Ballistic

Kettlebell Swing

Foundational ballistic hip hinge. Develops explosive hip power and posterior chain endurance. The hip snap is the same motor pattern as late-stance push-off in running — training it means more propulsion per stride with less effort.

Equipment: kettlebells | Reps: 10-15 | Rest: 60s

Regions: Primary: hips, legs_posterior · Secondary: core

Coaching Cues

• Hike the bell back between your legs like snapping a football
• Snap hips forward explosively — the power comes from the hips, not the arms
• Arms are just hooks — they hold the bell, they don't lift it
• Bell floats to chest height on its own from the hip drive
• Let the bell fall, hinge at the hips, and repeat

Common Mistakes

• Squatting the swing — this is a hip hinge, not a squat
• Using arms to lift the bell — if your shoulders are sore, you're pulling
• Leaning back at the top — stand tall, squeeze glutes, don't hyperextend
• Bell going above head — chest height is the target

Kettlebell Clean

Explosive hip-driven pull that lands the bell in the rack position at your shoulder. Same hip snap as the swing but directed into a catch. Develops single-arm power, grip strength, and the ability to absorb force — the same skill your legs need on every running foot strike.

Equipment: kettlebells | Reps: 5-8 | Rest: 90s

Regions: Primary: hips, legs_posterior · Secondary: upper_posterior, core

Coaching Cues

• Hike the bell back between your legs, thumb pointing behind you
• Snap the hips to drive the bell upward — same power source as the swing
• Keep the elbow tight to your ribs — don't let it fly out wide
• Guide the bell around your wrist into the rack — fist at collarbone, elbow tucked
• Absorb the catch softly with a slight knee dip

Common Mistakes

• Arm-pulling instead of hip-driving — if your bicep is sore, use more hips
• Bell crashing onto the wrist — guide it smoothly around, don't let it flip over and bang
• Elbow flying out wide on the pull — stay compact
• Catching stiff-legged — absorb the bell with a soft knee bend
• Not owning the rack position — pause briefly, bell resting on forearm, elbow down

Kettlebell Snatch

Single-motion overhead kettlebell lift — from between your legs to locked out overhead in one explosive movement. The tsar of KB exercises. Pure tension-release: explosive hip snap, then the bell floats overhead. Most metabolically demanding KB movement and the ultimate expression of total-body power coordination.

Equipment: kettlebells | Reps: 5-8 | Rest: 90s

Regions: Primary: hips, legs_posterior · Secondary: upper_posterior, core

Coaching Cues

• Hike the bell back hard — thumb points behind you on the backswing
• Explosive hip snap drives the bell upward — same power source as swing and clean
• As the bell passes chest height, pull it close to your body like a high pull
• Straighten your arm and let the bell roll smoothly over your wrist to lockout
• Lock out overhead — arm straight, shoulder packed down, eyes forward
• Control the drop by letting the bell fall, catch in the backswing, and repeat

Common Mistakes

• Arm-pulling the bell up — the hip snap does the work, the arm just guides
• Bell crashing onto the back of the wrist at the top — let it roll over gently by timing your punch
• Not locking out fully overhead — straight arm, shoulder in its socket
• Bell arcing too far away from the body — keep it close on the way up
• Rushing reps — each snatch should look crisp and powerful, not frantic