Was Boxing Better in the 1990s?

I have to admit, the 90s started off a little rough for me. While the heavyweight division wasn't particularly strong in the previous decade, we did have the most exciting and all-around baddest dude ever in Mike Tyson. He was a larger-than-life superhero and video game character, literally and figuratively. But as soon as the 90s arrived, in February of 1990, Iron Mike lost to a 42-1 journeyman underdog in Buster Douglas. If you knew absolutely nothing about boxing and Mike Tyson, it was a actually a pretty good fight. Both fighters were knocked down (Douglas even got a long count and probably should have lost) and we saw this underdog, whose father had just passed away, put on the fight of his life to beat the unbeatable champ.

Except that the Mike Tyson of 1990 was not the same man who dominated the 80s. Not because he was past his prime, he was still very young. But he had lost and fired the coaching team who turned him into the best, quickest, most technical heavyweight ever, become addicted to drugs, had let fame go to his head, surrounded himself with Yes Men, didn't train for the fight, lost focus, lost discipline and lost his killer instinct. So watching this shell of his normal, great self, lose to someone who didn't even deserve a shot was really more of a sad disappointment than a classic upset.

The following year, Mike was supposed to fight a more-than-worthy opponent in Evander Holyfield but he ended up spending the next few years in prison for sexual assault, making his meteoric fall from grace even sadder. We saw some flashes of the old Iron Mike after he was released on 1995, but he was never the same. What makes this even worse is that while the heavyweight division was lacking some overall talent in the 80s, many great heavyweights emerged in the 90s. It would have been great to see the “Tyson that could have been” fight all of those guys in their prime.

But even without Tyson, the 90s would see a resurgence of a solid, heavyweight division more competitive than in just about any other era of boxing. Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, Michael Moorer and even Big George Foreman came back against all odds to hold the title for a minute. There were heavy hitters like David Tua, Tommy Morrison, Razor Ruddock and Ray Mercer who kept things interesting too.

The 90s also gave us much more relevant fighters in the other weight divisions. Oscar de la Hoya, Pernell Whitaker, Felix Trinidad, James Toney, Julian Jackson, Ricardo Lopez (maybe not a household name in the US but never lost a fight in the minimum weight division), Chris Eubank, Prince Naseem Hamed and probably the greatest boxer of the decade, Roy Jones Jr. Honorable mentions include Michael Carbajal, Stephen Collins, Terry Norris, Michael Nunn, and Johnny Tapia.

We also had guys like Julio Cesar Chavez and Hector Camacho whose best years may have been in the 80s but still continued to perform in the 90s (especially Chavez, who was still very relevant and unbeaten for much of the decade), as well as future superstars like Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Vitali Klitschko, whose careers would really take off in the following decade but got their starts in the 90s.

You could take those all those names and put those up against ANY decade's greats and honestly, the 90s probably beats them all in terms of just sheer number of stars. Sure, none of them shone as brightly as a Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard or even Mike Tyson but I don't think it can be argued that there was more overall talent in multiple weight classes than in any other era of boxing ever.

So the 90s were awesome then, right? Yeah. I guess they were. But somehow I don't feel the way I think I should about the decade. Maybe it's just a personal thing because of what happened to Mike Tyson's career, in addition to other boxing heroes I grew up with in the 80s fading out? Maybe it's because I was finally an adult and spent more time partying than being captivated by boxing? Or maybe I just didn't have the same connections with any of the fighters, no matter how good they were? 

I can certainly acknowledge that Lennox Lewis was a truly, all-time great boxer, good finisher, and a nice, charismatic dude but I never once really enjoyed watching his fights. I was always bored for some reason. Exact same thing with Oscar de la Hoya. And Pernell Whitaker certainly did some amazing stuff in the ring defensively but I can't say I love watching him like so many other boxing purists. Roy Jones Jr. was a different story. He brought excitement and a level of athleticism to boxing that we hadn't quite seen yet. He wasn't as compelling of a sports personality as the other legends but was a dominant force for the entire 90s and into the 00s in several different weight divisions.

