Kettlebell Squat with a Front ‘Crush’ Press

By Troy Hasler (PT in your Pocket)

I love this exercise. It has an excellent functional foundation – integrating the quads, glutes and hips with the back and shoulders.

Preparation:

  • Stand ‘Tall’ with gaze aimed straight ahead.
  • Feet should be shoulder width apart with toes straight or pointed slightly outward.
  • Your weight should be distributed ‘midfoot’ with 80% of your weight on your heels and 20% on the balls of your feet.
  • Spine should be ‘neutral’ with good alignment from the crown of your head to your coccyx.
  • Shoulders should be ‘packed’ which means pulling your shoulders blades back and down.
  • Finish your ‘perfect alignment’ by imagining that you are a marionette suspended from a string attached to the crown of your head. ‘Lengthen’ your spine to create the longest distance you can from crown to coccyx.

Movement:

  • Begin by holding a Kettlebell (KB) or Lighter Weight with both hands close to your chest, your elbows should be tucked close to your sides.
  • The squatting movement is accomplished by bending the knees and ‘sitting back’ with your hips as if you are sitting in a chair.
  • Your knees should stay in alignment with the direction your toes are pointing and never go further forward than your shoe laces.
  • ALWAYS maintain Crown to Coccyx alignment! This means keeping a neutral spine at all times.
  • As you squat breathe in and push the KB away from you until your arms are straight, keep your shoulders ‘packed’ at all times. You should reach full extension with your arms as you reach the bottom of your squat movement.
  • You will know you have reached the bottom of your active range when you cannot go any deeper into the movement without compromising your neutral spine.
  • Before your stand back up engage your glutes and drive upwards through your midfoot while maintaing core engagement and breathing out. Pull the KB back to your body at the same time so that as you reach full hip extension the KB is close to your chest.
  • Your back should be almost vertical through this whole movement, and you should ALWAYS maintain a midfoot balance, knee over toe alignment, neutral spine and packed shoulders.
This information is provided as a guideline only. Always consult a Doctor before starting an exercise program. Perform this exercise at your own risk.
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