WORKOUT 1

Weight: Light to medium

Kettlebell(s):

Type: Cardio, strength, flexibility, and mobility

Duration: 32 minutes

A good 10 to 20 minute warm-up is highly recommended before starting this

workout as the movements used will literally test every muscle in your
body. I highly recommend not to go too heavy for the curls if you’ve not
done those regularly before. Internal/medial rotation of the forearm is the part that
most people will not be accustomed to with the dead curl, so, make sure to approach
this exercise with a light weight until you’ve conditioned your forearm pronator
muscles.

The workout
• 4 rounds of
◦ 1 minute of double kettlebell clean and jerk
◦ 1 minute stretching
◦ TOTAL OF 8 MINUTES
• 4 rounds of
◦ 1 minute dead clean into rotational press
◦ 1 minute dead clean into rotational press on the other side
◦ 1 minute of stretching
◦ 1 minute bent press into overhead squat
◦ 1 minute bent press into overhead squat on the other side
◦ 1 minute of stretching
◦ TOTAL OF 24 MINUTES

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Clean and Jerk
Swing Clean
AKA: Clean
The swing clean can be performed with one or two kettlebells. When working with one kettlebell
you can also switch upon each rep, this switch requires a swing between each clean. The clean can
be performed with a hip hinge, a squat, or a pendulum movement, as you progress through this book
you’ll understand how to apply different movements for the same exercise. This description of the
clean will use the hip hinge.
For strength, you would go heavy and do slower and lower reps, slower as in pausing longer in the
rack. For cardio you would go faster and pace for aerobic and go all out for anaerobic, intervals
would be great for the latter. For endurance you would go longer unbroken, pace, and pick a
suitable weight, suitable will depend on your strength and conditioning. For flexibility you want to
focus on a deep but safe insert, you want to test max ROM, go slower, reset and focus on each rep.
When you start working with heavier kettlebells or double kettlebells you need to start creating
more counterbalance and you can’t just stay straight while waiting for the pull of the weight. The
following sequence demonstrates going from racking into dropping the kettlebells for the
backswing and creating counterbalance through hip hyperextension and knee flexion.

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When cleaning a kettlebell, no matter what variation of the clean, you don’t wait for the kettlebells
to hit and bang, you come and meet the weight, feel it, catch it, and rack it.

1. Start in racking position

2. From racking position let the kettlebell slightly fall forward
3. Drop the kettlebells into the backswing
4. Keep the elbow close to the body
5. Push the chest away from the kettlebell through hip extension (not lower back extension)
6. Corkscrew the bell around the hand
7. Transition into hook grip
8. Guide the kettlebell through the legs for the backswing
9. Move like you're going to perform the kettlebell swing
10. The point where your elbows normally fully disconnect you now stay close
11. The swing should be explosive enough so that the kettlebell travels up (not outwards)
12. Let the force continue the up phase of the swing
13. Open up the hand
14. Depending on where the thumb is pointing you might have to corkscrew
15. Insert the hand
16. Obtain racking position
17. Repeat

Most people will refer to this simply as the “clean”, this is due to this being the most popular
variation of the clean, I suggest to use its full name when possible.

When you perform the swing clean you still need to execute the movement as if you were going to
perform a kettlebell swing. You start with your backswing upon which your forearm and elbow

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make a connection, and normally disconnect at the front on the upswing. However, with the clean,
you want to keep the elbow close to your body. When the kettlebell is approximately above or inline
with your elbow you need to open up your hand, let the kettlebell propel up through the power
generated and perform a hand insert; you do this by lightly punching the open hand up into the
kettlebell handle at the corner, which is located between the horn and handle of the kettlebell; at the
same time you need to focus on twisting the hand to make sure the kettlebell travels around the
hand and does not flip over the hand, this is to stop the bell from producing friction in the palm of
the hand and banging on the wrist.

On the down phase of the clean you need to chose the shortest path down and back between the
legs, you need to rotate your wrist to guide the handle from the 45 degree resting position on your
palm to back into the hook grip, all of this preferably while reducing contact and friction between
the handle and your hand, in other words, bump it from the resting position into hook grip.

Think about this whole process of cleaning the kettlebell up as guiding the kettlebell all the way,
there is not one point where you're not guiding the kettlebell to where you want it to end up. You
want a clean smooth movement. If you let the kettlebell just chose its own path you will end up with
injuries, pain, or a sloppy looking clean.

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The towel drill is a great way to work on keeping that elbow in, even though the towel drill limits
the natural movement and exaggerates the connection, it is a good way to understand how the elbow
should stay close to the body with the clean. To perform, rack a kettlebell, place a towel between
your elbow and body, drop the kettlebell and perform the clean as described. If the towel falls then
you need to work on that connection.