There were some good fights in the 90s though. The trilogy of Holyfield and Bowe being at the top of the list. The first bout between Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn is a classic too and will always be one of my favorites. The decade also welcomed in the first, true era of WOMEN'S professional boxing. There had been female amateur fighters for over a hundred years but there certainly wasn't a whole lot of it. Women did not compete in the Olympics, in Golden Gloves or any other significant competition. By the very late 80s, a few professional fighters started to emerge with very little exposure. That would change on March 16, 1996, when the Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno II fight had the top female fighter at the time, Christy Martin, vs. Deidre Gogerty on the undercard. This would be the first time most of us saw women box and while the fight itself doesn't showcase the greatest of technique, it was a total bloodfest and got national attention. Christy would make the cover of Sports Illustrated and is considered the pioneer of the sport.

Another important footnote to the decade that might explain some of my slight ambivalence is that something else happened in the 1990s to steal a bit of boxing's thunder - Mixed Martial Arts. The UFC debuted in 1993 and while the production value and level of talent was nowhere near what it is now, we were seeing different martial arts compete against each other for the first time. I found it very compelling and it got me interested in some of those martial arts, particularly the ones we as a society were not really familiar with at the time like Brazilian (Gracie) Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, In fact, this was how I got started in combat sports, which certainly took some of my personal interest away from boxing. Boxing was the old thing, mixed martial arts was the new thing. It would take about another 10 years before the UFC finally broke through into mainstream recognition but it was very much born in the 90s and continues to pull a percentage of the audience away from boxing. I myself ended up coming full circle, getting back into boxing and now finding MMA a little boring by comparison.

One more far less important footnote about the 90s: left (lead) hooks. Maybe I'm grasping at straws but I think it is fair to say that collectively, that decade gave us some of the best left hooks ever. It was the signature punch by three of the greatest 90s fighters - Oscar de la Hoya, Roy Jones Jr. and Evander Holyfield. While he wasn't one of the greatest, Tommy Morrison's left hook was pretty legendary. David Tua had some highlight reel lead hook knockouts as well. Felix Trinidad and Ricardo Lopez were good at pretty much everything but finished plenty of their fights this way too.

A final thing I want to say about the decade is that I took for granted was the commentary and presentation of boxing fights on HBO/HBO ppv, where most of the big ones took place. Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and sometimes George Foreman made a great broadcasting team. In fights like Felix Trinidad vs. Oscar de la Hoya, we actually saw the judges scores round by round and it made things much more interesting. There is, to me, a very big difference in how boxing was presented then vs. how it is now. I feel like it attempted to better engage a wide audience of varying levels of interest whereas boxing presentations today are seemingly only aimed at the niche boxing fans, with no real attempt to reach any broader. 

So to answer my own question, YES boxing was indeed better in the 90s. It certainly helped that there were so many great fighters but there is some pretty significant talent right now too. Boxing has experienced a little bit of resurgence in terms of cultural relevance and I find many of the divisions more interesting than they been in the last couple decades (00s and 10s). I just wish it were promoted and presented more like it was back in the day and we could bring in some new fans. One great thing about the modern day is that we can at least watch all of these classic fights on YouTube so even if you weren't alive to see any of those classic 90s boxers during their heyday, it is all just a keystroke away!

10 Best Boxing-Specific Agility Ladder Drills

In many people's opinion (mine included), footwork is the most important thing in boxing. Whether it is offense or defense, everything starts in the feet. But as I have also said many times before, boxing footwork is not at all natural. Bipedal creatures like us humans tend to bring our feet together when we stand and cross them as we walk. Both things we pretty much NEVER want to do in boxing!

