The two hand pass is the most important pass of all, it is where the skills for all other passes are developed. Get to know the two hand pass, a wise practitioner will invest time and continue to return to this pass well after they have become proficient. People who tend to rush ahead miss out on many of the important lessons of two hand passing. I see it time and time again where someone learns the two hand pass and they rush to move on, it is very clear who has and has not put the time in. Perhaps people on instagram may think your passing is great but the reality is the quality of of your passes and movement show you have moved ahead before your time. Refrain from being a technique hopper and give the two hand pass its due respect and all passing patters for that matter, and let them teach you their many lessons. They are there for a reason and will make your life easier down the road.
KPP is not just tossing kettlebells back and forth, that is the method used to deliver the information, just because you are hurling hunks of iron through the air doesn't mean you understand KPP. Get familiar with the system, it is designed to progress you in a way that is logical, safe and intelligent.
Things to think about when you are passing the bell:
1. Focus on your follow through, when releasing the bell, it determines where the bell goes.
Be patient with the follow through, when rushed the energy you are sending to your partner is dispersed too soon and leads to inaccurate passes. When you linger with your follow through too long you will interrupt the rhythm and throw off the timing making the return pass from your partner choppy.
You should feel the bell sliding off your finger tips as the bell is being releases. The tips of your fingers are the rudder that guide the bell into your partners hands, this is the difference between turning the bell and flipping it. Turning the bell will give smoother entry to your partners hands as if you are handing them the bell and will also be less work for you.
2. When you complete the follow through, which is usually the moment right before the bell enters your partners hands, it is recommended that you relax fully and let your arms fall to your side as the bell enters their hands.
This does a few things; 1) it takes the focus off of you and lets your partner fully focus on what's coming at them. 2) it sets you up for the next pass to be slightly ahead of when they throw the bell. You want to be slightly ahead of their pass so that you can come down to meet the handle of the bell when you decide, instead of trying to reach for it as its coming at you or even worse leaving your hands out as a target to get hit. 3) it lets you relax and catch your breath so that you are not holding excessive tension and wasting energy, think fast and loose.
3. When catching the kettlebell it is best to point your fingers up towards the sky so that you don't jam or break your fingers, after all we are throwing cannonballs at one another. Also a soft quiet firm grip is superior to an aggressive loud one. You can take my word for it or give it a try and see for yourself what the difference is. The passer, after letting go, should immediately return to a tall neutral position to prepare to become the receiver. The tall position gives the passer a consistent target to aim at. The receiver should remain as tall and relaxed as possible, hinging only when the hands and bell meet not a moment sooner. This will protect the back and engage the stretch reflex cycle making the return pass more reflexive and less reactive.
The beauty of partner passing is that you will know when you give a shit pass because you will usually get a shit pass back. The idea is to give the best possible pass that you can and to work on improving each pass. Look at ever pass as an opportunity to improve, when viewed this way massive improvements can happen in a relatively short period of time.
You will also know when you give a great pass, it will feel right and both you and your partner will appreciate it. The goal then becomes to give optimal passes every time. Perfect passes do not exist only greater degrees of optimal. You will, with practice, inevitably throw a pass that feels perfect, this is when the work begins. Now it becomes about duplicating it, refining it, getting more consistent, and honing it even further. Perfect is never the goal, continually progressing is. Thanks for reading and may you continue to progress and become increasingly consistent. We will talk about reading your partners body in the future. Peace be with you.