5 WORST Kettlebell Exercises - (ACCORDING TO KETTLEBELL WORLD CHAMPION)

[@Funkycrage]

A small addition. Often when Ivan talks about bad exercises with kettlebells in his videos, he means that they are bad for kettlebell pro sport. For example, that an athlete does not need extra muscles in the upper part of the body, since they will need more oxygen supply and they will oxidize faster. Purely kettlebell sport, like many others, is not about building a harmonious musculature, but it is the number of repetitions in competitions. So Ivan thinks more from the position of a champion, but not fitness instructor

[@iggs67]

Absolutely agree. I speak Russian and subscribed to Ivan's channel for 4 years. His take on these is purely related to kettlebell sport. Of course TGU is useless for kb sport, as well as squats, lunges, curls, pushes, etc.

[@cainmorano4956]

Yes, important point!

[@noosphericaltarzan]

@@iggs67 Vasilev trains high rep back squats and push ups. Building your legs is pretty important for any kind of competition in olympic lifts. Pressing in high reps improves your jerks.

[@ru8775]

@@noosphericaltarzan ja I wanted to say that He and most of the Girevoy athletes train with barbells because it's easier and they train with kettlebells for maximum results They want to win medals not train for fun 😄

[@lebe-stark]

Thanks for sharing! I do see that this might be the place he's coming from. However, a heavy Get-Up might give you some extra straight-arm strength for your top fixation. This little ounce might be a worth it as an SPP exercise to crank out a couple of more reps at the end of the 10 minute set. - Gregory

[@oldgrizz8720]

I agree with Hybred. I like heavy hard style workouts on one day, and lighter high volume endurance workout the next day. This keeps me growing in both strength and endurance without killing my joints and body, and keeps it interesting as well. The beauty of Kettlebells is the versatility of styles, and direction. Keeping it real is important to safety. Rotational work is also accomplished with heavy clubs and maces...without risk of smashing my knees. Bulgarian Bag is another wonderful rotational tool that is each on the back.

[@lebe-stark]

Good points brother! - Gregory

[@mark_luna]

Absolutely love love love TGU! They are one of my faves with a 50#. I start on the ground up then back down.

[@TBrown-yu3of]

All I know is that when I start doing TGU’s my body starts dumping sweat! Seems pretty effective to me, with proper form. Great KB content, keep it up LS!

[@lebe-stark]

Good stuff!

[@scarred10]

Its certainly not a conditioning exercise,its a shoulder and core stabilty one.Nobody should be sweating from a get up

[@lebe-stark]

Why such a shortsighted answer Paul? Some people might start sweating with a Get Up others don't. - Gregory

[@l.s.1709]

@@scarred10 I only recently started with KB training, but TGUs really get my heart rate and sweat going and I am doing only light weights.

[@grantchanin2878]

Lebe, Thank you your advice and enthusiasm for using kettlebells is fantastic.

[@lebe-stark]

You're so welcome brother! - Gregory

[@kettlebellcarnivore-vr5cw]

Great breakdown! How dare someone insult my beloved Turkish get-ups. LOL. And my pm workouts all start with around-the -worlds! I must say, your hybrid approach is intriguing. Keep bringing us the good stuff!

[@gunwerksfanmcclellan6984]

That getup may have hurt to do. It certainly hurt to watch.

[@SOSKETTLEBELL]

Great video. Shows the vast difference between kettlebell fitness style and sport. Both are worth exploring and practicing...

[@lebe-stark]

Totally agree!

[@Chiburi]

Very good points presented in a forthright and respectful manner!

[@cristianocaruso8677]

I am not at all in a position to judge ANYONE doing kettlebell workouts since I'm still a beginner and I am mostly working on form with lighter weights so far. And, of course, I bet Ivan is a beast! But seeing him perform his version of the TGU ... boy, that was one hell of a mess. :)

[@wolfgang4368x]

I work with a kettlebell since 14 days. Weight 4 kg. I am 67 years old.

