How To Do The Kettlebell Swing

 

Master the kettlebell swing to increase power and build strength.

Mike Carlson, NASM- CPT, CFL1 April 21, 2015

  

Here’s a tip when it comes to strength and conditioning: If you come across an exercise that the Russians have been doing for 50 years or more, incorporate it into your program as soon as possible. Barbell complexes, the glute-ham raise and the kettlebell swing are just a few examples of the brilliantly utilitarian exercises that have evolved from Soviet-era training methods. The kettlebell swing has infiltrated our culture more than any other (you can now buy a 7-pound pink kettlebell from Sears), and for good reason: For metabolic response, jumping power and training the ultra-important muscles of the posterior kinetic chain, the kettlebell swing is as coldly efficient as Ivan Drago.

The Start

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell on the floor between your legs. Squat down and wrap both hands around the handle, including your thumbs. Stand up and feel free to get a couple of small swings in before you bring the weight overhead. Drop into short quarter squats, letting your hips move both down and behind you. The kettlebell will follow your hips, and your forearms should make contact with your hip creases.

Related: It Don't Mean A Thing If You Ain't Got That Swing

The Swing

Go into a hip hinge, with your hips shifted down and behind you, your spine neutral and your knees pointing out. Keep your chest high. Squeeze your glutes and drive your heels down as you powerfully snap your hips forward, driving the weight in an upward arc. Your arms stay straight and guide the weight rather than drive it. All the force should come through the pop of the hips rather than extension of the knees.

The Lockout 

At the top of the movement, your body will be in a similar position to the finish of a deadlift. Your legs should be locked out, with your core tight and locked down, shoulder blades back and your entire body in a nice straight line. Your biceps will be next to your ears, and your head will peek out through the gap of your arms. A Russian swing will stop at eye level, and the arms will be slightly more relaxed at the top of the rep. Other than that, it’s the same movement in the start, finish and transition.

The Return 

The kettlebell will return along the same arc it ascended, and the force of the drop should be absorbed by the hips moving backward and down. Remember to keep your chest high. Don’t let the kettlebell fold you forward so that your torso faces the floor. To cycle through swings quickly — say, if you’re doing the classic benchmark WOD “Helen” — don’t fight against the weight coming down; allow it to drop and use your hips to “catch” it for the next rep. 

How High to Swing

There has been plenty of debate over the superiority of the eye-level Russian kettlebell swing versus the “American” swing, which goes overhead and is the swing of choice in CrossFit. After all, the longer rage of motion means more intensity because it demands that you generate more power to move the weight farther. A longer arc also means that more work is being done, which, of course, is the basis of CrossFit. However, the Russian swing is acceptable — and even preferable — if you have mobility issues in your shoulders or thoracic spine. You will still get a potent metabolic stimulus and train the powerful opening and closing of the hips. Just be sure to go a bit heavier when doing Russian swings.

The Finisher

A fantastic workout finisher is a basic version of “Kettlebell Hell.” With a moderately heavy weight (35 pounds for men, 26 for women), perform kettlebell swings for one full minute, then take the next minute off. Complete 10 minutes in this “one-on, one-off” pattern. This is a great way to balance out a workout that’s focused on the upper body because these 10 minutes will tax your entire posterior kinetic chain. In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, exercise scientists put a group of quasi-trained men through a similar program (12 rounds of 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, followed by 30 seconds of rest) twice a week for six weeks. After six weeks, they had improved their maximum strength by almost 10 percent and their explosive strength by nearly 20 percent.

Training For Kettlebell Beast Challenge

Kettlebell beast challenge is considered to be one of the greatest strength feats a person can do with a kettlebell. Kettlebell beast challenge will require elite level strength in the entire body.

Kettlebell beast challenge consist of three lifts: 

• Kettlebell one arm press with a 48 kg kettlebell. 
• Kettlebell weighted pull up with a 48 kg kettlebell.
• Pistol squat with a 48 kg kettlebell.

48 kg (106 lbs) is ridiculously heavy and one of the biggest kettlebells you will find from the local gyms. 

Kettlebell beast challenge is no joke. ​

The kettlebell press is easier when your bodyweight and body fat levels are high, because you are lifting a smaller percentage compared to your bodyweight. 

