The use of Olympic lifts (Snatch, Clean and Jerk) to increase the power output of athletes is used with great success by many coaches. Olympic lifts and their variations will improve your starting strength and add tons of horse -power to your posterior chain, the muscles most responsible for speed and agility in sport. However, Olympic lifts performed with a barbell lack one essential benefit, they lack the ability to eccentrically load your musculature. For example, after performing a barbell snatch, the bar is dropped from the overhead position back onto the platform. From there the athlete re-grips the bar and performs another repetition. Compare this with the kettlebell snatch, where the kettlebell is allowed to swing between the legs on each repetition, directly eccentrically loading the glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors before exploding into another concentric contraction.
The combination of the eccentric and concentric contractions form what is known as the stretch-shortening cycle. The purpose of the stretch-shortening cycle is to enhance the performance of the concentric contraction, making it more explosive and powerful (Komi, 1984). Since the stretch –shortening cycle is a naturally occurring function of muscle, it is involved in the performance of most sporting activities and your training should include actions that help take advantage of it’s benefits, namely greater speed, power and reactive ability. Kettlebell training is a wonderful way to exploit the stretch-shortening cycle while working to reduce the time it takes to change from an eccentric contraction (deceleration) to a concentric contraction (acceleration).

Popular ways to train the stretch -shortening cycle and reactive strength is through the use of various jumps and throws, simply because you cannot jump or throw slowly and because most throws and jumps involve a preliminary counter movement, storing elastic energy to be used during the actual movement. In this article I would like to take this one step further and introduce some training methods that have worked well for me in the past, the combination of kettlebell Olympic lifts and kettlebell releases. The kettlebell Olympic lifts that I use are the Snatch, High-Pull, and Swing. The releases that I couple with the lifts are the kettlebell scoop toss, the snatch toss and a two-handed chest pass.

Kettlebell Swing => Kettlebell Scoop Toss:

Perform this drill outside. Set –up with one heavy kettlebell (32kg) and one light kettlebell directly to the side of the heavy kettlebell (12kg). Perform 3-5 repetitions of the kettlebell swing, set it down and move over to the lighter bell. Using the same pattern as the swing, take hold of the lighter kettlebell and perform a scoop toss by allowing the kettlebell to swing behind your legs, quickly changing direction and launching the kettlebell overhead and behind you.

Kettlebell One-handed Snatch=> Snatch Toss:

Again, line up with one heavier kettlebell and one lighter kettlebell directly to the side of the heavier bell. Perform 3-5 repetitions of a one-handed kettlebell snatch with the heavy bell. Set the heavy kettlebell down and quickly grab the lighter bell. Now perform a snatch with the lighter kettlebell except at the top launch it into the air instead of racking it overhead. This toss should be more vertical than the Scoop Toss. You can also measure the height thrown by using a wash line or similar device, attempting to better yourself each week or training cycle. Needless to say, practice extreme caution when performing this drill or any kettlebell drill.

Kettlebell High-Pull => Catch=> Chest Pass:

This drill only involves only one kettlebell. Perform a kettlebell High-Pull, at the top of the movement, release the kettlebell and catch it with both palms. This position should look like the beginning of a jump shot in basketball. From there, drive with your legs and toss the kettlebell from your chest into the air, landing in front of you. You can toss it to the side or straight in front. I often work lateral tosses with a sprint in the opposite direction. This drill is great for football linemen.

All these drills are performed after a thorough dynamic warm-up and some lighter kettlebells drills.