To make this unnatural movement style in boxing start to feel natural, we need to practice it. A lot. Certainly while we're boxing is the ideal time to practice but you can do it at just about any time. In your living room, a park, at Wegmans, etc. You just need a little bit of space.

One tool that is popular in just about every sport is the agility ladder and boxing is no exception. There are a million (probably literally) footwork drills you can do on these ladders and just about all of them will help your boxing footwork in some level, even if just strengthening the primary moving muscles and increases the general coordination of your feet. It can be a great workout too if you really push the envelope.

You can also use these ladders to more boxing-specific footwork drills that of course have a more direct application to what we do in boxing. Maybe the workout itself won't be quite as intense as some of the more explosive ladder drills but I guarantee your footwork will improve faster. Plus you can always add some more intense drills to your workout if need be. You don't necessarily need a ladder to do all of this. You can draw chalk lines on the ground or just use your imagination but I have found that having the squares as a guideline really helps.

NOTE: When I talk about "boxing-specific" drills, I am referring only to drills where you are in a boxing stance and do actual boxing footwork, including punches. Something like hop scotch is a great exercise, will strengthen the muscles you use for boxing footwork and certainly may help you improve said footwork, I just wouldn't consider it a boxing-specific exercise. 

So without further ado, here are my Top 10 favorite BOXING-SPECIFIC ladder drills. I recommend taking these all very slowly at first, as I generally do in the examples. When you start to get them down, you can speed up but the whole point is to keep your footwork disciplined so make sure you don't start to lose form.

1.) Advance & Retreat (+ punches)

Simply moving forward in your boxing stance for the length of the ladder and then backwards. The trick is to make sure your rear foot never catches your lead foot when going forward so look down at first. You can add straight punches to this one as well, timing the extension of your punch with your foot landing.

2.) Two Steps Forward, 1 Step Back (+ punches)

Similar to #1 but now we are moving forward two steps, then back a step, breaking up the rhythm and really forcing that disciplined footwork I talk about. You can add straight punches to this one too.

3.) Lateral Steps

Just moving left and right in your fighting stance all the way down the length of the ladder and back. Seems simple enough but it is very easy, particularly when you are moving to your lead side, to bring the rear foot too far over and right behind your lead foot.

4.) In and Out, Side to Side (+ punches)

Combining forward, backward, and lateral movement, you are now stepping into the ladder, out, stepping laterally, and then taking a step laterally before doing it again. You can add punches and to keep the broken record playing, the trick will be too stay disciplined. If you want to take an angle step out instead of the lateral portion, that can be okay and good drill so long as you don't break your stance.

5.) Burst and Punch

A more explosive version of #4 where you are constantly bouncing in and out with a punch (usually a jab) as you move side to side. You could do this without the punch. Good for those calf muscles.

6.) Zigzag Boxing Shuffle

Facing forward in your boxing stance, you move in and out of the ladder advancing to the length of the ladder, then going backwards. "Zigzag" may not be the best work because you can only go forward when moving left, whereas you just move laterally to right, then the opposite backwards. This is so that you are able to maintain your stance.

7.) Slip Line Shuffle

Another word that isn't quite accurate. The slip line drill is actually a roll line drill but for some reason, boxing refers to it a slip line. In this case, you don't have a line per se but you just imagine you are rolling under one while stepping forward and laterally, using the ladder to help place your feet. You can add a punch or even punches after each roll.

8). Pivot Steps

As your lead foot steps into the next ladder square, your rear foot pivots around to the left and to the right. You will be turning a lot on the ball of your lead foot so make sure you don't do this in a pair of shoes either without a lot of tread/traction or ones you don't mind wearing down.

9.) Tyson Shuffle Steps (+Uppercuts)

You see a lot of people doing this kind of footwork on the internet as it certainly looks cool but pulling it off in a real fight is a little trickier. Even Tyson didn't do it as much as people remember him doing. Still though, it is fun, builds coordination, and helps to understand the connection between shifting your weight from one foot to the other, loading it for a punch. Speaking of which, you can add those uppercuts (or hooks or body shots if you want) once you start to get it down.