When it comes to kettlebell pistol squats and kettlebell pull ups - you really need to have relative strength.

Kettlebell is also a superb training tool for home workouts. You can find light and heavy kettlebells from here. 

Below is our video training for the kettlebell beast challenge.

Kettlebell Pull Up

One of the goals of the kettlebell beast challenge is to do a single repetition pull up with a 48 kg extra weight strapped around your waist. 

The way to train for this, is just to work on weighted chin ups and weighted pull ups. One arm chin up work will help as well. 

Start low and work your way up. Focus always on good form and flawless execution: start from straight arms and pull as high as you can. 

Both chin ups, pull ups and other variations will be helpful in improving your pull up strength. ​

Kettlebell Pistol Squats

Any pistol squat variation you can do, will be beneficial for training for the kettlebell beast challenge pistol squat. 

In the video, we start with bodyweight pistol squats, then progressively increase the difficulty by adding kettlebells and trying different techniques. ​

After you have mastered the bodyweight pistol squat, then consider adding small amounts of weight, such as 2.5 -10 kg (5 lbs - 20 lbs)​. 

You will notice that using the mini weights actually make the pistol squat easier, because you have more (counter) balance.

Your final goals is to hold the weight just next to your chest. If you are holding the weight in front of you, the pistol squat becomes more like one leg deadlift than a real squat. ​

Kettlebell Press

For most people, this is the hardest part of the kettlebell beast challenge. It requires an elite level of strength to press up a 48 kg kettlebell with proper form. 

Any overhead press variation will help, including handstand push ups, but if you want to train for the kettlebell beast challenge, then you should rather spend the time working on kettlebell presses. ​

Kettlebell press happens to be very different compared to dumbbell or barbell presses: the center of mass will be different due to the odd form of the kettlebell.

You can do double kettlebell presses and one arm kettlebell presses. You can press significantly more weight with just one arm though, due to the body's unilateral advantage. 

Moreover, you need to toughen your forearms to not feel pain. ​

Kettlebell Beast Challenge Programming

Training for the kettlebell beast challenge is almost a complete workout. You have a pulling exercise, a pushing exercise, and a leg exercise.

To maximize the efficiency and balance of the workout, you can add kettlebell rows and kettlebell swings ​to perfect the workout. 

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Kettlebell pull up	5 x 3-5
Kettlebell press	5 x 3-5
Kettlebell pistol squat	5 x 3-5
Kettlebell row (Optimal)	5 x 3-5
Kettlebell swing (Optimal)	5 x 10-15

Why 5 x 3-5? It's because kettlebell beast challenge is all about strength. 3-5 repetitions is a great range for both strength and muscle gains. 

Take between 2-5 minutes of rest between sets. With strength work, higher rest periods can be beneficial. 

This workout can be done by anyone, because you can pick the kettlebell yourself.

TWO BEST Kettlebell Exercises for Legs and Core

Two best kettlebell exercises for the entire lower body. These two exercises work wonders for developing core strength as well.

W

hen it comes to kettlebell exercises for legs, nothing beats these two: 1. kettlebell swings and 2. goblet squats. 

Both exercises promote functional, mobile and strong lower body development. Two primary lower body functions are covered: kettlebell swing is a very effective hip hinge exercise and goblet squat is a fantastic knee dominant exercise. 

Goblet squat.

With the goblet squat, you are holding a kettlebell next to your chest. 

The kettlebell works as a great counterbalance which allows you to stay upright easier than you normally would with other squat exercises.

​The core muscles are worked to a great degree and your arms need to work hard to keep the weight up as well. 

However, the best benefit is for the lower body: your quads and hips will strengthen very nicely. Moreover, the exercise will teach you how to stay upright. 

Goblet Squat Form Cues: ​

• Sit down, not behind.
• Keep your chest up and the body upright.
• Allow your knees to move outwards opening up your hips. 

If you really want to work on the mobility and core strength at the same time: pause at the bottom. This will make your abs burn like nothing else while your lower body mobility is also improving. 

Kettlebell Swings 

Kettlebell swings are the best exercise you can do with a kettlebell. In many ways it can be considered the best hip hinge exercise ever invented and can be equivalent or even better to the traditional deadlifts. 

