total number of repetitions that you achieved for each exercise. For example, if you did a total of forty repetitions on military presses, your goal at the next workout is to do a minimum of forty-one repetitions. As long as you are doing more repetitions, you will get bigger and stronger.