Although most readers of this newsletter are grapplers, the concepts I write about apply far beyond jiu-jitsu.
Training to be a fighter is, in many ways, training to be a better human. The goal is resilience—strength, mobility, and pain-free movement for as long as possible. That’s why martial arts principles translate so well outside the gym.
In fact, the term Kung Fu roughly translates to “skill earned through hard work over time.” While Order & Progress is rooted in grappling arts like BJJ, it’s simply the vehicle for pursuing that same end: long-term physical capability.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been writing about two concepts that have completely reshaped how I think about resilience, for jiu-jitsu and for life:
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Maintaining relative motion instead of defaulting to rigid orientation
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Developing the ability to absorb force, not just produce it
One of my favorite ways to train force absorption is through “catch” training, learning to receive load dynamically without bracing or collapsing.
Plyometrics, depth drops, and swinging weights like kettlebells and clubs are some of the best tools for this. And among them, the kettlebell clean stands out.
Why Cleans Matter for Injury Prevention
For decades, contact-sport athletes (football, rugby, hockey, etc) have used cleans to improve performance and durability. The clean is an explosive lift where a weight is accelerated upward and then caught in the rack position.
That matters because the clean has two distinct phases:
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The pull – producing force
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The catch – receiving force
Most exercises train one or the other. Cleans train both.
I stepped away from Olympic barbell lifting in my early 30s after years of training and coaching the lifts. For most busy athletes, the learning curve is steep, access to necessary equipment is limited, and the risk-to-reward ratio isn’t ideal without serious technical commitment.
The kettlebell clean solves many of those problems while offering something the barbell can’t: endless, adaptable variations.
Below are the kettlebell clean variations I find most valuable for grapplers, and anyone looking to build resilience without living in a weight room.
Start with the single-arm kettlebell clean.
If you haven’t mastered it yet, Wildman Athletica has excellent free resources.
1. Dead Clean
The dead clean starts from a dead stop on the floor. There’s no momentum to rely on, which forces you to generate true power to break the bell from the floor.
I like this variation because:
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It emphasizes explosive hip extension
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The bell travels in a more vertical path
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Which encourages maximal force into the ground
These qualities are essential for athletic performance and optimal force transfer.
2. Squat Clean
The squat clean requires you to drop underneath the bell and catch it in a squat rather than pulling it all the way up.
In traditional barbell lifting, this is how athletes clean very heavy loads. While kettlebells are lighter, the same principles apply while delivering similar benefits.
This variation trains the ultimate skill of yielding:
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Explode upward
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Relax quickly
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Drop into position
- Catch the weight
Start light, then progress to a weight that forces you to respect timing and coordination. Begin with shallow drops and work toward full-depth catches.
3. Lateral Clean
The lateral clean is a variation you simply can’t do with a barbell, and one of the kettlebell’s biggest advantages.
This movement trains:
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Lateral hinging
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Hip and spinal rotation under load
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Force production and reception outside the sagittal plane
You load one hip, propel the bell laterally, let it swing across the body, then snap it back into the rack.
I recommend learning this pattern first with a heavy club (often called the Pendulum) since the smaller profile reduces the risk of knee contact while learning. This program teaches it in detail.
4. Step Clean
The step clean integrates the clean into gait, teaching you to produce force while moving forward.
This variation improves:
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Hip extension in locomotion
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Force sequencing through the body
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Coordination between lower and upper body
I often pair it with a step press, turning it into a high-value, full-body movement that builds strength, power, and real-world athleticism.
5. Coiling Clean
The coiling clean is an advanced variation based on David Weck’s Coiling Core concept, which emphasizes spinal-driven movement and rotation.
This lift uses:
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Lateral flexion
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Spinal rotation
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Elastic recoil
Because of its demands, it’s critical to master the coiling pattern unloaded first. Spend weeks, if not months, learning the basics before adding weight.
Once mastered, the coiling clean is exceptional for developing strength, power, and resilience through rotational ranges you’ll encounter in sport and grappling. A press can be added to further expand its benefits.
Final Thoughts
To build true resilience, for sport and for life, you must train both sides of the force equation: producing force and receiving it.
From my experience, the clean is one of the best tools to do both simultaneously.
The kettlebell may not be ideal for near-maximal loading, but it offers unmatched versatility and adaptability for long-term progress.
Start with the basic clean, then progress to the dead clean and squat clean. Once those are solid, explore the rotational variations—the lateral, step, and coiling cleans.
Rotation, in my opinion, is the most fundamental quality for performance and longevity.
Training to rotate while producing and absorbing force will serve you well, on the mat and far beyond it.
WHENEVER YOU’RE READY, THERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU:
1. Start improving your BJJ durability and performance with Foundations of Rotational Strength.
2. Fortify your body for BJJ with this free course on BJJ Resilience.
3. Join the free weekly newsletter here.
4. Apply for personal online coaching here.
