Following from last week we will now cover the grip part of kettlebell training in detail.

As the hand locks on to the handle for most ballistic exercises. The grip action required to hold the kettlebell is referred to as crush grip or crushing. This is the same action as making a fist and replicated perfectly by hand grippers. However, while a crush grip is great for explosive force production due to the thumb lock on the fingertips, it isn't too clever for the clean and snatch. If the handle remains parallel during the end phases of these exercises the grip will be active due to the weight pulling the wrist into extension from the middle of the palm. And here we give you one of the golden nougats in kettlebell training......

Your grip is strongest when the maximum surface area of the hand is in contact with the object you are lifting and more so when the hand makes a fist and is able to lock the thumb on the fingers. If you now consider a barbell or dumbbell lift, this means that the handle runs across the middle of the palms. While this is great for deadlifts and shrugs, it is terrible for kettlebell training because of physics. In the rack/clean position, the kettlebell keeps a constant pull on the palm and pulls the wrist backwards - slowly fatiguing the forearm and greatly shortening the workout time. While this is essential for kettlebell competition training, it does make a big difference in standard training - even if you only rest a few seconds between reps. Moreover. In the lockout phase of the snatch, the same is true as the weight pulls down causing the handle to pull the wrist backwards. The only way to avoid this gradual collapse of the wrist is to change the alignment of the handle in the palm.

Here's an experiment for you to try, get a barbell and load one end with a fair amount of weight and then try lifting that end. Now go to the other end and lift the unloaded part of the bar - fulcrums and levers your honour! In a nutshell, the further you are from the fulcrum, the easier the lever is to lift. Therefore, the closer you are to the fulcrum, the more difficult it is. When the handle runs across the palm it is a few inches from the wrist and so can collapse the wrist strength over time. When the handle is angled to sit closer to the wrist, much more force is required to have any impact on the stability of the wrist. So how do we overcome physics and twist our kettlebell handles into shape?

The idea is that the part of the handle closest to the small finger will tilt downwards to face the floor. A traditionally gripped weight/kettlebell looks like so -

And runs at a right angle to the forearm.

An offset handle looks much nicer and can be seen below -

By changing the angle of the handle, the weight can now be distributed more easily through the forearm and minimises the pull on the palm which causes the wrist and forearm to remain active unnecessarily.

In the clean position the handle now faces down showing how the weight is placed on the pad at the base of the small finger and close to the wrist -

The same hand position applies for the snatch in the overhead lockout phase.

This is far too much free information to be giving away for nothing so it's time for some work - back soon with the final instalment!

as always, please feel free to add comments and feedback. next slot is on the hook grip, how to train so the hands dont get chewed and the grip training that will tame big kettlebells and high numbers.