An Alternative Way to Train

By Mike Hanley

For www.EliteFTS.com

Are you bored with your workouts? Do you dread going to the local gym only to wait to use the squat rack that’s being used for barbell curls? Are you ready to mix it up? Then keep reading because I’m going to show you how to put a nice twist on some old school exercises.

These exercises can be done almost anywhere, including that dreaded gym, and you can use them in a number of ways. They can be used together as a form of GPP or add them into a body part split routine as assistance exercises. You can use a lighter weight with short rest periods or use the big boys to pack some meat on your bones. These exercises can benefit anyone from the weekend warrior to the massive all-conference linebacker to the mixed martial artist getting ready for his next battle. Whatever way you decide to use these movements, you’ll reap the benefits of strength, endurance, and power.

An added bonus is that these exercises will help correct any muscle imbalances because they can be done in an alternating fashion. This type of training is considered unilateral training. Unilateral training is extremely important for all athletes. When someone trains entirely with bilateral methods, they can become more prone to muscle imbalances. One arm or leg can become stronger than the other because there’s a compensation for the weaker limb. Eventually, the weaker limb will cause areas to become tight. It will also cause certain muscles that aren’t being used due to poor flexibility to turn “off” and not work as efficiently. Think of this as certain muscles (or muscle groups) taking a nap. When this happens, a breakdown in form is also possible and can result in injury.

The exercises

1. Alternating kettlebell rows: This exercise will work your back muscles, particularly the lat muscle. Unlike some rowing exercises, the alternating kettlebell row will also work a number of core muscles including the glutes and abs.

In a push-up position, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and with each hand holding a kettlebell, brace your body with your glutes and abs. Row one kettlebell to your hip by contracting your lat muscle. Under control, bring the kettlebell back to the floor. Once the kettlebell is placed firmly on the floor, continue rowing with the other arm.

Technique tips

• Keep your abdominals and glute muscles contracted for the entire length of the set. This will keep your body in a board-like position. Do not raise your butt in the air during the exercise, as this can place you in an unsafe position.
• Avoid twisting and turning your torso during the set. This will determine how well you are contracting your midsection and glutes. If you’re twisting, then you need to focus on the ab and glute contraction.
• When positioning yourself over the kettlebells, make sure that the bells are under your chest area, not in front of your face. This will prevent the bells from falling because the angle to the floor will be more perpendicular and stable.

2. Alternating kettlebell floor presses: The kettlebell floor presses are very similar to the famous floor presses taught by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. This form of bench pressing is used to strengthen the chest and triceps muscles. There are two ways they can be done, and both are shown below. The second set of pictures shows a form used to strengthen the core area along with the “pressing” muscles. This exercise is an excellent choice for athletes who compete on the floor like mixed martial artists and wrestlers. It will strengthen areas that are responsible for getting off of the floor or getting a body off of you.

Lie with your back on the ground in a sit-up position. Position the kettlebells on the side of your chest region with your hands in a neutral position (palms facing each other) and your elbows resting on the ground. Press one kettlebell in a straight line until your arm is completely straight. Bring the kettlebell down under control and begin to press the other kettlebell in the same manner.

Once you’re comfortable with the kettlebell floor press in the first set of pictures, move on to the more advanced method. Take a shoulder-width foot position. As you press the right arm up, use your glute muscles to press your right heel into the ground and push your body over to its side. This will involve the glutes as well as the abdominals and obliques. It’s almost as if you’re pressing your body away from the kettlebell. As the right arm is lowering, start to press the left arm up with the same method, using your left leg to drive off. You’ll be moving continuously from side to side pressing the bells non-stop throughout the entire set.

Technique tips

• Keep your wrist straight while holding the kettlebells. You should never allow your wrist to bend either way at any time. This will decrease the risk of any injury to the wrist and strengthen your grip.
• When pressing a bell into the air, keep your eyes focused on the bell. This is especially important when doing the more advanced version.

3. Alternating kettlebell cleans: This exercise is great for those athletes who want to improve hip drive. Most athletes could benefit from increased explosive power in the legs, and the next two movements will do just that. The alternating kettlebell cleans will also work grip and upper back (which is imperative for anyone), and they’ll do some damage to the anaerobic system. See for yourself. Try a set for 30 seconds non-stop.

