The Viking Push Press

Please don't use this video as an instructional piece. Dave Whitley, Sr. and Matt McBryde, RKC sent me Viking Push Press video to try to emulate.

Here is my attempt at replication.



Sandy Sommer, RKC

Power is Safety and Safety is Power

I did all my work today on the one legged squat or pistol. I did 68 repetitions using a 10 pound plate as a counterbalance.

I wanted to discuss on the keys to RKC style Strength work and that is proper breathing and it's certainly related to pistols. If you fail to breath properly while working the pistol, you will almost assuredly loose tension through your core and then you will lose your balance.

We call it "breathing behind the shield." You exhale sharply before your movement and then brace your core, as if for a blow to your gut. Inhale during the descent so that you build up a girdle of air below your diaphram. This protects you and give you power. In the RKC Power system, power is safety and safety is power. Remember that for your own training.

Breath behind the shield in all of your kettlebell movement and you will be much stronger and be practicing safely.

Feel free to ask me any questions at all and leave a comment:)

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Goals For the Delaware Kettlebell Workshop

Dr. Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader will be conducting Hard Style, High Density Delaware Kettlebell Workshop on June 21, 2009.

I'm helping coordinate, get the word out etc and I've put some goals in place to get to before that date.

Current, 1 rep max for Kettlebell Press is 36 KG. I will be able to press the 40 by then.

I can do a one legged pistol with the 20 kg kettlebell as of yesterday. Here's the video of me doing the 16 KG Kettlebell Pistol.

I can do a Tactical Pull up using the 16 kg kettlebell and will be able to pull off a 24 on June 21st.

I'm in the process of mapping it all out now.

Today's Viking Warrior Session:

72 work sets of mVO2 with 16 kg kettlebell, cadence of 7 for :15/:15

Viking Warrior Strength practice:

3 sets of 3 reps each arm, presses with 12 and 16 kg in one hand. Glided up!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

What's Size Kettlebells Should I Use?

A lot of people ask me what size kettlebell should I use? 99% of women should start with a 8 KG Kettlebell. 99% of men should start with the 16 kg Kettlebell. Why?

What I have found is that most men try to start too heavy and a lot of women want to start too light. Women tend to be very strong relative to body weight. Men aren't usually as strong as they'd like to think. Certainly there are exceptions to the rule. Some women may need 12 kg to properly get their rears engaged and some men may need 20 kg. If you don't have the proper range of motion needed to be safe that is another issue and you shouldn't even be using a kettlebell until that is corrected.

And gals fear not. Kettlebells won't make you bigger at all. Just doesn't happen if it is your main training tool. Check out this serious display of feminine strength.

To get all the benefits of kettlebell training your posterior chain needs to be engaged. It's not possible to load your posterior with resistance if you aren't using an appropriately sized kettlebell. In addition, you are a lot more likely to "muscle" through it and not do it correctly if it's too light. One of the best corrections for the kettlebell swing seems to be a heavier bell for example. Far more injuries result from using a small kettlebell incorrectly than the right size kettlebell safely.


This is bound to upset some folks, but Kettlenetics isn't kettlebell training. Either dance or do kettlebells. You don't try to marry golf to tennis. Nor is what ever "kettlebell" product the The Firm carries. Each of these companies has taken something that they feel is a hot trend (Remember Kettlebells have been around over 200 years) and watered it down and frankly denigrated it to the point of being unrecognizable. I'm so friggin' sick of seeing these infomercials. Get yourself a certified kettlebell instructor and learn the right way from the get go. Seek maximum and true benefit.

So get the right sized kettlebell and get to work safely and using the appropriate size kettlebell. And even though you will add to your kettlebell collection over time you will still find good use for your 8 or 16 kg kettlebell. I use my 16 all the time to this day.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

One of Those Days

Today has been one of those days:) I don't know if it's the July like humidity here but I've been having trouble getting it together today and can now barely keep my eyes open.

I planned on doing low volume pistols using the 16 KG kettlebell and got that accomplished. Did 10 reps total.

After I did that my idea was to do 72 work sets of the mVO2 conditioning from Viking Warrior Conditioning. I had made sure to hydrate myself but apparently drank too much agua. At around the ten minutes mark the "sloshing" of liquid in my gut was bugging me. By 15 minutes I thought it was going to make me lose lunch so I stopped. Now feel poorly mentally and physically and just need to move on!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Keep It Simple

One of the things that originally attracted me to kettlebell practice was the sheer simplicity and elegance of the workouts.

I said simple not easy:)

Pavel has a saying that it's better to dig a furrow an inch long and a mile deep, rather than a mile long and an inch deep.

Too many of us try to make things too complicated. There are only 6 foundational movements in the RKC system of strength and if all you do is those you will be way ahead of the game. Swing, Turkish Get Up, Clean, Press, Front Squat and Snatch. Focus on doing them well and safely and you will get stronger, leaner, more explosive and look your best. Quickly. I can confidentally say that I am as strong and move better than I did at 25 and I'm 47.

Currently, I'm focusing all my attention on the above, as it applies to Viking Warrior Strength and Conditioning. I've added the RKC II exercises the One Legged Pistol and Tactical Pull Up to my repertoire since I will become an RKC II in June 2010.

None of this is rocket science but it is based on a systemic approach to building strength and conditioning with a scientific approach. Find an RKC Instructor in your area or ask me for a recommendation.

I'm here to help anyway I can!

Sandy Sommer, RKC