One thing that I realized early in training with Kettlebells was, no matter what kind of exercise program I was following, there were always going to be assumed risks with adding weights into my training. As time went on, and I worked more with Kettlebells specifically, I saw that, when done correctly and with injury prevention as a main tenet of my training, weights had become a very safe and effective way for me to build my strength.
To me, it was far too easy to do things wrong by not knowing what to focus on or not having guidance. This is where practices like joint mobility and full body engagement became the saving grace for my training, and where putting a focus on perfecting my technique created the way for all of my success.
The idea that joint mobility would be first on the list makes so much sense when I really think about it. There are foundations and basic principles to weightlifting, mostly based on body position and alignment, and the more that I practiced conscious joint mobility the better I understood these positions and how to maintain them under weight. Following a conscious joint mobility program allowed me to regularly take account of my full range of motion any time I was about to get into things, especially if I was already feeling sore from my lifting practice going into things.
Learning how to consciously engage my entire body made it so I was able to feel how every muscle in my body played into each lift and was working during each exercise. If a particular part of my body or range of motion came to my attention during joint mobility then I would pay attention to that part during my full body engagement, letting this heightened awareness show me where to focus and how to move. Down the line this practice has helped me avoid muscle imbalances and movement dysfunction throughout my daily life.
The last point is that, having had such a large focus on perfecting my kettlebell technique, it is my technique that has played the largest role in my physical progress. By focusing on how I was doing what I was doing, I was able to stay attentive enough in my practice to see that I was practicing a series of skills and, as I got better and more comfortable with each skill, I saw that my exercise practices were to be looked at as something progressive that I could get better at every time. I soon noticed that I was seeing the affect outside of my lifting practice as well.
Approaching my exercise focuses like this gave me skillful movement habits that continue to protect me against injury, by raising my awareness of what my body is going through, any time that I want to check in. The original uncertainty and fear of injury that came to my mind when I started lifting weights is a memory but my personal progression is so clear and obvious.
I’d suggest finding a program to follow that can get you started with the foundations of progressive strength training. But, whether you work with someone else or not, always remember to keep joint mobility, muscle engagement, and improving technique as primary skills that are practiced in order to improve. Otherwise, at some point, you may end up needing to go back to square one. Enjoy!
