Since moving to at-home workouts, kettlebells have become the foundational piece of equipment in my strength training programme.
The kettlebell is a double-edged sword, though.
For all their benefits—compact, portable, works a broad range of core and stabiliser muscles—they do have their dangers: dropping a heavy hunk of cast iron can cause damage to humans and property.
So every now and then I refresh my knowledge on kettlebell lifting techniques to minimise the risk of injury. One piece of advice that stood out to me was “always start from the ground up.”
The key idea is to make sure you have complete control over the kettlebell as it moves from the floor, past your knees, and up to your hips. Get the squat and the deadlift movements right before you start incorporating exercises that bring the kettlebell up to your chest, and especially before you starting lifting the kettlebell above your head.
As with strength training, and with kettlebells, starting from the ground up in any new project, endeavour, or venture is to build a foundation that will last, and one that minimises long term risk.