Kettle Bell Swings

Instructions

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart.

2. Place the kettlebell on the floor a short distance in front of you.

3. Hinge at your hips and reach down to grab the kettlebell handle with both hands.

4. Pull the kettlebell slightly back toward you like a hike pass between your legs.

5. Keep your spine long and your shoulders relaxed.

6. Drive your hips forward powerfully to swing the kettlebell forward and up.

7. Let the arms stay long and relaxed as the kettlebell floats up from the force of your hips.

8. Squeeze your glutes at the top and stand tall.

9. Let the kettlebell swing back down between your legs.

10. As it swings down, hinge at the hips again and keep the movement loaded through your glutes and hamstrings.

11. Continue repeating the swing in a smooth, rhythmic pattern.

Common Compensations

• Do not turn the movement into a squat by bending too much through the knees.

• Do not lift the kettlebell mostly with your arms.

• Do not round your back as the kettlebell moves between your legs.

• Do not let the kettlebell swing too high if you lose control.

• Do not hyperextend your low back at the top.

• Do not let your shoulders shrug up toward your ears.

• Do not rush the setup or the finish.

Extra Info

• You should feel this mostly in your glutes, hamstrings, and core.

• You may also feel your lats and shoulders working to help control the kettlebell path.

• The main power should come from the hips, not the arms.

• Think of it as a strong hip hinge with an explosive hip snap.

• You should not feel sharp pain in your low back, shoulders, or knees.