Disclaimer: We are used to hearing about “kettlebell swings”. In this article I will only call it "swing": 98% of it is performed with a kettlebell for convenience. pinch (made with three fingers), but whatever implementation you can swing without it flying off you and landing on something breakable is fine.
Index
How not to swing
He's probably doing it wrong.
This is because the swing is part of that category of little understood exercises, but "I do the same because on Instagram I saw that".
Too bad to get the best out of the time you spend doing hip hinge (and without hurting yourself), you have to do it technically right.
How to swing
Let's talk about the two-handed swing.
- start with a kettlebell on the ground, in front of you
- feet must be shoulder width apart
- knees slightly bent ...
- … but it is the hip hinge, the work of hinging the hips, to be the master. This allows you to
- grab hold of the kettlebell,
- bring the kettlebell, with your arms extended, towards the vertical of your center of gravity… that is, between your legs
- when the kettlebell has this pulse, extend your hips explosively and “throw” the kettlebell forward. It will have to reach shoulder height
Variants of the two-handed swing
What I have described to you above is generally defined russian kettlebell swing. The American variant plans to bring the kettlebell over your head (but it is a movement that can be limited by the mobility of the athlete).
There are also a series of one-handed variations of the swing:
- one-handed swing (the kettlebell is raised and lowered with the same arm)
- one-handed swing with exchange (the hand holding the kettlebell changes at the moment of maximum height of the apparatus)
Benefits of the swing
We said: doing it well means getting the most:
- è an explosive movement. So for burning fat it's great
- also excellent exercise for working on power and, from a certain load upwards, on force
- fortifies the posterior chain
- contributes to improve posture, as well as glute activation and hip flexibility
- the core certainly does not mind if you swing!
Everything you need to know to swing at your best
... we also said that performing this movement incorrectly carries a risk of accident.
Then:
- shoulders relaxed: do not do the movement of shrugging, and don't find yourself with your back to your ears
- the forearms should be in contact with your body until the hips are in a neutral position (ie "you are standing")
- when the arms separate from the body, squeeze your buttocks to avoid hyperextending your back
- head and neck position? Neutral
- elbows are nearly extended but not locked. This way the arm muscles won't contribute to the movement
- again: the knees are only slightly bent. The hips and back muscles do the movement, not the quadriceps
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