10.) L-Step Backward

Another Linguistics Alert: When you generally hear people refer to the "L-Step" in boxing, they are talking about a rhythmic shuffle maneuver where they slide their front foot towards the back foot as their back steps out to their rear side. It also looks kind of cool but the problem I have with it is the problem I have with every type of rhythm step where you are putting yourself into a position, however brief, where you are unable to throw a strong punch or meaningfully defend any punch.

My version of the L-Step in this drill is more like how a Knight would move in chess. One or two normal steps back, followed by a lateral pivot step out (shape of the letter L, more of less). The practical use in boxing would be if someone is coming towards you and you naturally back straight up. This can be a good defensive move but not something you want to do more than two times in a row as your opponent will keep charging towards you, getting momentum behind their punches. By stepping out laterally and pivoting, you are able to move off line like a matador gets out of the way of a charging bull. You can then follow this movement up with punches.

If you practice these 10 drills or really any of these drills at all, your boxing footwork will get better and start to feel more natural. I also recommend doing at least 2 sets per session because the first time, you will be kind of feeling things out and the second set is where you can really dial it up. It is true that boxing involves a lot of circular footwork that is harder to replicate within the confines of a traditional agility ladder. There is a rounded, web-shaped agility ladder that I like for more circular drills but the more you are able to move efficiently in your fighting stance in just a traditional ladder, the better your boxing footwork will be all around. Plus as I said before, there are probably another million (literally) exercises and drills you can do with these things and pretty much all of them are good for you.

My 10 Favorite Medicine Ball Exercises For Boxing

Before I owned my own boxing club, I did personal training at the local YMCA. One of my clients was a pretty strong fellow looking to just better increase his general fitness and some athletic conditioning. He came in for a session one day and I told him that we were going to work entirely with the medicine ball for the whole hour. He thought this was crazy as A) there are probably not enough medicine ball exercises to fill up an entire hour and B) even if there were, how much of a workout could it really be compared to heavier free weights? A lot of people probably might think this and generally view the medicine ball as just something used for core work from time to time. But just like my client, they would be pleasantly surprised to learn how untrue those assumptions were. In his case, it probably ended up being the toughest workout he ever did.

The medicine ball is an amazingly effective training tool and if you play just about any sport- very much including boxing- and provides more functional training than any other single piece of equipment (save for bags in boxing) including weights, bands, cables, machines, and even the kettlebell I talked about last week. The reason is because most sports require explosive, full-body power. Whether it's throwing, jumping, hitting, kicking, tackling, punching or sprinting, you are generating lots of force in a short period of time.

So how does the medicine ball factor into this? Mainly, because it can be thrown. Even using a ball with relatively light weight, like 6 pounds, is a game-changer when you start throwing it. Like for instance, imagine if you were to do a classic barbell chest press. You hang onto the bar and slowly push it up. This will build hypertrophy and strength in the primary muscle movers - your pecs and triceps - but it is all slow twitch muscle fibers which don't directly translate to any move you do in sports. Compare that to doing a chest pass with a light medicine ball. No matter what the weight, you have to produce enough force to launch the ball forward, away from your body and instead of weight being the factor, it is the speed of the pass that increases with no real limit or cap. Now you are building fast twitch muscle fibers that we use in every sport. Then imagine that instead of lying on a bench passing the ball up and down, you are passing it against a wall and not just using your chest to throw it but pushing your feet into the ground engaging your legs and hips. Now we are working multiple muscle groups in totally different spots. But wait, there's more. Because you may want to catch that ball after you throw it off the wall. That means you have to brace your core and absorb the momentum of the ball with your whole body. The faster that ball is traveling, the more of a force multiplier it is and thus, the more work you have to do to catch it. So it's a very efficient, double-whammy. Oh, and you are getting cardio work here too! Try 15 reps of what I just described and you will see what I mean.

