My weekend throwing bells around with the boys from AIK
After two full days of kettlebell training we still managed to smile
If you’re not already using kettlebells as part of your strength and conditioning training for pole dancing then you should be. They’ve been in my repertoire for quite some time now, so I thought it only right to sharpen my skills for practicing and teaching others with a weekend of throwing bells around with the boys from AIK – Australian Institute of Kettlebells.
The class was full of eager beavers ready to learn all things kettlebell. It was great having such a variety of backgrounds in one class, and having three instructors meant that you could get a different point of view and an even wider set of cues to help get the movements perfected.
Our kettlebell gurus – Tarek, Dan and Pete – were great sports and did an awesome job of not only showing us the correct technique but also examples of poor technique, which I’m sure would have given some kettlebell kisses, much like our very own pole kisses.
Yep, those are trainers that we're practicing Turkish Get-ups with
Using the pro grade bells seemed a little daunting because of their size but it makes sense because as you move up in weight the dimensions are the same, unlike the cast iron bells that get bigger as they get heavier. Therefore you don’t have to change where you place or hold them, plus the bases are more stable for fun things like burpee /push-up /rows combinations J
The course was well presented with a great handbook that breaks the moves down with pointers for each section. We got heaps of demonstrations and feedback on how we were performing the moves as well as how we were teaching the moves when we partnered up and gave a class.
It was non-stop for the whole two days and we had a number of practical and theory assessments, so fingers crossed that we all passed.
The guys at AIK will be writing a series of pole dance specific fitness posts, so if you’re familiar with kettlebells keep you eyes peeled. If you’re never tried kettlebells it’s a great time to find a personal trainer who can show you what they’re all about. If you’re in Sydney then drop me a line and I’ll see if we can train together.
It’s important to get proper instruction before performing anything new with kettlebells because, as with most strength and conditioning equipment, you can cause a lot of damage if you move incorrectly with them. So please be careful and stay safe while having fun with your training.
Find out more about the Australian Institute of Kettlebells on their site and find more photos of the kettlebell weekend on our Facebook album.
