Keeping your hands healthy and blister free is critical to your strength and conditioning efforts.  After all, if you hands hurt, you are sure to start skipping workouts.  The key is to know when to squeeze the bell tight and when not to.

When I first started using kettlebells, I gripped the handle like my life depended on it.  After only a few weeks of performing swings and snatches, my hands hurt so bad I had to take a week off from lifting.  This situation is not conducive to long term strength and conditioning gains so I took the time to figure out what I was doing wrong, and how to correct it.  I can now routinely perform hundreds of reps without any pain or discomfort in my hands and I never miss workouts due to hand health issues.

The first thing to consider if you are new to the kettlebell is that it takes time to adapt to the new stress.  Don’t pick up a kettlebell for the first time and expect to be able to do tons of reps without hurting your hands.  Even if you already lift with free weights, lifting a kettlebell will be different.  During lifts like the snatch or the clean, the kettlebell handle will rotate a pretty good distance in your hand.  This is unlike lifting with barbells or dumbells.  When first starting out with a kettlebell, ease into it and let your hands adapt.

During lifts like the swing or the high pull, think of your hand as a hook.  In other words, don’t grip the handle in you palm but rather down around your fingers.  This greatly reduces the stress on your palms.  You will recall that when performing swings, the force is generated with the hips and your arms are nothing more then “ropes” and you hands are the “hooks” that attach the bell to the “ropes”.

For me, the biggest problem I had as it relates to sore hands was improperly holding the bell during the snatch.  I have found that if somebody is going to have a problem with their hands, it is usually during the snatch.  In my case,  I was squeezing the handle too hard so when the bell rotated up and over my hand, it began to stretch and tear at the skin.  The handle of the kettlebell must be allowed to gently rotate in your hand near the top of the snatch.  This reduces the friction and thus the stress on the skin.  Image that the kettlebell is actually floating in the air at the top of the lift as it gently rotates over the hand and onto your wrist.  And don’t forget to punch up through the ceiling.

To drop the kettlebell from the top of the snatch, remember to begin by folding at the waist.  At this point, I grip the handle and “flip” the bell back over my hand.  Again, as the bell is rotating back over my hand, my grip is almost nonexistent as I am now allowing the momentum from the flip and gravity to bring the kettlebell back down.  This takes a little practice and getting use to the timing but your hands will thank you for it in the end.

If you do start to get calluses on your hands, try using an emery board to file them down before they tear.  Also, consider giving your hands a break every so often by performing two hand swings or towel swings.

If you are having problems with a weak grip, chalk is perfectly acceptable, gloves however are not.

Enjoy,

Dennis

P.S. – Have a question about anything I’m doing, email me and I’ll be more then happy to answer it.  ironkettlebellfitness@gmail.com

Before entering into a fitness routine, especially one that incorporates kettlebells, be sure to consult with your physician or medical professional to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a strength and conditioning regimen.  Be sure to learn the proper way to perform each lift and complete each exercises in strict form employing a spotter when applicable.  In other words, if you hurt yourself, it’s your fault.

Tweet This Post