Check out the first Beach Belles Breakdown video, where Sarah Yo breaks down how to perform the Kettlebell Swing. Kettlebell swings are one of the most fundamental kettlebell exercises, but it is important to practice with correct form to keep it safe and effective for your workout.
The swing is a full-body movement, highly effective for warming up, improving shoulder mobility, and balancing the frontline and backline muscles. In our modern culture, many people tend to be frontline dominant.
Step-by-Step How to Perform the Kettlebell Swing
1. The first action of the kettlebell swing is the dip. It's important to note that this is NOT a squat. The dip is a hinge at the hips and the knees. This loads the backline muscles, specifically the glutes and hamstrings. Keep your spine in neutral position with your shoulders back and your core engaged.
2. Next is the drive phase. Extend the knees and the hips at the same time, exerting power from the loaded hamstrings and glutes.
3. Finally, the punch--punch the kettlebell up to either shoulder height or overhead. Start with shoulder height, and gradually explore a larger range of motion (ROM) as it feels safe and comfortable for your body, with the furthest position being straight overhead with the biceps alongside the ears. Use your arms to simply guide the path of the bell, and let your legs do the "lifting." Think about drawing energy from the feet and sending it up the body. Keep your core and shoulders strong. Your abs, shoulders, and back muscles will serve as the brakes to stop the momentum of the bell so you don't throw it behind your head!
4. Control the movement of the bell back to the starting dip position, and repeat! Kettlebell exercises are intended to be performed in high repetition. The number of repetitions will depend on the weight of your kettlebell. You should perform enough to elevate your heart rate and break a sweat! In our Beach Belles class we use 10-pound kettlebells, and we perform 30 - 50 swings as our warm up.
Hope to see you in Beach Belles class soon!
7:15-8:00am Wednesdays and Saturdays at Kailua Beach
7:15-8:00am Tuesdays and Thursdays at Kapiolani Park
Namaste and Aloha!