The Two Types Of Movements In Kettlebell Training
There Are Two Different Types Of Movements When Performing Kettlebell Exercises: Ballistics And Grinds.
Knowing which type of movement you are doing will determine how you approach each lift and how to execute the exercise so you get more out of each repetition.
Now, when I say “movements”, I am referring to the TYPE of exercise it is (ballistic/grind).
I will go into detail about what each of these things means.
We will first define each, and then I’ll branch out and go into their unique characteristics and differences.
If you haven’t already read my article about the “super six” exercises of kettlebell training, check that out first.
You’ll have a better understanding of the exercises and concepts about to come.
Let’s get into it!
Ballistics: Quick lifts
The main exercises which are classed as ballistics or ‘quick lifts’ are;
These exercises are all about power development, with an emphasis on high acceleration.
Ballistics, done well, are one of the hallmarks of kettlebell training and its success.
Due to their high demand for energy, they are a great choice when it comes to training efficiency, and getting more out of less.
Ballistics will help you become powerful, get lean, become more athletic, and develop a high level of fitness. Without damaging your joints pounding the pavement, or having to do long, boring cardio.
A crisp, powerful set of swings, cleans, or snatches will get your heart rate up in no time at all.
They are designed to promote a strong hip hinge, using all of your powerful muscles on the backside of your body — the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back).
When Done Correctly, You Will Maximise The Power Of Your Hips — While Sparing Your Lower Back.
Below are a few keys to nailing your ballistics;
Maintain a neutral spine throughout — the natural curves of your spine.
A ‘deep hinge’ — to recruit your hamstrings and glutes.
Power breathing — timing your inhale and exhale to maximise stability and strength.
Full hip extension — meaning you finish with your hips locked and your glutes “cramped”.
Core braced — as if you’re about to be punched in the stomach.
Finish tall — stand up ramrod straight with your legs locked and hips extended.
The objective of ballistics isn’t to see how tired you can make yourself (although, they are pretty tiring).
The goal is to see how much power you can produce for the entire set.
Let’s say you’re doing a set of ten swings. You don’t want only half of them to be strong and crisp, and the other half to be slow and sloppy.
Allowing the speed of your reps to go down won’t allow you to get the full benefit out of the exercise!
And you’ll probably end up injuring your back or something else in the process of trying to complete your ten reps.
This is because your body has already told you that you don't have the power needed to sustain the output.
Rule Of Thumb: When Your Speed Starts Decreasing & You Can’t Reclaim It, The Set Is Done.
If this happens over several sets, and no matter how hard you focus or concentrate, your power stays low. You are done with that exercise for the day.
This is not a suggestion.
Safety first. Don’t let your ego interfere with the quality of your movement and expose yourself to unnecessary injury.
Once your speed is gone, you are no longer developing power, you are working on conditioning. And that is not the primary goal of ballistics — it is a byproduct of them.
Please read that last part again. It is that important!
Grinds: Slow lifts
The main exercises which are classed as grinds or ‘slow lifts’ are;
These differ from the ballistics not just in terms of speed (slower) but also in what you are trying to focus on.
Rather than fixating on the speed of the bell, your goal is to create as much tension as possible. This is known as “getting tight”.
Creating muscular tension is designed to keep you safe when lifting. Its goal is to reduce/eliminate any ‘energy leaks’ in your body while lifting a heavy load.
It’s important from a safety perspective, so you can better stabilise your body, and use your joints and muscles as intended.
But most importantly, to prevent your body from compensating.
Compensation patterns are your body’s way of cheating the movement or trying to find a different way to complete the lift. Oftentimes by bending, twisting, moving, or contorting a body part that shouldn’t be involved.
Below are a few examples of compensation patterns;
Arching the lower back when performing a military press.
Hips shoot up early in the squat (also known as a ‘stripper squat’).
Bending from your back, not your hips, in the get-up.
Your mission and primary objective is to prevent any and all of these things from occurring during the exercise.
When Your Body Starts Trying To Find A Different Way To Accomplish A Task, It’s For A Reason.
Maybe you don’t have enough strength. Perhaps you need more mobility. It might be due to a lack of core strength.
Or it could be, and is likely, that your technique needs some work.
Using the right technique often solves problems quicker than trying to come up with reasons why the lift isn’t being executed correctly.
Before you blame this muscle, that joint or not having enough chalk on your hands — look at your technique. Start there!
If you aren’t sure your technique is EXACTLY where it needs to be, seek out a qualified StrongFirst instructor or coach to assist you.
I offer expert kettlebell training in Perth and would be more than happy to review your technique to help improve it.
Live interstate or overseas? Check out the StrongFirst directory to find an SFG in your local area.
Investing in some private lessons will save you time and heartache with your long-term training goals, and keep you safe when training.
Which Movements Should You Do?
Well, that depends.
What are your goals? What physical quality are you trying to develop? How many bells do you have access to?
My advice is that you should look to incorporate exercises from both worlds. One or two ballistics and one or two grinds.
Do one exercise at a time, or pair them up and perform them as a superset (exercise A, exercise B, rest).
My personal preference is to integrate one upper body and one lower body exercise.
These are some combinations you could look to use;
Swing and Military Press
Snatch and Get-up
Clean and Squat
The program I am currently following is called Simple and Sinister (S&S). And the name is very appropriate.
S&S consists of only two movements — 100x one-arm swings (50 on each side) and 10x Get-ups (5 on each side).
That's all.
You do that 3/4/5 times per week depending on your current training routine, goals, and level of experience.
Please note: The program takes about six months. If you aren’t prepared to follow the process, and you just want a “workout” to follow, this isn’t it.
Training with kettlebells has a steep learning curve. If you’re not prepared to train for a long time and work continually on your technique, you’ll just end up frustrated and with very few results for your efforts.
That’s why I’m happy to be doing only two exercises for half a year.
At the end of the program, if everything goes as planned, I’ll be 33% stronger. That’s pretty damn exciting to me.
This provides more than enough motivation, and I know by the end my technique will be much improved, too!
Fast And Slow Lifts: The Perfect Combination.
Having a ballistic and a grind will allow you to develop a lot of power, build your strength, and pack on some muscle in the process.
One exercise demands a high velocity and the other, a high amount of muscular tension. It’s a simple formula.
Pick your movements, treat every training session as a “practice” and own the weight you are currently on before increasing the load.
This process is called ‘step loading’.
You select a weight that is appropriate for the number of reps your program requires, and you stick with it until it becomes comfortable on any given day. To the point where you don’t get stressed about lifting it.
"Step loading is an adult training progression. It weeds out impatient juveniles unable to stay on task". - Pavel Tsatsouline
If You Are Unwilling To Pick A Weight That Is Suitable For Your Current Level And Stick With It, You May Want To Look In The Mirror.
Your ego is clearly clouding your judgment. Park the ego at the door and use the weight to which your current technique is suited.
Show yourself that your goals are meaningful by picking your technique apart and reviewing it regularly.
On the ballistics — is the kettlebell moving fast or slow? Could you move it faster?
On the grinds — are you getting as tight as possible? Can you get tighter?
This is how you will improve your technique and make every training session both fun and challenging.
You’ll start seeing what parts you can improve and identify where your strength and weaknesses are.
Got some things to work on? GOOD.
You can work on that during your next practice.
Enjoy the journey!