This is the third installment of our guest poster, Devan Weis, and her breakdown of the kettlebell swing. This week you get to move past some of the basics and actually get to the swing portion of the movement, where the magic really starts happening. If you've followed through on parts one and two we look forward to hearing how part three goes for you. If you haven't seen those articles yet, check out the links below.
Part 1: The Deadlift
Part 2: Progressions
By: Devan Weis
Breakdown of the Swing
Pt. III: Continuous Swings & a Workout
If you have read the previous two
articles on breaking down the kettlebell swing, you’re ready to read this
article on continuous swings [and reward yourself with a workout afterwards]!
Yay. If you have not yet had the chance yet to read the previous two articles,
please be sure to do that first- I’ll wait :)
Just to recap, we have learned the
following steps leading up to the ‘full’ kettlebell swing:
-
The
kettlebell deadlift
-
Kettlebell
hike passes
-
Dead
stop kettlebell swings (or ‘single
reps’)
Now, what you’ve been waiting for!
The video I’m
including explains all of the steps in a bit more detail, but see below for
some basic pointers on executing your best kettlebell swing:
-
Select
a medium-sized weight (12-16kg for women, 20-24kg for men)
-
Stand
back from your weight about 1 foot or so, placing your feet hip-width apart
& slightly turning out your toes
-
“Chop” your hip flexors back
into your starting hinge position, then reach for the kettlebell, tilting it
towards you (it is at this point that your hips should be above your knees and
your shoulders above your hips along with a clearly neutral position of the
spine from tail to head)
-
Take
a breath in as you “hike” the kettlebell back
between your legs, staying firm in your stance on the ground. Your knees should
track your toes, not creating any degree of valgus.
-
Quickly
“stand up tall”, locking out your
knees, flexing your quadriceps, and engaging your gluteals & abdominals as
much as possible (as your hips are snapping forward, you should give a strict ‘power breath’ out, allowing your
abdominals to engage and your focus to shift). The kettlebell should float for
a moment.
-
Let
the bell begin to float back down again, allowing the hips to follow with the
hinge at the last possible second before the bell hikes back between your legs
again. See my slow-motion video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-pEJoQDwbs&feature=youtu.be
-
Repeat
the cycle without setting the kettlebell down. This is a continuous kettlebell
swing. Start by practicing just 2-5 reps at a time and work your way up to
10-15 at a time (no need for more).
The Workout: A Quick EMOM
-
Each
time the kettlebell ‘floats’ is one repetition of a
swing.
-
Set
your timer for 15 minutes
-
Complete
8 to 12 swings at the beginning of each minute (EMOM stands for Every Minute On
the Minute).
-
If
you’re
not sure what I mean, see my video below
-
Stay
tuned next week for my last segment of this series: Common Mistakes & How
to Fix Them.
Happy Swinging!
-Devan
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