So why aren't more people at gyms using medicine balls in their training? Because they're idiots! Only kidding of course. But I would say many people don't understand the value of medicine ball training and one big reason why is that they don't feel the same burn or pumps from it that they get from other free weights. That naturally leads some to believe that their bodies aren't getting the same level of work. It makes total sense but it is not actually true. You cannot judge a workout on how sore you feel the next day. Another reason that people may not use them is that you need a little more space, including a wall. You can toss the med ball with a partner but you are going to get a lot more bang for your buck using a wall because it's just faster and more sudden for the majority of ballistic exercises. Then finally, there is the hypertrophy thing that I mentioned earlier. Some people just want larger mirror muscles, even if they're not particularly functional.

But for athletes (which includes you if you are boxing), the ball has it all! Here are my Top 10 favorite medicine ball exercises for boxing specifically 

1.) Jabs & Crosses Off the Wall

While you aren't really throwing a punch, you can mimic the same body mechanics of a jab and cross to throw the ball off a wall. Doing so explosively with even just a little weight will develop more power in the exact muscles you will use to generate power and speed on your punches. If you go fast and hard, it is good cardio too and don't forget that once again, catching the ball (particularly when thrown hard) builds your core as well.

2.) Rotational Pass Off Wall

Kind of like the chest pass, this one really works the core but 360 degrees of the core, including your hips, glutes, obliques and even some front abdominals. Plus you are mimicking the motion of punches in boxing, particularly hooks, as you are generating power from rotation.

3.) Hay Baler Overhead Pass Off Wall

Similar to #2 but now you have your back to the wall and you are going from low to high, throwing the ball over your shoulder. Really engages that kinetic chain.

4.) Scoop Pass

All about the lower body posterior chain. Like taking a granny shot in basketball but the key is to use your arms as little as possible. You'll get a little work there for sure, particularly in the biceps but the idea is to really drive the hips forward, like a kettlebell swing but with even more explosion.

5.) High Wall Tap

While this one isn't necessarily a killer like some of the exercises, it is great for building shoulder endurance, like you would get from working with a speed bag but with a totally different motion. At first, it won't feel like much of anything but after at least a 100 taps, it will start to get you.

6.) Uppercut Drill

So many of us really struggle with getting that power from our legs into uppercuts. Here is a great way to develop those body mechanics as well as build strength in your legs and core. One uppercut with the ball, set it down by bending at the knees, then throwing a regular uppercut from that position.

7.) Med Ball Burpee (with Jump)

Everyone loves a good burpee but doing it with a medicine ball adds 2 additional benefits. First, being on top of the ball in the down position requires you to really brace your core, while keeping your hands close together hits the triceps more than a standard burpee. Then for the up position, you've got that little bit of extra weight to thrust upward and over the head.

8.) Russian Twist

A core classic and for good reason. You're getting rotational work and by being in a sat up position, also strengthens your lower back and requires you to maintain stability while moving. To make this part even better, try doing it with bringing the ball all the way over your head and slamming it down hard (as opposed to just dropping).

9.) 3-Point Jacks

Sure it looks a little silly, like an 80s aerobic video but I would bet you my Jane Fonda record that you won't be laughing after just a couple of reps. It will surprise you and absolutely kill your arms and anterior deltoids. That burn can translate into power in your straight punches. The 90-degree rotational jack just adds some cardio, glute work, and coordination to the mix.

10.) Running Heave/Shot Put

If you've got a lot of room, this one is a real killer, in a good way. Holding the ball, actually run a few steps forward and release the ball like a shot put, going for as much distance as you can. You're working every muscle and this teaches the summation of force, from the ground through the legs through the core through the arms. The transfer from ground to ball, with the core as the vital link. If you want to add more cardio to it, run after the ball as soon as you let it go, pick it up and throw it back in the other direction.

