Kettlebell Juggling Lesson

Kettlebell Juggling Lesson:

Although it may seem a bit intimidating at first, kettlebell juggling can be a lot of fun. Once you have learned how to swing, clean and snatch with such precision that you can’t get it wrong, consider trying some throws and catches in the grass or sand.

Learning the clean to catch and snatch to catch may be a good starting point to develop the grip strength and coordination for this lesson. To begin with, develop the two handed swing-flip-catch, rotating the bell downward and catching it as it comes back up at the weightless moment at the top of the swing. Learn how to keep the handle stable as you release it, if it twists in the air, it will be very hard to catch. Once you have developed this move, try the one handed variation using the same rotation. The figure eight involves a hand to hand switch at the bottom of the move, try flipping the bell at the top and go from hand to hand.

You will most likely drop the kettlebell as you learn this so make sure you are doing it far way from anything breakable and on a soft surface. A kettlebell could bounce off a rubber gym floor and head off in any direction! Generally if you drop the bell it’s out front of you and not likely to hit your feet, but pay attention and get ready to move out of the way if need be. Juggling kettlebells in this way isn’t all about looking cool, it will help you develop amazing grip strength as well as coordination and focus. You really have to have the basics completely nailed before you even attempt these moves. You will use these basics with every toss, flip and catch! I have even done this kind of thing with two people throwing the bell back and forth, now that requires skill and trust! I always reach for the hard style bells for these kinds of exercises. While sport bells may have their advantages, this is an area where hard stlye can be more versatile. When choosing your weight for kettlebell juggling it’s important to remember that too heavy is never a good idea but very light bells are harder to stabilize in the air. Find the right weight hard style bell for you. Have fun playing around with this technique, you can combine this with the clean to catch, snatch to catch and even some bottoms up training for some added challenge. I will be providing you with a kettlebell juggling workout soon enough!

Thanks for joining me today,
Peter Hirsh