The Kettlebell Swing forms the foundation of kettlebell training. It hits almost all of your major muscle groups, especially those of the all-so-critical posterior chain (a fancy term for the back of the body): the glutes, hamstrings, back extensors, and lats. It can be used for a wide variety of applications, including fat loss, conditioning, building explosive strength, and much more. First, watch this video to see how the movement is done:
Now we’ll break it down into steps:
1. Before you attempt the full kettlebell swing, do a kettlebell sumo deadlift. Start with the kettlebell between the feet. Initiate the movement by pulling the hips back. This is different from a squat; you should feel a stretch in the back of the legs if you’re doing it right.
2. The swing is simply an extension of the deadlift. Start with the weight about a foot or so in front of you; hike it back between the legs and use the legs and hips to snap it up. Remember that the swing is a lower-body driven movement, not a squat and front raise. When the ‘bell reaches the top of the swing, it should float for a second if you’re doing it right; snap the weight back down and repeat for reps.
Those are the basics of a kettlebell swing. Refine this movement until you’ve got it down before moving on – you must perfect the swing before moving on to more advanced drills like the clean and press and the snatch. Good luck!
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