Dot points:
• The same concept as with the dead clean applies and you want to drive that weight up
• Use the legs to clean and at the top open up to perform a hand insert
• You can clean with; Hip hinge; Squat; Pendulum
• Keep the weight close to you
• A good drill is the towel drill to practice elbow to body proximity
• If the towel falls then your elbow was not in the right place

Bonus videos:
Swing Clean Single Kettlebell go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-004
Swing Clean Double Kettlebell go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-005
Swing Clean Double Kettlebell go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-006
Swing Clean Single Kettlebell Slow-mo go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-007
500 Clean And Strict Press Challenge go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-008

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Jerk
The first part of the jerk is a push press that’s not pressed out. Immediately after the push there is
the second dip which is to come under the weight (photo 3) with the arm locked out. From there the
next position is coming into full extension with the arm still overhead. The weight is then dropped
into rack and another jerk is performed.

Key safety point to consider. When you’re in the under squat you should pay great attention to the
alignment of your pelvis. The pelvis should be aligned with your spine, you control this alignment
with your gluteus maximus, i.e. through contraction which pulls the pelvis back in line with the
spine.

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The easiest way to think about the jerk is to push your knees forward and back immediately, this is
to push the weight up, then you drop your hips low to come under the weight and push yourself
away from the weight. There is no pressing in the jerk. Once you’re under the weight and
everything is solid and not moving you come up out of the under squat after which you keep the
weight overhead for a split second without movement.

Push Press
The push press is half powered by the legs and half by the shoulder(s). From racking the knees flex
and rapidly extend while driving into and keeping the heels on the floor. The push press is the
progression to the jerk. On that note, the jerk is not a press.

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To perform:
1. neutral stance
2. good racking position
3. pull the knees forward
4. ankle dorsiflexion paired with hip flexion push the knees forward
5. immediately pull them back
6. keep the feet flat
7. drive the weight up
8. press out
9. finish with a good overhead lockout

Before learning the jerk you would learn to push press.

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Static Squat Dead Curl
Combo
The static squat dead curl is a great way to get one or two kettlebells up if for some reason you have
not mastered the kettlebell clean yet. It’s also a great exercise to work the back and squat isometric
strength as you’ll be using all that during the curl from dead. During the curl your objective is to
prevent any movement, especially rounding of the back or shoulders coming forward.

From the racked position you can perform alternating static squat dead curls.

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The word static in static squat refers to staying the squat while performing the curls, but you can
come out of the squat and use the curl to lift your weight up. You can combine other movements
from the standing position, for example, squat dead curl and snatch, press, windmill, and so on. The
possibilities are endless.

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The grip transition that happens during the curl and rotation of the arm is extremely important to
make this exercise comfortable and effective.

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 With one kettlebell and double arm.

The squat dead curl is to get all the benefits you get from a good deep squat, but also to work the
spinal erectors. You’re loading and unloading the muscles while remaining in a static squat position.
Throughout the movement you want to focus on maintaining a good squat, the opposite would be a
sagging sitting into squat. You don’t want to sag or sit relaxed in the position, instead, you want to
keep everything aligned and contracted while you load and unload with the curls. You will find a
video in your online course.

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Before you attempt this with a weight you should be able to perform a perfect deep squat:
• feet flat on the ground
• hips below the knee line
• back neutrally aligned
• three squat joints aligned properly

Why:
• Erector spinae strength
• Ankle mobility
• Knee mobility
• Hip mobility

How to perform:
1. Neutral stance
2. Adjust feet to your squat stance
3. Break at the three squat joints
4. Come into the deepest squat
5. At the bottom position keep tension
6. Keep pulling the knees out
7. Keep the feet flat on the floor
8. Keep pulling the shoulders back
9. Keep the core braced
10. Keep pushing the hips down
11. Keep pushing into the ground
12. Arms extended
13. Grab the kettlebell with a horn grip
14. Thumbs through and high
15. Push the elbows into the thighs
16. Brace for the load that will be curled
17. Look ahead not down
18. Curl the weight up with a controlled motion
19. Curl as close but safe to the upper body
20. Control the weight down with an eccentric curl
21. Return the weight to dead or at least touching gently
22. Repeat

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Rotational Press
AKA: Reverse Rotational Press
Why:
• Thoracic spine mobility
• Shoulder strength
• Shoulder stability
• Core stability
• Multifidus
• Rotatores
• Obliques
• Thoracic spine rotation
• Shoulder extension
• Shoulder abduction
• Elbow extension

Rotation in the T-spine is something that does not occur in the day to day lives of many people,
especially office workers, hence, this is an area that needs to be approached carefully. The muscles
need to be conditioned slowly and step-by-step. Perform bodyweight exercises that involve thoracic
spine rotation regularly before attempting the spiral press. If you have good thoracic mobility then
this is an easier exercise to work on a good straight overhead press, i.e. better shoulder mobility.
The straight overhead press would require more shoulder mobility than the spiral press, hence, this
is a great exercise to use for progression to the overhead press, assuming the person in question has
good thoracic mobility.

