Kumie's Gym

06/24/2026

Review the difference between Squat and Hinge.

06/22/2026

Looking for a stronger kettlebell press? Try using the "trigger."

Your hands communicate with each other. A gripping action in one hand creates a gripping response in the other.

"In Dynami Gray Cook made a point that reengaging the grip (as opposed to gripping all the time) gives one’s press a “turbo boost.” Indeed, this is what Russian powerlifters who practice a particular explosive bench press style do. So did Russian weightlifters before 1972, when the overhead press was a part of the competition." >>> StrongFirst Certified Kettlebell Instructor Manual, 36th Edition

At StrongFirst, we take advantage of this phenomenon to improve pressing power and stability.

After the clean, explosively make a fist with your free hand just as you initiate the press. Think of this action as the trigger that sets the entire movement in motion.

It is a small detail, but often the smallest details create the biggest improvements in strength and performance.

If this feels unfamiliar, start by holding an empty water bottle in your free hand and practice making a strong fist as you press.

Master the details. Build strength with precision.

➡️ Join a StrongFirst Kettlebell Workshop or Certification and learn the techniques that make strength training safer, stronger, and more effective.

Learn more here: https://www.strongfirst.com/certifications/sfg-i-kettlebell-instructor-information/

Power to you!



Fot. StrongFirst Italy

06/19/2026

06/16/2026

The goblet Squat unlocks the hips and puts a spring into one's step.

06/13/2026

The Get-up makes shoulders resilient and the abs bulletproof.

06/11/2026

“Strength cannot be divorced from health”

None could have said it better than George Hackenschmidt.

Soviet scientists coined the term the cost of adaptation that is self-explanatory. All too often today’s training methods improve performance at the expense of health. Examples include neglect of general physical preparation, forcing the rate of adaptation, amateurish treatment of the nervous and the endocrine systems, abuse of glycolytic training at the expense of aerobic development, failure to understand free radical stress, and sloppy technique.

At StrongFirst we aim to improve the athlete’s health rather than to ruin it. We increase the organism’s general resistance by prioritizing mitochondrial development with state-of-the art programming.

When it comes to exercise technique, in the words of former senior instructor Rob Lawrence, at our school “Safety is viewed as a part of, not the opposite of, performance.” Both are about distributing the load across many muscle groups and joints rather than smoking the weak links. For instance, tensed glutes and a “virtual belt” of braced abs and power breathing reenforce your lower back. And a stronger back enables you to work your hips and legs harder. Another example is crushing the kettlebell handle when pressing. Irradiation simultaneously amplifies the strength of the rotator cuff muscles that stabilize the shoulder and the strength of the “pressing” muscles.

At StrongFirst when we say “strength,” we mean “health” and when we say “health,” we mean “strength.”

>>> StrongFirst® Girya Level II Certified Instructor Manual, 20th Edition

Strength. Health. Longevity.

These are not separate goals - they are one and the same.
Explore the StrongFirst School of Strength and learn how our principles help athletes and coaches build strength without sacrificing health.
➡️ Learn more here: https://www.strongfirst.com/certifications/sfg-i-kettlebell-instructor-information/

Power to you!

06/09/2026

The significance of proper setup for effective exercise

06/06/2026

The front squat is an excellent legs strength and flexibility developer. It also teaches the girevik abdominal pressurization. Where barbell front squats are brutal on the wrists and dumbbell front squats are not really front squats, Russian kettlebells are perfect for this valuable exercise.

The kettlebell front squat is a very effective muscle building exercise, especially when done in complexes with cleans, presses, etc.

Adjusting the Stance from Clean to Squat.
The width of stance needed to clean two kettlebells will very likely be far too wide for the front squat, so the student will need to safely adjust the stance after the clean is complete. This will take some experimenting and assistance from the instructor to make sure the adjusted stance hits the right position for the front squat. Advanced students can step into the squat stance while performing the clean.

>>> StrongFirst Certified Kettlebell Instructor Manual, 36th Edition

Ready to take your kettlebell skills to the next level?
The kettlebell front squat is just one of the many techniques taught and refined during the SFG I Certification.

☑️ Learn proper mechanics and training principles
☑️ Build real-world strength
☑️ Master the art of hardstyle kettlebell training under the guidance of StrongFirst instructors

➡️ Join the next SFG I Certification and become stronger, more capable, and more confident with every lift.

Learn more and register here:
https://www.strongfirst.com/certifications/sfg-i-kettlebell-instructor-information/

Power to you!

Fot. StrongFirst France

05/29/2026

Spine and Neck

05/28/2026

The StrongFirst plank develops the essential for strength skill of “tightness.”

Here is a stronger way to plank. Compared to the traditional plank, in the SF plank the internal obliques fire twice as strong, the abs three times as strong, and the external obliques four times as strong. (Contreras)

Assume the plank position with your forearms a shoulders width apart and parallel to each other. Form fists and semi-supinate the wrists (the hammer position). Your spine and legs should form a straight line; nothing may protrude or sag. Tense your whole body, except for the face, neck, and traps, look straight down between your fists and breathe shallow with your diaphragm. Lengthen your neck and tuck your chin in slightly.

Note the differences when planking to improve one’s iron game as opposed to bodyweight strength. For the former, maintain a neutral lumbar spine, a neutral pelvis, and do not protract your shoulder blades. This “cylindrical” posture is demanded by deadlifts, swings, and many other barbell and kettlebell exercises.

When planking for bodyweight strength, the goal is to assume the hollow position: a slight posterior pelvic tilt, a straight lumbar spine (no curve), and protracted scapulae.

—
StrongFirst Certified Kettlebell Instructor Manual, 36th Edition

If you want to learn how to build strength and endurance with kettlebells - whether for yourself to improve your athletic performance, or as a coach to help your students achieve their goals faster - join the StrongFirst instructor team.

Check the dates and locations of upcoming SFG I Instructor Certifications Click here ➡️ https://www.strongfirst.com/certifications/sfg-i-kettlebell-instructor-information/

Fot.