Prevent Wrist Pain with Kettlebell Cleans

grisselle3
Dec 20, 2020
3 min read

Interested in cleans but your wrist is hurting from the bell slamming on your wrist?

The great thing is that you can break down the movement into smaller increments without getting frustrated or hurting your wrist.

Now, before we get started on breaking down the movement, you’ll also have to clarify which specific type of kettlebell clean you’re doing.

Just like any exercise, there are a myriad of variations and even more so with different modalities (e.g., kettlebells, bulgarian bag, barbell, etc). For example, a kettlebell clean will be different from a barbell clean. This is why it is very important to specify which type and with which modality.

Since we’re clearly focused on kettlebells, I’ll break down two different common types of cleans:

Kettlebell Swing Clean
Kettlebell Vertical / Dead stop Clean

They seem very similar, right?

I swear there’s a difference between them. Let me break it down for you below.

Kettlebell Swing Cleans mimic the movement of a kettlebell swing. This one is a little more advanced since you’ll have to have a strong command of the double-handed kettlebell swing and single-arm swing.

What makes it different from a full down kettlebell swing (Russian hardstyle) is the end position of the kettlebell. Instead of your arms straight (slightly bent elbows is okay as well--as long as the bell isn’t pulling you or too heavy) with the bell “floating,” towards the end, the bell will end up in a racked position. Once you’re done with the racked position you’ll swing the bell back like a kettlebell swing and end up in a racked position in a continuous motion.

Vertical / dead-stop Clean. This one starts with the bell in between your legs and ends up in a racked position. Think of a vertical line--goes straight up and down. That’s how you should think of the movement of the kettlebell from the floor into a racked position. You’ll now bring the weight from the floor into that racked position in a continuous movement. If you’re not in command of the technique or the weight is too heavy, it’ll end up becoming a struggle bicep curl--something we don’t want! The great thing about the vertical / dead-stop clean is that it can be a great starting point for those experimenting with the cleans and not have a background in kettlebell swings, like the swing clean version.

Since we’ve got a little background on both, let’s talk about breaking down the movement below:

Kettlebell Swing Clean

Start with a single-arm kettlebell swing. Why? Because it’ll be a small drill to help reinforce how to bring the weight into a racked position and to keep it in a continuous movement.
Next movement will swing the kettlebell, but instead of fully extending your arms for the bell to “float,” your elbows will be bent and you’ll bring the kettlebell close to you. Why? Because this drill will help reinforce how to keep the kettlebell close to your body and eventually position the bell into a racked position. Please use a light bell for this drill

Assisted kettlebell swing clean. This movement includes swinging the kettlebell, and as you prepare to rack the bell, your free hand will help you bring it to the racked position.

Remember - for the vertical / dead-stop clean, you’ll only need bullet points two and three from above to help you. Why? Remember that the vertical / dead-stop clean doesn’t involve a swing, which is why we’re no longer using the single-arm swing drill. You’re merely picking up the bell from the floor and now into a racked position in a continuous movement.

P.S - the other movement of the arm will usually mimic the movement of the kettlebell, like a kettlebell swing. I'm aware my arm looks a bit stiff and awkward, but I just got tired from doing a bunch of demos with that hand...

This is how the racked position looks from a front view. You shouldn't be feeling pain with this position. If you are it's because you're either holding the bell incorrectly, the weight is too heavy and held incorrectly, or you have some underlying medical condition or physical ailment to where you cannot bear weights in a racked position. If you're the last option, please consult with a medical professional.