An All Around Best Kettlebell Exercise

I am far from any relationship expert, if I know one thing it is a man can make their wife or girlfriend think they are the best thing in the world if they are willing to do one thing….CLEAN! Don’t wait to be told to do it, just do it!!! It is amazing the result you get from doing a relatively simple act. How handsome you are, how much money you make, how fit you are will often do nothing for you like cleaning without being asked. 

It may not look it, but he IS bringing sexy back!

Ironically, this can go for fitness as well! No, not cleaning your gym (although that would probably score you some points), but learning to clean in the gym is one of the VERY best exercises you can perform. Oh c’mon, that was a clever transition! Predictable huh?

None the less, learning how to clean has been around strength training for a long time. However, not always in the form you imagine with the barbell. There use to be all sorts of styles and each implement has their own way of being cleaned. 

Trust me, I have cleaned about everything there is, stones, kegs, barbells, logs, dumbbells, kettlebells, Ultimate Sandbags, my dogs! You name it, I’ve probably cleaned it at some point. 

Why should YOU care about cleans so much? The simple term of “cleaning” something in strength training refers to lifting from the ground to the shoulders in one CLEAN motion. That means you have to learn to accelerate something from the ground into the typical carrying position. I can’t think of too many things that transition to real life like this VERY action! 

I love cleans so much too because they are a great way to teach this concept. Sure, snatches, swings, and a host of other drills are great, but due to leverage it can be really hard for people to learn. Cleans I have found work so well because they not only work, but give a non-threatening end point that people can learn to hit with confidence. 

These are a lot of the reasons that cleans have been such a big part of our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training program. Yet, I am surprised they are such an undervalued part of kettlebell training. 

Where swings and snatches have far more popularity, the kettlebell clean is one of my favorites because it has immense value! As RKC and DVRT Master, Troy Anderson, says, it is THE kettlebell linchpin exercise. He is referring to the broad application the kettlebell clean has to so many things in training. Like what?

-Essential for placement in many other drills like squats, presses, lunges, etc.

-The shorter lever arm allows people learn to apply the proper amount of force. This is an important distinction in just going after maximal force ALL the time.

-Tons of options in creating progressively challenging movement strength exercises. 

Usually not using kettlebell cleans comes down to one of two things. One, people don’t think it is effective, which I say they have never spent time really working with kettlebell cleans. The other, WAY more popular excuse is that it hurts! Here is a secret, it really shouldn’t. When you follow some of our Progressive Kettlebell Movement ideas you will see how fast you can learn to clean a kettlebell well. 

Once you see how easy it is to learn the clean, then a whole new world opens up to you. In order to see how much can be accomplished with the kettlebell clean you will definitely want to check out today’s post and don’t miss the last few days to save on our NEW Progressive Kettlebell Movement programs HERE

See why real world strength training opens a door to not only way more effective workouts, but more fun too!