Every athlete wants to be faster, stronger, more powerful, and more injury prone. This is especially true for triathletes who swim, bike and run great distances. You demand speed, require strength, and need to save time. Tools and methods that increase your foundation of strength and speed are extremely valuable, and every edge counts.

This article reviews the benefits of using kettlebells from the perspective of Yogic Warrior Conditioning and is designed to give the triathlete the possibility of greater outcomes in exchange for your valuable energy and time spent training.

On Kettlebells:
Buy the hype, just don’t believe it. (in other words, get your kettlebell but own your movement).

Kettlebells are simply stimulators and enhancers of multi-functional training of natural human movement.

You already have all the weight you need to create phenomenal strength and power for your purposes and your life. Kettlebells add a level of challenge, skill and learning that support many specific sports, yet the basics are the same. The basic skills of running, jumping, leaping, pushing and pulling are what take you across pavement and through water.

You already know how to build your endurance and train your psyche to succeed for the race. The advantage you are missing is the buildup of your fundamental baselines. This is the level where kettlebells add a concrete and immediate benefit: build your baselines of strength, power and mindfulness and your race time will decrease as you enjoy it even more!

The three skills that most directly transfer to your triathlaon success.

1. 1 and 2-Arm Swings
2. Swing/Hi-pull/Gunsling
3. Snatch or Rack & Push-Press

Thus, DO

• Improve your baseline foundations through appropriate intensity.
• your training needs by balancing the lowest volume required and greatest intensity possible.
• just less (than you think you can), and you’ll progress faster.

And DON’T

• Ignore your breath. It’s your greatest coach, so follow it and heed its lessons.
• Focus on learning too many skills. Push intensity and mastery in core skills and build your baselines.
• Do endless sets and reps. With functional work, build capacity through intensity. Then go practice your race skills.

This article in a sentence:

Follow your breath and maintain awareness as you practice your maximum intensity and effort.

The Sports Club/LA San Francisco has a magnificent new rack of kettlebells ranging from 10lbs to 80lbs. Kettlebells are without a doubt one of the single most versatile tools we can use use both for the diversity of techniques you can practice as well as the variety of qualities it can be used to develop. Another dimension is offered when you practice like a yogi. I offer you three tips for creating kettelbell-focused movements that are mindful and meaningful.

1. Set and know your intention each pre-kettelbell moment by asking a question - what is going to get me through this round? Then commit and take action.
2. Find your steady rhythm and find your breath. Increase speed until your breath starts to run away from you. Then play the edge.
3. Focus on the transition at the moment your round or exercise is complete. Hardly anyone pays attention to  the transition out of an exercise and into recovery, yet this is the very moment not to be missed. This moment offers you the opportunity to uncover the meaning behind the drill.