Squat down and pick up both kettlebells. Once the kettlebells are in your hands, do a quarter squat, explode upward pulling one kettlebell up with a high pull movement, and catch the bell in the rack position (resting on the side of the arm near the chest.) When catching the bell in the rack, your body should immediately go into the position for the quarter squat. Explode from the quarter squat, pulling the opposite bell to the rack while at the same time allowing the other bell to drop between your legs. Each quarter squat explosion should release one bell from the rack and pull the opposing bell to the rack position. The movement should come mainly from the hips with some help form the high pull movement of the arm.

Technique tips

• Absorb the catch on your heels. Do not allow the kettlebells to pull you forward onto your toes. This will place too much stress on the low back and knees. You want to absorb the force of the deceleration in your muscles, not your joints.
• Avoid flipping the bells over your hands when catching them. This will put unnecessary stress on the arm muscles and could leave you with some bruises. By turning the wrist while doing the high pull, you’ll smoothly rotate the kettlebell around your wrist to the desired position.

4. Alternating kettlebell snatches: This is another great exercise for hip power and is very similar to the alternating kettlebell clean. The difference is in the positioning of the arm at the end of the movement.

The alternating kettlebell snatch is almost identical to the alternating kettlebell clean as far as the hips and leg drive. The only difference is that instead of performing a high pull and catching the kettlebells in a rack position, you’ll perform the high pull and throw the bells upward allowing some time to quarter squat, straighten the arm, and catch the bell in an overhead snatch position.

Technique tips

• When catching the kettlebell over your head, keep your wrist straight. Do not allow the bell to bend your wrist when you catch it because this will put undue stress on the wrist.

To incorporate the exercises described above, use them in a circuit fashion or select one for a specific body part that you’re training that day. For example, for general physical preparedness (GPP), you could perform all four exercises one after the other with little or no rest between each exercise until a set of each was completed. You could use lighter weights for this or heavier kettlebells to allow for some strength increases. This type of training would be ideal for grapplers or mixed martial artists because of the lack of rest and constant strain on the body throughout each circuit. For athletes training with body part splits, incorporate the snatch and clean on leg day, the floor press on chest and/or triceps day, and the rows on back day. I’ve outlined some examples below.

Option A: Strength as a goal*

A1. Alternating kettlebell rows 

A2. Alternating kettlebell cleans

A3. Alternating kettlebell floor press

A4. Alternating kettlebell snatches

*Perform six total reps of each exercise and then move immediately to the next exercise. Complete one set of each and rest 2–3 minutes. Repeat the circuit 2–4 times.

Option B: GPP**

A1. Alternating kettlebell cleans 

A2. Alternating kettlebell rows

A3. Alternating kettlebell snatches

A4. Alternating kettlebell floor press

**Perform each exercise for a total of 20–30 seconds. Move immediately to the next exercise until all are completed for one circuit. Rest 30–90 seconds and repeat.

There you have it, old school exercises with a new school twist on them. Obviously, the options above are only a few of the many ways that you could incorporate these exercises into any routine. However, if you feel that you’re in a rut and need something to get you back on the horse, give these a try. Believe me—you won’t be disappointed in the feeling you’ll get when they tax you beyond anything you’re doing now. No matter how you decide to include them, you’ll reap the benefits of the alternative way.

Mike Hanley is a strength and conditioning coach based out of New Jersey. He is certified by USAW as a sports performance coach and is a certified kettlebell instructor. Mike specializes in program design for high school athletes and middle-aged men and women, and his training methods include a mixture of powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, kettlebell training, and many other methods to produce significant strength and performance gains. He has worked closely with autistic teenagers as well as senior citizens both in the rehabilitative and fitness arenas.

In addition to his work in the strength and conditioning field, Mike is a competitive athlete. He has competed in bodybuilding, powerlifting, and weightlifting. He is available for private training in the Marlboro and Belmar, New Jersey areas and also designs personalized training, nutrition, and supplementation programs online. If you would like more information on Mike’s programs, please contact him at hanley.strength@gmail.com or visit www.hanleystrength.com.

Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit us at www.EliteFTS.com.