Day 13 Kettlebell racking

The following is a summary of day 13.

 

• Kettlebell racking happens after you clean a kettlebell
• The rack can be a resting or transitional position
• A bad racking position can burn out the shoulders or affect the forearm
• With a transitional rack your elbow should be tucked/pulled into your obliques/ribs
• Use your latissimus dorsi to pull the elbow/arm in
• Rest the bell on the biceps and forearm
• A little bit of space at the bottom of the elbow is ok for a transitional rack
• For jerking or push pressing you want to rest the elbow on the ilium to transfer power
• For resting you want to rest the elbow on the ilium
• During sport/endurance/high volume reps you want to use a good rack to be able to rest with the bell up
• A disconnected arm means shoulder flexion which means additional and unnecessary work
• Let the weight rest on your skeletal system and not your muscular system
• Although it might look like it’s bad for the lumbar there is actually no movement in the lumbar
• All range is created through hip hyperextension and extension plus flexion in the thoracic
• A good rack requires flexibility in the hips and thoracic
• Squeeze the gluteus maximus to pull the top of the pelvis back
• Let the top of the femur come slightly forward
• Getting better range in the hip flexors takes time
• Hip hyperextension and crunch
• A rounded back is not a problem because we’re not pressing
• You want to rack with just enough contraction to obtain a good posture
• The weight naturally wants to fall away from the body which requires work to pull in
• Make space to let the weight rest on/above the legs
• The cradle rack is an option for females with larger breasts
• The rack is a position you need to learn properly

 

Task

Your thirteenth task is to complete as per below.

Drill your racking and work your way up over time:

1. 8kg/17.6lbs
2. 12kg/26.4lbs
3. 16kg/35.2lbs

Duration and sets:

• 15s each side
  1 set and 30 seconds rest
  Repeat 4 times
• 30s each side
  1 set and 45 seconds rest
  Repeat 4 times
• 45s each side
  1 set and 60 seconds rest
  Repeat 4 times
• 60s each side
  1 side and 30 seconds rest
  Repeat 4 times

 

Program each progression until you feel comfortable. For example, the first week you might do 3 days of 8kg and 15s work. The next week you increase the time under the rack to 30s and so on. At the end you move up in weight for the next 4 weeks until you’ve completed double 16kgs. Perform double kettlebells if you want to take it a step further.  15s each side would just become 15s one time.

 

Submission
You can film your racking for feedback. Submit your video in any way possible. See the bonus lecture for suggestions.