[@cristianocaruso8677]

@@wolfgang4368x Good for you! Fitness starts where the (personal) comfort zone ends. Keep at it and you will see results. No matter what your age is. 💪

[@berneybeckett9098]

I believe Mark Wildman is one of the closest of your conclusion in terms of mindset. His « nerd math » programs mixing light vs heavy sessions sound nice. (Light and heavy here don’t relate to weights specifically but also to intensity/time under tension of the workout)

[@lebe-stark]

Great point!

[@Temoninja]

Mark Wildman is my favourite dude :D The way he delivers information is just phenomenal.

[@thebigchimpanski4783]

Turkish get ups are good . I do a lot of burpies, TGU feels like it works opposing muscles.

[@janwrobel8912]

1. Around the world. 2. Good morning. 3. Circular clean. 4. Squat swing. 5. Turkish get up.

[@toscadonna]

After I broke my neck and jaw, one of the exercises I did to work on my balance and strength was the Turkish Get Up. I started only using my arm with no weight then moved onto a can of beans, then 6 months later a family sized can of beans, then I got an adjustable kettle bell. It’s very good for mobility especially as you age.

[@thaifightLondon]

Actually TGU is one of the main exercise, building mobility, strength, balance, coordination etc....of course if it is done properly....

[@paladinloh]

Ivan is a professional when it comes to snatch and clean'&'jerk but his turkish getup form was just horrible... It was the excersise i effectively used to recover from rotator cuff injury. Also he said that goodmorning with kb is not heavy enough - well maybe for him, yes. But i think 24kg good morning with kettlebell is already pretty heavy for most regular people not to mention 32kg.

[@edward8009]

What about the getup helped with your rotators? I have a couple of small tears that have gotten better but still dealing with some issues.

[@lebe-stark]

Good points brother! - Gregory

[@lebe-stark]

The Get-Up requires your arm to be as stable as possible in the overhead position. This forces your rotator cuff muscles to do extra work in their job as stabilizers. More strength in those muscles might lead to less pain, which leads to more quality of life. - Gregory

[@michawyszynskizg]

Great stuff as always coach! Rotations are the foundation of clubbell training. I myself regularly do side swings/pendulum with a club weighing 20 kg. Today I saw him (Mark Wildman you once mentioned) doing side swings with a club weighing 32! In my opinion, the ratio between clubs and kettlebells is 1:2 - i.e. 8 kg club = 16 kg KB, 20 kg club = 40 kg KB (simplified) The end of the video is the best! Summary of the whole movie and what you wrote to me in an e-mail - the intention matters, all the rest is ideology and pure marketing...

[@manuelnunez8802]

Lebe, thank you for this great breakdown!

[@lebe-stark]

You're welcome!

[@shak535]

This was another stellar vid , thank you sir !

[@lebe-stark]

You're welcome brother! - Gregory

[@lisapet160]

First at all, thanks for being open minded. Second, he is focused on competition kettle belling and guides viewers to promptly get better in snatch and clean&jerk with high repetitions. I don't think that most would try kettlebell to brag about number of snatches in 5 or 10 minutes. Third, he sort of rolled back his maximalism in one Short telling a fable about 3 men fishing together, but with different goals and by different reasons they are in a same boat. Speaking of goals. For a Turkish getup, this video has a nice situp breakdown with one detail missed in your explanation. For you it's obvious, but for those like me may be not. Check the 2nd minute: "Elite Performance With Mike Boyle: How to Do a Turkish Get-Up" .

[@krush59]

looks like this was the first time Ivan did ever a TGU 🤷

[@starmsjc]

Right!!? My thoughts exactly.

[@lebe-stark]

Thought so too! - Gregory

[@chavenord]

Great video and content.

[@lebe-stark]

Much appreciated!

[@And1Mell]

I only do the Turkish get-up out of the 5 featured. It is the last exercise I do in my 22 minute routine and after 20 minutes of 10 different exercises, which cover the various pillars of human movement, it leaves me huffing and puffing. I think the T get-up is a great finisher and I have done as many as 8 in 40 seconds with a 16 kg competition bell. However I don't do any fancy maneuvers. Keeping the KB overhead, I sit up and while briefly bracing myself with the opposite arm, I get into a squat, to then stand up. From there I squat back down and roll back, to lie down. I can't be bothered with the fancy food work, it's to slow and lacks intensity.

