Kettlebell Technique Basics | The Swing

As a Basic Kettlebell Exercise, the swing is the cornerstone exercise for any Kettlebell workout.

Please see the Health & Safety page for basic guidance before commencing this exercise

Why do it?

The swing will work your entire posterior chain, especially the hamstrings, glutes and Spinal erectors.

The majority of our day is spent in flexion whether it’s sitting at a desk in a car or on the sofa. The swing will allow you to use the often neglected muscles of the posterior chain helping to address the balance. It also develops strength endurance and teaches linking the upper body and lower body as one unit.

How to do it

1. Place a kettlebell slightly ahead of your feet.
2. Then think about pushing your hips back as if sitting back on to a bench making sure that you crease at the hips whilst maintaining a straight back position. Your shoulders should be back and down. You will then be in the correct starting position. If you’ve got it right then you should be feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
3. Look straight ahead and swing the kettlebell back between your legs as if you are passing a football to someone behind you. Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips explosively taking the kettlebell straight out to a chest high position. Tighten your glutes hard as you stand upright.
4. Let the kettlebell swing back between your legs and repeat.

Quality Points

1. Remember you are not using the deltoids to lift the kettlebell. This is primarily a hamstring, hips and lower back exercise.
2. The hip thrust has to be explosive – I like to compare it to a standing jump. When you crouch to jump straight upwards you explode as fast as possible otherwise you wouldn’t even get off the ground. The swing is very similar except the force generated goes into projecting the kettlebell forward instead of the vertical jump.
3. You need to have economy of movement here as is the case with a lot of kettlebell movements. Make sure that the kettlebell doesn’t swing too far out. This is generally referred to as ‘taming the arc’.
4. Don’t lean back excessively but do make sure you keep your shoulder blades pulled back to minimise the outward projector of the kettlebell. Inhale on the downswing and exhale on the upswing.