How to Improve your Marksmanship with Kettlebells
Kurt Vied, RKC
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Recently I attended the Kettlebells For Combat Applications course in St. Paul, Minnesota. The course was first rate and all the instructors provided a tremendous amount of information that could truly benefit the military or law enforcement officer.
It was during SSGT Nathanael Morrison’s portion of the course that I started thinking about high tension, kettlebells, and improving ones marksmanship. I remembered that Pavel, Jeff Martone, and SSGT Morrison all stated that kettlebells would improve your shooting. Could we use kettlebells on the firing line or during our dry fire drills? I posed that question to SSGT Morrison and he stated that in fact it could be done and that he had used kettlebells on the range in the past.
The next day, during my dry fire drills at home, I gave it a try. I worked with my handgun for approximately three minutes, going through a series of shots and trigger pulls. Once I had finished with the handgun, I immediately started doing Kettlebell Crush Curls. I did those for five reps, focusing on all of the high-tension principles taught by Pavel and the Senior RKC instructors. Once I had finished with the kettlebell, I picked up my weapon and repeated my dry fire drills. The results were very impressive. My sight picture was tight, very, very tight with equal height and equal light all the way.
I did not have to grip the weapon too tightly. In fact, my grip felt very relaxed. If you combine this technique with the corkscrewing motion in both arms, you will get a perfect sight picture.
Since then I have included other exercises in my dry fire routine: - The Bottoms Up Clean
- The Bottoms Up Clean and Press
- Jeff Martone’s H2H “Popcorn Drill”
I also include the Kettlebell Crush Lift, used by the Soviet Special Forces and the Secret Service Counter Assault Team. This particular drill is my favorite. As one Counter Assault Team member commented to Pavel regarding the lift, “This is exactly how I lock in my firearm!”
The next time you are training with your weapon try this routine:- 3 minutes of dry fire drills (your choice)
- Kettlebell Crush Curls for 5 reps
- 3 minutes of dry fire drills (your choice)
- Kettelbell Bottoms Up Clean 5 reps each arm
- 3 minutes of dry fire drills (your choice)
- 5 reps each side with the H2H Popcorn drill
- 3 minutes of dry fire drills (your choice)
- Kettlebell Crush Lifts 5 reps
- 3 minutes of dry fire drills (your choice)
Total: 15 minutes
If you carry a weapon, it is your duty to train with it more than twice per year. Try these drills and your marksmanship will improve.
Kurt Vied, RKC, has been a member of the Massachusetts State Police for six years. He is currently stationed at the State Police Barracks in Revere, MA. Additionally, he is serving with the United States Naval Reserve. He is available for training advice, especially for those working in law enforcement or the military. Contact him at k.f.vied@verizon.net
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