If I do a Google search for ‘kettlebell swing’, I turn up with 923,000 results. A YouTube search comes up with 1,330. There’s a lot of information out there about how to do a kettlebell swing -and truth be told, there’s more than one ‘right’ way to do the exercise. I’ll cover three swing ‘styles’ in this post, and how each different style can be appropriate for specific fitness goals.

The first style I’ll cover is the hardstyle, or RKC swing. This is the swing style we teach here at kettlebellbasics.net. This style, put most simply, focuses on power production, not power conservation. It’s for increased fitness, not competition. Here’s what the hardstyle swing looks like:

In contrast to the hardstyle swing is the competition style swing. I’m by no means an expert on this style – but the basic premise is that this swing is designed for endurance and energy conservation – not for maximum power production or even fitness. As you can see in the video below, this technique is very different than the hardstyle swing.  If you’re planning on competing in kettlebell lifting, this is the way to go:

The final swing variation is the ‘American’ swing or the CrossFit swing. This is a kind of ‘bastardized’ swing version that goes overhead instead of shoulder level like the hardstyle swing. I think you can run into some problems with this style; it’s easy to let the core go soft and it’s a lot easier to screw up! However, it’s true that the ‘bell does go through a larger range of motion, which could in theory let you get more work done in less time – thus increasing your power production. Here’s what it looks like:

There are quite a few different versions of the kettlebell swing. The bottom line is that each version we’ve talked about here can be useful for different goals – there’s no one ‘right’ way. If you’re going for improved power production and general fitness like fat loss and muslce gain, do the hardstyle swing. If you’re going to do competative kettlebell lifting, practice the competition style. I’m not really a huge fan of the CrossFit style swing – but it could have its uses. It’s up to you to decide the best method for you and your goals. Good luck and keep training hard!

The kettlebell squat is an exercise essential to the mastery of kettlebell basics.  We’ll cover in this article what makes the kettlebell squat a killer exercise and the basics of how to perform it properly.

The mechanics of a kettlebell squat are a little unique; they differ slightly from, say, your traditional barbell back squat.  Let’s take a look at each exercise for a starting point:

The Barbell Back Squat

The Kettlebell Squat

A close examination of body mechanics and position in each of these photos shows the difference between the exercises.  Among other things, the placement of the weight in the front of the body allows the individual to keep the body more upright.  The bar placement on the upper back in a traditional barbell back squat allows for the use of a greater load, but it also increases stress on the spine and knees.  I’d go as far as to say the kettlebell squat is a superior exercise for your average person who lacks the flexibility, mobility, and core strength to perform a back squat with good form.

The movement is performed by sitting back like you’re sitting in a chair.  The back stays flat, the spine stays lengthened, and the chest stays tall.  Everyone is going to have a slightly different foot position, but a narrower stance than ‘typical’ is indicated.  Most people will do well between shoulder and hip width apart.

You can integrate this exercise into your routine a lot of different ways – as always, practice the movement and perfect your form before you start plugging it into your regular workouts.  Check out some past ‘workout’ articles on this blog for a few examples of how to work it into your routine.

The kettlebell squat is another one of the essential basic kettlebell drills.  It’s a superior choice to other forms of the squat for many people.  Take the time to learn the movement properly and you’ll be glad you did.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out Kettlebell Rx – it’s a video on how to correct three common kettlebell training mistakes.  And it’s yours free just for subscribing to the kettlebel basics newsletter!