[@admorris3898]

I agree on TGUs. Light-medium TGUs are great for motor skill development and mobility. But heavy TGUs are dangerous in so many ways that the risk of injury just isn't worth the reward. Better to work its components individually if strength is your goal, which is clearly the aim anyway if you're using a heavy weight

[@lebe-stark]

I disagree brother. Any lift that is coming close to the 90% 1RMAX has a skewed risk/reward ratio. Heavy Get Ups can serve several purposes: - Beating a PR - Facing your fears - Staying cool under pressure - Maximizing straight-arm strength - Maximizing/ strengthening full body, isometric contractions Just because they're not suited for beginners, doesn't mean that the advanced practitioners cannot reap benefits from them. - Gregory

[@luismilozano]

Turkish Get Up es mi ejercicio favorito 🤣

[@noosphericaltarzan]

If the squat swing does not have global effects, then I don't know what he means by global effects. I suppose the squat swing is missing a pushing component, but everything else is fired and burning. He must mean something specific. This is Denisov so it's worth listening.

[@lebe-stark]

Great points! As mentioned, some things might have been lost in Google's auto-translation. - Gregory

[@NEPAFIX]

That turkish get up was so bad it wasn’t recognizable as a turkish get up 😂

[@HeinoBull]

😂

[@Markk4kk]

You da man! Love your work!

[@lebe-stark]

I appreciate that!

[@mikebahrami]

Turkish Get-ups + Swings = most bang for your buck combo. That's why Pavel marketed this as Simple and Sinister. If I could only do 3 KB exercises for the rest of my life, it would be these two + snatches. Fitness minimalism.

[@ru8775]

Clean and press , squat and windmill are the best 😄👍 Plus rows Also doing gymnast excersices is also important and way better than only doing some excersices Hurting your shoulder can happen when you forget the backside of the shoulder Chest flys , reverse fly Super important to prevent shoulder tendonitis 👍 I now learned the hard way Training with rings is honestly the best I love Kettlebells but they deliver super good results , also trx To really train all sides of the body

[@RikiHoSan]

i think its safe to do learn to do a HAND stand over time VS learning to do a turkish stand up! there are more cardioVascular and physical benefits!

[@sevynn3970]

I personally don’t like the TGU for beginners better to do overhead presses and front squats for a bit before introducing the TGU.

[@GauravMahajanAvaron]

I understand the dogmatic perspectives people get when they stick to one form of training modality. I, for one, disregard anything that's not kettlebell. Having been training them for more than a year, I don't find any satisfaction with barbells or dumbbells anymore. I like bodyweight training and resistance bands, but that's it. I feel lost when I stick to only those 2. But when there is a bell in my hand, I instantly know what am I supposed to do.

[@lebe-stark]

Thanks for sharing! 💪

[@jeffreyabelson7171]

Around the world is a great warm up exercise

[@ahmadelshbasy3222]

Gregory , there was a video about mma program , why did you remove it , that was beneficial

[@lebe-stark]

I haven't removed anything. With +1'400 videos on the channel, you just have to do some digging. - Gregory

[@quartier13]

Man Jamie Lewis from plague strength would be a great interview

[@3runjosh]

his TGU, oh man lol. Thanks for the hybrid mindset

[@lebe-stark]

You're welcome brother! - Gregory

[@BiomechanicalGorilla]

Great video as usual. Thank you for your excellent content. I think perhaps a lot of the problem arises with people using too much weight. I lost about 20 kg a few years back to help control blood sugar levels. I have always trained hard and consistently but to be honest I let my diet slip at some point (oops!). I had a lot of strength and muscle but too much fat. So I lost the fat, kept most of the muscle. In all the traditional strength and muscle building exercises like chest press, shoulder press, squats, rows etc. I lost a little strength, but really not much. When it came to more dynamic lifting exercises that required, stability, and explosive power transfer along the kinetic chain, like snatches, swings etc. I found I was not able to use the same kind of weight as before without risking injury. My ego found it hard to let go of using heavier kettlebells if I am honest. But over time I accepted the need to change and started using lighter weights for swings and snatches found that it gave me all I needed. If I wanted to use something heavier I would do a kind of hybrid swing/high pull as it kept the shear forces on my lower spine in an acceptable range and still gave me a great workout with good benefits. I think more people need to adjust training to what suits them and reduces injury risk while giving good bang for your buck. Great video Gregory, thank you!

