If you think the Russian blacks were Russia’s only contribution to the fitness world, that’s a huge underestimation of the country’s influence on how things work today. Notorious for their fitness, Russians seem to be particularly obsessed with core workouts, and this is where a little-known technique takes center stage. Called the Russian Kettlebell Club (RKC) plank, this move can make a significant difference in how your home looks and feels. The best part: you can use this principle in every other exercise, instantly increasing the difficulty level which translates into fewer but more effective repetitions for you.
While researching the exercise, I came across several sources that said RKC stands for “Russian Kettlebell Challenge”. The movements that are part of this routine were invented by Soviet special forces trainer Pavel Tsatulin. Contrary to its name, the RKC board does not actually have kettlebells. This means it’s not equipment dependent and gives you less of an excuse to skip it.
“Paul’s expertise and knowledge of Russian kettlebell training methods laid the foundation for the development of the RKC program in the early 2000s. This program collected the most effective techniques from the Russian military and adapted them for civilian use, making them accessible to fitness enthusiasts worldwide,” reads a strongandfit.com article. Mastering the Russian Kettlebell Challenge.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many variations of the plank, but this move doesn’t require you to move a lot or push the weights around. The RKC plank is a very positional variation, and it takes into account a very important part of the training, which is breathing work.
To do this, start in a basic plank position on your knees. Here’s the key part: lift your shoulder blades off the floor and simultaneously use your upper back to lift. Then, inhale and fully engage the major leg muscles—glutes, quads, and hamstrings—keeping the body in a fully tense position. The challenge is to maintain a steady, natural breathing pattern even if your entire body is tired. This video by Dr. Carl Baird shows how to do it properly. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hQmAsF9iL4)
An important point to remember when doing any exercise is to know how long you can hold a position or continue to move. With the RKC plank, stop as soon as your lower back starts to arch and your body can no longer stay flat. This is because the exercise is as much a lower back exercise as it is an abs exercise. “Mastering hip extension and maintaining proper pelvic support is vital to optimizing compound lifts and similar movements. The RKC plank effectively trains you to control your hip position, preventing you from leaning too much on your lower back during the extension,” writes Anthony Balduzzi, a former bodybuilder trained in psychology and a fitness and fitness fitter. The mother project.
Even Jeff Cavaliere, founder of Athlete X, agrees that this exercise is a game changer when it comes to getting a toned stomach and a strong back. In his latest video, titled Do this daily to warm the stomachhe teaches a few breathing techniques and mentions the RKC plank as a movement that teaches the body to be still while the major muscles are engaged. “A flat stomach isn’t just about losing fat, it’s about how your muscles hold your body together.” He says that the RKC board teaches a person how to activate the transverse abdominis – the muscle that pulls the waist inward. “Most people only focus on the six-pack (rectus abdominis). But if you ignore these deep core muscles, you’re leaving a fat belly on the table.” He writes in the explanatory note of his video. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6jCT8IkZpA
He goes a step further than the RKC board though. Jeff Cavaliere suggests that during any exercise that allows the pelvis to flex (like the plank), you should first expand the rib cage and fill the chest, then exhale fully while pulling the belly button in to create space. This, he says, helps activate the deep core as well as the lower body muscles. Hold this position briefly before releasing. Try both methods and see which works best for you.
The principles are very simple and can be applied to various other muscles but the RKC plank is easier than other isometric ab exercises which can seem intimidating. However the transfer effect is huge. Doing RKC planks regularly, even just for five sets of 10 seconds, will improve your lifts; It can also make difficult movements such as lifting a bent leg easier.
Plastha Dhar is a football commentator and writer.
#washboard #abs #strong #Russian #Kettlebell #Club #Plank #Master #Mint