Why do some athletes jump higher, sprint faster, and cut quicker than others? It is because of power! A common misconception is that training for strength by loading large amounts of weight directly increases athleticism; however, the transfer to your athletic endeavors is not made by simply lifting heavy loads. Power=Work/Time, meaning there is a velocity or speed component when training for power. It is important to keep this in mind if you are either an athlete or you are a healthcare professional working with athletes, as this can be a gap that is often missed in this population. This article will demonstrate 5 exercises that you can perform with just a kettlebell to increase your rate of force production and level up your power!

 

How To Improve Lifts While Mitigating Risk

We have been asked by many athletes how to reap the benefits of Olympic weightlifting without necessarily performing Olympic weightlifting due to the increased risk for injury if you’re inexperienced with that type of lifting. Before anyone gets upset as to why we are giving alternatives to popular Olympic lifts; we are NOT saying Olympic lifts are dangerous.

READ: EXERCISES FOR OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING

 

The reality is that not all athletes have the appropriate equipment required to perform these lifts and/or may not have the experience or available coaching to perform these movements correctly. In addition, the skillset to perform Olympic lifts is high, the exercises shown in this article have a lower barrier to entry and are easier to replicate with just one piece of equipment!

 

Master Kettlebell Exercises And More From Home!

Looking to engage in fitness with minimal to no equipment? We have the solution for you! Join us and get started with our [P]rehab Fitness Program – Home Edition that will get both your body and mind in the best shape possible!

 

Lunge Matrix

One of my favorite combos here. This exercise combines the reverse and front lunge. As you reverse lunge you will lower the kettlebell towards the floor. As you get toward the bottom of your reverse lunge load into the front leg to EXPLODE up into a front lunge. This should create momentum for you to elevate the kettlebell towards the arm on the front leg. If you only have access to a dumbbell that also will do the job.

 

Single Leg Kettlebell Swing

This is a great way to bias each extremity when performing a kettlebell swing. As you swing the kettlebell up, elevate one leg. As you swing the bell up, focus on creating power with your hips, your hips driving forward should be the primary driver of this movement. it shouldn’t take much to feel the burn! You can start with keeping both legs on the ground if elevating one leg is too challenging. Be honest with yourself and do NOT sacrifice form or technique!

 

Feeling Sore From A Hard Workout? Watch This To Recover Faster

 

Lateral Lunge Using Kettlebell

This exercise will help develop power in the side-to-side motion. Working in the frontal plane, as well as all 3 planes of motion is important! Once your outside leg hits the floor, explode back to the starting position. Below, you can learn more about lunge variations on our [P]Rehab Audio Experience!

LISTEN: LUNGE VARIATIONS WITH THE [P]REHAB GUYS

 

Deadlift <>Goblet Squat

These two commonly performed exercises can easily be combined as shown here. This is a great bang for your buck exercise. When performing a deadlift you are biasing the posterior chain muscles such as the hamstrings and gluteals, as you move into a Goblet squat you bias the anterior chain muscles such as the quadriceps.

 

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 Single Leg Jump

This exercise requires a lot of control! Notice how the kettlebell is inverted here, this allows me to hug the bell closer to my center of mass. Feel free to drive up with the opposite limb, this will help maximize vertical displacement. The kettlebell will give you some additional load to create power against!

 

Closing Thoughts

The best exercise for you varies on your sport and what your goals entail. Shown above were just a few exercises you can use with a kettlebell to help develop your lower extremity power.

 

Learn How To Train For Longevity!

Fitness is not about using such a high intensity that you are unable to get off the floor afterward. We are all about hard work, however, we want to make sure you are able to workout across the lifespan both safely and effectively. The number one reason why people no longer participate in an exercise program is due to injury, let’s prove that statistic incorrect by using a fitness program with the intended goals of getting you in shape while avoiding injury! To do so, the first 4 weeks are meant to load your tissues to create a movement base this ready to take on the next 8 weeks. Let’s also make sure that we are not just addressing the physical you but are helping you become healthier by giving you methods to decrease your internal load via positive self-talk and gratitude practices.

 

About The Author

Arash Maghsoodi, PT, DPT, CSCS

[P]rehab Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer

Arash Maghsoodi received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California. For his undergraduate studies, he attended San Diego State University and studied Kinesiology. After sustaining a career-ending ankle sprain while playing collegiate soccer, he realized how disabling and life-altering injuries can be. Arash currently resides in beautiful Santa Monica, California. His clinical experience is primarily in the orthopedic and sports setting. He has treated a wide variety of conditions ranging from the post-operative individual to the professional athlete. Arash is keeping the family legacy of becoming a physical therapist, as his mother is a practicing clinician of 30 years in the Orange County area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer – The content here is designed for information & education purposes only and is not intended for medical advice.