[@lebe-stark]

Appreciate your feedback!

[@caseystengel3120]

I may be a noob, but I’ve been skeptical about the idea that there are “styles.” What you just said it looks to me to be exactly correct: there is only intent.

[@fitness_arena_mtl7513]

I feel like the more you become a "specialist" the less you can see outside of the box that is around you. He's a kettlebell champion in sport, but as we see and as you mentioned, he didn't execute the get-up properly. So as he is a champion and an expert in his box, he needs research on the other side before commenting...but a lot of champions and experts in their field fall into this trap...in a sense it is a good thing. Champions and experts have to be hyper-focused in their very specific niche, or else they cannot possibly be champions... I'd rather have a wider variety of practices (kettlebells, maces, clubs, sandbags) than be trapped in a very limited box, but I know that that means I'll never be as sufficient as someone who only practices kettlebells, and more specifically kettlebell sport. He made his choice and its a respectable choice, but outside of his box of knowledge, I'd listen but I'd take into consideration his limited knowledge.

[@blackthornep8115]

Well said, We need more coaches and trainers for health and longevity vs sports and over training trash that fills most of the information available.

[@visa2703]

Ivan denisov be like, i became a champion without even learning TGU, this definitely has to be useless😂

[@lebe-stark]

LOL

[@yosefco3]

great video as usual! what attracts me most with the KB isnt the volume or tension but the "flow". i think that the sport style in general has better flow bc big number of repeating makes you more efficient and makes you use your body resources wisely. the disadvantage of the sport style is that they stuck in only 5 great movements, instead of dozen, or even series of movements. i think also that even the lower body participates in all movement in KB sport, it isnt enough. something like lunges fe is missing there. the idial as i see it is building the basics with sport style, but after you achieve it, play and research much more movements in a "gaming" way. make "katas" and combinations like in marshel arts , and emphasize the flow and smooth movements. the TGU is a little ugly exercise in my eyes, it isnt smooth or beautiful, even it could be efficient for practicing important aspects. however, the swing-squat exercise is one of the amazing ones, smooth, beautiful and flow.

[@IvanDenisovKettlebellClub]

Im sure - you did not understand what im talking about in my video))))

[@lebe-stark]

With all due respect, Champ, I don't need to understand everything to see, that your Turkish Get Up looks trash. lol

[@mimihugebear7818]

He can says this bullshit in his home.The Swing is Yang and Get Up is Yin . Heavy swing and TGU make you a superman and rządy for everything

[@frankquinn6872]

It comes down to having the humility to know the difference between "I do not value this exercise because it has few benefits" and "I do not value this exercise because my poor execution is depriving me of the benefits".

[@lebe-stark]

Good point Frank! - Gregory

[@kettlebellken]

Selbstverstenlich... Absolutely "Hybrid" builds a more resilient body

[@lebe-stark]

💙💙

[@IvanDenisovKettlebellClub]

And you recomend turkish: Are you sure that all peoples who lift it have a good mobility in shoulders? 50% have same like i showed!

[@lebe-stark]

I just show the proper way. Agree, that there are better exercises than the Get Up if that's what you're alluding to. We can talk about this in our podcast! Invite still stands - let me know if you're interested. :)

[@SaucedOso]

I'm sure this guy is not too concerned with your opinion. Let me know when you hit 238 snatches with 32 Kg

[@lebe-stark]

He actually cares about what we say, friend.

