Kettlebell Swing
Hinge, kettlebell, glutes and hamstrings
The kettlebell swing moves a kettlebell from between the legs to about shoulder height with a fast snap of the hips, the arms only guiding it. It trains the glutes and hamstrings, with the lower back, belly and grip holding everything together. It suits anyone who already hinges well and wants power and conditioning in one move.
Setting up
- Stand with the feet a little wider than the hips and the kettlebell on the floor a step in front.
- Push the hips back with soft knees and grip the handle with both hands.
- Hike it back to the start: hips back, back flat, the bell swung back low behind the knees with the forearms against the inner thighs.
- Choose a bell you can swing with a flat back on every rep; most people start lighter than they think.
How to do a kettlebell swing
- Start from that hinge, with the bell swung back behind the knees and the wrists close to the groin.
- Snap the hips forward and squeeze the glutes, so the bell floats up in front of you.
- Let it rise to about chest or shoulder height on straight arms, the body standing tall.
- As it falls, wait until the arms meet the hips, then hinge back and let it swing behind the knees again.
- To stop, let it swing back once more and set it down in front of you.
Breathing. Breathe out sharply as the hips snap forward and breathe in as the bell falls.
Muscles worked
- Mainly
- Glutes and hamstrings
- Also
- Lower back, abdominals and forearms
Common mistakes
- Squatting the swing instead of hinging. It moves the work to the thighs, so push the hips back with the shins nearly upright.
- Lifting the bell with the arms. The arms tire quickly and the shoulders take the strain, so let the hips throw the bell and keep the arms loose.
- Leaning back at the top. It loads the lower back, so finish standing straight with the glutes tight.
- Rounding the back as the bell drops. It puts the strain on the spine, so hinge from the hips and keep the chest up as the bell swings back.
Guide
