Kettle Bell Conflict

I have seen it a million times and I saw it again today and it never makes the cringe factor any less.

You’ve probably seen it, too:  a trainer in the gym with their client doing a kettle bell workout.   The trainer has a close eye on the client and is making sure she’s executing each swing with perfect precision.  But then… over there, in the corner, another gym member watches and then tries to emulate the very same movement pattern with a weight far too heavy and fails miserably, putting himself at great risk for injury.

Even worse is observing a trainer teaching a client improperly and then standing by while the unsuspecting person dances on eggshells just waiting for a back or shoulder injury to take place.

Don’t get me wrong; when done properly, a kettle bell workout can be a fantastic means to build strength.

But like with any other specialty, just make sure you watch your own back and make sure your trainer is educated and has practical experience with this particular workout technique.

Ask.

Don’t assume, or go by the credentials (if they have any) after their name.

I have great credentials, a degree from USC in Exercise Phys and a certification from ACSM plus seventeen years experience- but I do not do kettle bells myself, so I would not in a million years work with them in a workout session with a client.

As long as you do your own due diligence, you have a world of different types of workouts to choose from.   Not asking questions, however, can lead you straight down the path to an injury, and it could be serious.

Easily prevented!