[@SaucedOso]

I'm sure he does, friend

[@snorelax3908]

My perspective: Feel free to disagree. Not trying to pick an argument. As I get older I find I need to be more selective of the exercises I do. I wouldn't select any of these, which is probably what the Russian is trying to say. They're just not the best. 1: Around the world. I can't imagine this exercise is achieving much of anything. Difficult to put any speed into the kettlebell without a lot of practice and then what was it for? No quality I can imagine. 2: I can good morning 180kg. Why would I bother with any kettlebell for this? Dude is correct, its a warm up at best. Putting a kettlebell behind my back with one hand is one of my favorite things to do though. Its a good stretch! 3: Maces are better for a 360 in this plane. Again, I really don't see what is this exercise is supposed to achieve. I certainly wouldn't trade something like snatches or cleans out for this. 4: Squat swing: Not much quad loading here, which would be why I might want to do a squat. If I wanted a fast reactive squat I'd do a squat jump or a counter jump. I wouldn't be surprised if the squat swing had some value putting odd loads on ligaments of the knee. We'll probably never see that research. I don't doubt its taxing but I'm pretty sure I can put that energy into something that has better bang for the buck, like sprints. 5: I have to agree with Dan John who also isn't a big fan of heavy TGU. He wants to get up from the ground quick. If I ever trained ground to feet, I'd do it that way. Sounds like a better use of my time. The Russian guy obviously never does this movement, its not surprising his technique isn't great. Not sure I've been playing with kettlebells long enough to comment about hardstyle vs girevoy style. I'm sure something can be gleaned from both. Of the two I think I'm leaning towards the girevoy. Their endurance is just too impressive to dismiss.

[@Pooh0Bear8]

I love Turkish Get Ups 😁

[@pauliemc2010]

Same, my favourite kb exercise. Started with a 16kg kb a year ago now up to 32kg. Great exercise.

[@sarastro8023]

his TGU is a world-class mess.

[@HeinoBull]

😅

[@arijitsinha6485]

What should be the heaviest weight which I should keep at residence? Facts age( 25) height 5 feet 7 inch weight 76...marginally overweight but athletic.@Gregory...also

[@lebe-stark]

Depends on your fitness level and goals. 24-32KG are solid evergreen weights for advanced and professionals.

[@chrisdenning8905]

Interesting.. i've watched a few of his videos, even though I haven't bothered to try and translate to English, for some of them I get the gist of what he's trying to say :) I think his training is so focused on GS that he discards everything that he feels isn't going to improve his performance; maybe it's a factor of time, but I think it's a shame because movements like the TGU and rotational snatch could have some real benefit. For the swing squat, instead I see the Russians using the weighted jump squat that they do high volume. Interestingly I've also seen a lot of the Russians also doing Olympic weightlifting with a barbell, clean & jerk and snatch.

[@lebe-stark]

You're raising great points here Chris! I do see where Ivan is coming from. Since this might be his motive, a simple disclaimer with "these lifts won't help GS athletes win their next comp" would have done it! lol - Gregory

[@fiddlebender88]

I really admire Ivan but for me it makes more sense to train a bit more like Steve Cotter or Joe Daniels. No style, but rather exploration of what your body is capable and how kettlebells can improve you.

[@CounterpartJack]

Coming late to the party, but I want to think that something was lost in translation. I've trained ppl for Girevoy sport, including my daughter, who took a junior world record in the double long cycle. That's for credentials, which I hope demonstrates some understanding of the sport. I used the TGU to improve lock-out, as a breathing-through-tension exercise, as a warm-up and/or loaded carry (varying volume) with light-to-moderate weights to keep shoulders mobile and healthy, and in at-work programs to counteract the effects of desk job. Whilte the experience is anecdotal, the reasons were not: I chose the exercise based on reading biomechanics (McGill, and Anders Bergmark, whose model McGill built upon). Denisov, like a lot of champions, think that he can talk off his ass b/c he's been successful in the sport. Some of his gripes are justified, but street cred does not equate good arguments.

[@cameronmiller6240]

My ten year old niece can perform a better TGU than that gentleman.

[@cameronmiller6240]

I also think it’s worth pointing out (with the greatest respect) some people succeed because they train very hard and/ or have good genetics. It doesn’t mean they are authorities on a topic necessarily.