It should be noted that one might create lateral thoracic flexion during the rotation when the
shoulder mobility is lacking. It’s not recommended for beginners to create both lateral flexion and
rotation of the spine at the same time but instead focus on one pattern separately. Once advanced
and done with intention, not to gain range, then this is perfectly fine under light load and controlled
movement.

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Bent Press
The bent press is one of these exercises that were the staple of old-time strongmen such as Eugen
Sandow, Arthur Saxon, and Louis Cyr. It’s not a very popular exercise anymore but at
Cavemantraining we’re working on bringing it back as it’s an exercise everyone should be
incorporating in their training, it's awesome for so many things.

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Why:

• Thoracic mobility
• Flexibility
• Core strength
• Shoulder mobility
• Shoulder strength
• Improved posture
• Injury prevention
• Kyphosis prevention (rounding of the back)
• Improved breathing
• Stability and so much more

It's also great to get heavier weight overhead and focus on the down-phase of the overhead position,
i.e. increase your pressing strength.

Unlike the name suggests, it's not a press, in summary, is performed as follows:

1. Rack
2. Rotate
3. Pull
4. Bent
5. Come under
6. Lock out
7. Come up
8. Shoulder rotation
9. Neutral stance
10. Rack and repeat

One can come under the weight in different ways, one leg locked other bent or bending both knees
and turn it more into a squat under.

This awesome exercise requires progression, you will need to work on your flexibility first,
hamstrings especially, you’ll need to work on shoulders, work on rotation with just bodyweight,
work on the movement without weight, then slowly increase the weight over time.

Minimum requirements:

• Thoracic rotation 35°

• Hip flexion 90°
• External shoulder rotation 35°

Progression:
• Hip hinge
• Thoracic rotation
• Shoulder internal and external rotation
• Breaking down the movements

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 • Perfect the full bodyweight movement
• Add lightweight
• Increase reps
• Increase weight

Breaking down the movements

After all other requirements are met and you’ve come to the point of breaking down the movement
pattern, that works as follows.

Drill 1. Rotation and arm placement:

• Repeat thoracic rotation with one arm bent

• Active lat to keep pulling the elbow down throughout the movement
• Follow the hand with your eyesight
• Try and keep the hips as straight as possible
• Keep the forearm vertical
• Repeat

Drill 2. Coming under the weight:

• Continue at the extend of drill 1

• Bring the non-working arm to the chest and keep it there
• Hip hinge or squat to bring the hips and shoulders down
• Keep the hand at the same level throughout the movement
• Push yourself away from the hand till full elbow extension
• Do not press the hand up
• Repeat

If you need support then you can use the elbow of the non-working arm to press into the thigh.
Pressing into the thigh will relieve tension on the back/abs. You can also use the hand on the non-
working arm to pull on the thigh for support, this would be opposite of pressing the elbow into the
thigh of the other leg.

Drill 3. Coming up:

• Continue at the extend of drill 2

• Keep the arm up throughout the drill
• Come into the bottom position and back up
• Focus on the shoulder rotation that happens during the movement
• Come into a full neutral standing position with the arm overhead

5 reps per drill on each side will be good, but you should pick a number of reps that feels good for
you. Work for 5 minutes, rest, and repeat at 4 times to understand the movement.

After having drilled all the movements you put them all together and act like you’re working with a
real weight. I should note that sometimes the drilling becomes easier when you do have some added

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weight even if as low as 4 or 8kg, and sometimes the whole movement improves once you start
adding real weight, 12kg, 16kg and up.

When working with heavier weights you can implement the double-handed clean.

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The bent press is a great exercise to everything in your midsection, the less support you give your
core the harder it needs to work. Once you’re using a heavier weight or even when you’re just
starting out you can place the non-working hand on the thigh for support and assistance through
triceps and shoulder extension.

Bonus videos:
• Kettlebell Bent Press go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-75
• Kneeling Bent Press For Mobility go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-76
• Kettlebell Bent Press go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-77
• 80kg Bent Press By Oliver Quinn go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-78
• Workout With Bent Press Deadlift Variation go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-79

Bonus workouts:
• The SIXPRESS Kettlebell Combo go.cavemantraining.com/kbe-vid-80

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Overhead Squat
AKA: OH squat
The overhead squat with kettlebells is a lot harder than the barbell overhead squat due to the
kettlebell being unilateral, you can’t pull the bar apart for stability, and the weight needs to be
placed right above your shoulder. For a good overhead squat, you need good shoulder mobility and
strength. You also need strength in the back to keep it upright, or rather more than upright and
create thoracic hyperextension. If you don’t then the shoulder needs to do more work or won’t be
able to keep the weight up overhead.

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When doing single overhead squats you will notice that a lot of work needs to be done on the non-
lifting side to stabilize the torso (spine). Before you descent into the overhead squat you want to
create tension through the body and especially those areas that you’ll feel pull in the deepest part of
the squat. Do not force a deep overhead squat, it can cause injury injury in the shoulders, and/or
internally, like the quadratus lumborum which will have to work hard to prevent lateral flexion of
the spine.

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