These are just 10 but there are plenty more, especially when it comes to core work. I can pretty much guarantee you that all of it will help your boxing too. You just need a good program and the right weight of ball. Sometimes people tend to go heavier than they need to because they want to get the most out of it, but heavier isn't necessarily better. Another note is that there are certainly good exercises that involve slamming the ball down super hard in some fashion but I don't totally recommend using a standard med ball for this. Main reason being that the harder ones tend to break easily after a lot of slamming. They can take a hard wall shot a lot better than a ground slam. There are also balls specifically made for slamming that don't bounce. I would probably recommend these instead but if you don't mind replacing your regular med ball more regularly, slam away!

10 Best Kettlebell Exercises For Boxing

Even though they've been around since the early 1700s, nobody outside of the old Soviet Union knew what a kettlebell was about 20 years ago. Their popularity spread quickly and they became a staple in American fitness centers. You can find them in every gym, with kettlebell-specific classes and even competitions. The design is relatively simple - basically a cannonball with a long handle. Weights and sizes can vary but for the most part, you do not need a relatively heavy kettlebell to get an intense, full-body workout.

The key is that unique, longer handle and the weight distribution being further away from the grip, allowing for ballistic exercises, like swings, that become a force multiplier based off the speed the kettlebell is traveling. Some classic kb exercises (again, like swings) can be done with a dumbbell as well but they are often easier and safer with a kettlebell. 

Many of the classic exercises also work the posterior section of the body, something that many people do not train enough and is critical to boxing. Plus they often really emphasize the kinetic chain working together, which is very translatable to boxing too. And finally, there is an explosive cardio component to the ballistic kettlebell exercises, so it is not just about building muscle.

There isn't a big downside to kettlebell training other than most people need some instruction on how to use them. You can watch somebody do a bench press and emulate it pretty easily but many of the kb exercises require more coordination and technique to perform properly. As always, improper form can definitely lead to injury, so be very careful. Even with good coaching, certain kettlebell movements like cleans and snatches are very hard to do without banging your wrist and forearm a little, at least at first. If you were looking to just purely build big, bulky muscle then kettlebell training may not be right for you, but leaner muscle mass and functional strength are definitely two benefits you can get.

How much this might translate to boxing depends a lot on you and the skills and strength you already possess. I know at least one high-level combat sports trainer (Phil Daru) who believes in kettlebell training for the athletes he coaches, but it's always tough to get real training info from the big name fighters as they don't necessarily want their competition to learn their secrets. Plenty of boxing gyms have the equipment and kbs can definitely be a good form of cross-training. Below are my Top 10 favorite exercises with kettlebells. Since describing them in words isn't always easy, I've included quick, no frills videos of myself doing each one.

NOTE: I highly recommend using some kind of weightlifting glove for most of these exercises and kettlebell training in general. A lot of them will give your palms some serious blisters otherwise.

1) The Kettlebell Swing

This is the most fundamental of all kettlebell exercises and other movements stem from it. At first,
the exercise may not seem like much. You are just holding onto the kb with both hands or a single hand and swinging it between your legs with your feet a little past shoulder width. The key is to hinge and drive your hips as the pure source of momentum for the swing. Your arms (or arm) simply acts as a loose strap and the knees should not bend significantly like they do in squats. You also want to make sure that the lower back is fused together with your hips so that you aren't putting stress on it. After about 30 seconds, you should definitely feel this is in your glutes and hamstrings

2.) Cleans

This is a more explosive move starting from the Hang Position (little bend in knees, kb hanging from one hand, arm and chest fused together), followed by a quick burst upward and pull from the lats to bring the kettlebell into the Racked Position (kb to middle of the chest, hand through the handle holding the kb up),

3.) Racked Squats

With the kettlebell still in the Racked Position, just regular squats up and down. What I like is doing this with an unbalanced load. You could do it with 2 kettlebells, both racked, for a little more balance but as boxing is all about shifting weight from one foot to the other, it is good to practice loading one side. 