[@davidlynch9049]

Ivan is bending his arms in the around the world. That is not the way to do it. Yes, it's an excellent exercise for beginners to teach them about hand transition. The Turkish Getup is a fantastic exercise to understand how to move your body with weight.

[@johnfreeman1272]

Ivan is handling that bell between examples like it only weighs a few pounds.

[@mrelbhu4397]

Hybrid for life! ❤

[@lebe-stark]

💙

[@leomelvinfernandez7380]

Ivan did the lunge portion of the getup with the wrong leg ? that's why it's traumatic, he's doing it wrong , also the belly. doesn't help as it gets in the way and reduces mobility , most of his complaints could be solve by getting rid of his big belly 🤷‍♂️

[@lebe-stark]

Biggest problem seems to be the mechanics. You can absolutely do a Get Up with a DadBod. lol - Gregory

[@ic-jf2um]

first of all, you'd better explain to your subscribers who is Ivan Denisov. He is 13 times world champion in kettlebell in heavy weight. He've made at least five worlds record . He trained and raised at least 8 world champions. And its highly recommended to listen free advises from person like he is.

[@thechocolatemonster3392]

That kettlebell is like a toy in his hand.

[@IevgeniiIegorushkov]

Show Ivan direction where the Russian Warship went.

[@lebe-stark]

If you're here for kettlebells, you're welcome. If you're looking for politics, you took the wrong exit brother. - Gregory

[@robertbelanger2301]

😂 Click Bait.😂 TGU The Worst ??? Was my reaction 😮

[@lebe-stark]

No clickbait brother.

[@natebernstein5901]

HYBRID ALL DAY!!!.... Hybrid method gives me fluidity in all movements which translates to more functionality in my approach to kettlebell training. TOTALLY agree with you, G! All Praises to the Most High, God is the Greatest, and Jesus Christ is Lord!!!. Peace.

[@lebe-stark]

Amen Nate! - Gregory

[@ChrisFit-ChristopherDaCosta]

To your point, he is doing the TGU so poorly! No wonder he does not like it! God his form is the worst I've seen. This man should stop giving advice especially if newbies watch him.

[@ДжоХанШтарк]

Дааа… иван меня разачаровал! Как можно критиковать то, в чем не разобрался?!?!?! Продемонстрировал абсолютно неправильное выполнение упражнения с ужасной техникой и говорит что упражнение плохое! Как тебе не стыдно, чемпион?! Турецкому подъёму как упражнению, лет больше чем тебе…Делай дальше свои бесконечные, неисчислимые, скучные и никому не нужные рывки и толчки! И не лезь в Мир фитнеса!

[@RyanMinney]

Your a fitness bro stay In your lane

[@wolfgang4368x]

Greetings from Germany and my livingroomkettlebellmartialartscamp.

[@g49385]

TGU. Doesn't matter how you do it. It's garbage

[@lebe-stark]

It’s a great exercise that serves great benefits. - Gregory

[@g49385]

@lebestark-official a simple press has an equal rom with superior overall strength results. Llearning a good quality barbell squat delivers more of everything except shoulder mobility. IMO it's a waste of time along with a lot of the other old timey exhibitionist lifts Pavel adores

[@blackthornep8115]

Its OK that Pavel is better than you. Calm your ego. Just because you can't do TGU and don't understand it's power doesn't mean it's useless.

[@g49385]

@@blackthornep8115 lol he's certainly a better bullshiter

[@carljung9230]

he looks so lumpy and un-aesthetic. no thanks.

[@lebe-stark]

Ivan is a monster when it comes to kettlebells; don‘t let his look fool you brother.

[@emaddarawsheh7420]

Some guys got fame , they are just lucky maybe .....this Russian athlete looks out of shap and lakes of mobility....no need to mention general lake of knowledge about many things that he is talking about....for me just ignore him and keep doing things with good form

[@lebe-stark]

I disagree. This athlete is one of the best kettlebell sport athletes in his division. - Gregory

[@riley-6324]

Wow his TGU form is horrible. Was he trying to demonstrate positioning that's likely to give you a shoulder injury??

[@lebe-stark]

He‘s not proficient at the exercise.