The kettlebell swing will strengthen the posterior chain muscles: hamstrings, glutes and the lower back. Erector spinae muscles (the lines around your spine) are also worked. 

John Grimek, a bodybuilder in 50s considered the swing the best erector spinae exercise out there. So, if you want deep valleys around your spine and overall thickness in that area, don't miss this exercise. 

A great thing about swings is that it also heavily favors the correct hip hinge form. You really need to learn the correct way to hinge your hips for this exercise and that's perfect for fitness and overall health. 

Kettlebell Swing Form Cues: ​

• Keep your back straight. 
• Bend your hips behind and then fully extend them to swing, feel the lower back and glutes. 
• Create the momentum with your hips, not with your arms. 

These exercises compile into a great leg workout on their own. You don't have to go super heavy with these two.

Kettlebell Workout Routine for Legs
A1 Kettlebell Swing: 5 x 5-15 reps.
A2 Goblet Squat: 5 x 5-15 reps.

Do these exercises as a superset: after you finish doing swings, follow them by doing goblet squats. 

Take 1 to 3 minutes of rest between sets.

JOE ROGAN Inspired Workout Routine

Joe Rogan workout routine containing many amazing exercises we've seen Rogan doing in his Instagram. Also practicing his favorite kicks!

J

oe Rogan is a former taekwondo athlete, martial artist (Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt), stand up comedian, actor and one of the UFC commentators.

Joe Rogan is mostly known from his job as the UFC commentator but he also has one of the most popular podcasts in the world: The Joe Rogan Experience.

Joe Rogan. Credit: joerogan.net

He is still an amazing martial artist and a fitness fanatic almost at 50 years of age. One of the great things about him is his open-mindedness to fitness and pretty much everything else. 

He keenly mixes things up with some martial arts work, bodyweight exercises, kettlebells and free weights, which make him a great subject for our celebrity workout!

Below is Joe Rogan's workout routine which we compiled based on his personal Instagram account:

Joe Rogan Workout Schedule
KB Deadlift with a Forward Lean: 5 x 5 repetitions.
Kettlebell Overhead Sit Up: 5 x 10 repetitions.
Push Ups with Abs Flexion: 5 x 10 repetitions.
T Raise: 5 x 15 repetitions.
Rotational Press: 5 x 10 repetitions.

Take 2 minutes of rest between sets. 

Joe Rogan Exercises

Kettlebell Deadlift with a Forward Lean

Deadlifts are a great exercise for the entire posterior chain (lower back, glutes and hamstrings), but the back is also developed very nicely.

By leaning forward you decrease the strain on hamstrings and glutes, but increase the activation of the entire back.

The upper body really needs to work hard on stabilizing the weights due to the forward lean. Do the exercise from straight legs (otherwise it won't work too well).​

Kettlebell Overhead Sit Up

One of the ways to turn the sit ups into real killers is to hold kettlebells overhead while you are doing them!

You need to stabilize the kettlebells overhead while doing the sit ups - expect your entire core to burn like never before. ​

Place your legs below a bench, dumbbells or anything for support. Or ask your friend to hold your ankles. 

Push Ups with Abs Flexion

Place your feet on rings, TRX or straps and do a push up where after a full push up repetition you pull your knees to your chest (this will train the abs).

This is a great way to add flavor and difficulty to the basic push up. We have also seen Jon Jones doing these in his own workouts.​

Rear Delt Raise / T Raise

Joe Rogan has done some basic rear delt raises or T raises with dumbbells. And for a good reason: it's good to balance push ups with some back work.

T raises will train the trapezius muscles and posterior deltoids among many other back musculature.​ We just recently did a comprehensive video about this. 

Dumbbell Rotational Press

Dumbbell rotational press is an exercise where you start by pulling the dumbbell from the floor, rotate your body and press it overhead like demonstrated in our video or the picture above. 

Rotational press is a great way to train the obliques (the most underdeveloped muscle in most people) but when you pull the dumbbell from the floor and press it overhead, most of the pulling and pressing muscles are also worked very nicely.

​This Joe Rogan workout will work the entire upper body very nicely. Although there's a deadlift involved, I would consider this workout mostly an upper body workout so treat it as such.