4.) Bottoms Up Press

It's an overhead press but what makes this special is that you hold the kettlebell by the handle upside down before lifting up, requiring a very strong, stable wrist to lift without the kb falling down and banging your arm. This is directly beneficial for boxing as grip and wrist strength are important to throwing proper and safe punches. Shoulder stability and endurance helps too.

5.) Single-Leg Deadlifts

You don't need a lot of weight to get some good work in with single-leg deadlifts. And using a kettlebell allows you to hold the weight without burning up your forearms and easier balance. You can do this holding the kettlebell in the same hand as the leg that is down (ipsilateral) or the opposite (contralateral). I feel like ipsilateral is easier and then just use the opposite side for balance. The key thing to remember here is that when you stand up, you do so by pushing your foot into the ground and pressing hard without pulling with your lower back. This is another case where you want to fuse your entire back together and not use any of those muscles as prime movers.

6.) Handle Push-Ups

Certainly push-ups are not specific to kettlebells and even holding onto handles isn't either but using 2 kbs to do push-ups is specifically beneficial to developing your wrist and grip strength. Plus, the height of the kettlebells off the ground means you can get a greater range-of-motion out of your push-ups as you are able to get lower than you would with just hands on the ground.

7.) Suitcase Carry

If you're pressed for time and don't have a lot of space, you can certainly skip this one but it can be useful for developing muscular endurance as well as postural stability, which are certainly valuable to boxing. You just simply pick up a kettlebell, preferably a heavier one, on one side, let it hang, and walk it as far as you can for as long as you want. Just like the squat, you could do this with 2 kettlebells, one on each side, but I prefer the unbalanced load option for most sports training.

8.) Plank Drag

Great core exercise where you get into a high plank. reach one hand underneath your chest, and pull the kettlebell by its handle dragging it across the ground, all the way over to the other side, then do the same thing with the other hand. And the goal is to do this without rocking or shifting your weight too much, maintaining a strong plank throughout.

9.) The Snatch

This is a more advanced move that I would NOT recommend to anyone brand new to kettlebells who hasn't done a lot of swings or cleans. It starts off like a clean with one arm holding the kb in the Hang Position, followed by an explosive thrust & pull upwards. During that time, you will actually let go of the kettlebell for a split second as it travels upward, reinserting your hand in a high, extended arm position overhead. The trick is to do this so smoothly that there is very little to no impact on the wrist once you snap your hand into position and catch the kettlebell.

10.) The Turkish Get-Up

This can be very tough for people to learn as it has many steps and each step must be done individually, without attempting to blend or shortcut. It can be done with no kettlebell and just an empty hand but the kb gives you a chance to add some weight that is very easy to hold onto the entire time. In fact, you never need to close your hand at all because it will always be extended up towards the ceiling, with the kettlebell hanging from your palm. The idea is that you go from a lying position, to a half sit-up with your elbow down, then a full sit-up with your hand down, then the hips are lifted off the ground, one leg slides through the bring you into a half-kneeling position, then you straighten out, then as soon as you are stable, you stand up. Then you do it all over again in reverse. In some ways the reverse part is harder because people tend to drop down to the ground too fast instead of keeping it in tight, strong, individual step.

While challenging, the nice thing about the Turkish Get-Up is that it hits a lot of different muscles all at once, works both stability and mobility, and requires coordination and focus, and despite not being a fast or explosive exercise at all, you can still get out of breath while doing it. The hard part is remembering and executing all the steps as well as keeping your hand up the entire time, particularly with weight, so if you want to try this, do it without any weight first. Once you've mastered it, add the kettlebell and be particularly careful when you bring your foot through and get yourself into that half-kneeling position. It is very important that you straighten out first before attempting to stand up. Not doing so can be dangerous for your lower back so take things SLOW.