Kettlebell swing
Main muscle worked: Trapezius, posterior deltoids, gluteus maximus and hamstrings
The kettlebell swing is a great exercise for your posterior chain. This exercise can be used to raise your heart rate in between sets or as a warm-up for any exercise, including exercises involving hip hinge motions like the deadlift, good morning, squat, and many more.
- Stand with the legs in shoulder width. Grab a kettlebell with both arms and keep your chest open. Knees are slightly bent.
- Swing the kettlebell from back (let kettlebell go through between your legs) to front (at chest level) generated by hip hinge movement meaning use the power of your hip but not the arms. Squeeze your glutes when you reach at the top.
- Swing back the kettlebell to your back and repeat the movement.
Perform 30-40 seconds for 2-3 sets.
Tips: Do not bend your knees too much; the main movement for this exercise is hip hinge but not squatting.
Note: With the original kettlebell swing, you swing the kettlebell up to chest level. With the American kettlebell swing, you swing the kettlebell directly overhead. With the American kettlebell swing, do not elevate your shoulders when raising the kettlebell. Because of the greater range of motion with the American kettlebell swing, it puts more stress on your unstable shoulder joints at the top of the movement. To avoid the risk of injury, pick a lighter weight for the American kettlebell swing.
Single arm kettlebell swing
- Stand with the legs in shoulder width. Grab a kettlebell with single arms and keep your chest open. Knees are slightly bent.
- Swing the kettlebell from back (let kettlebell go through between your legs) to front (at chest level) generated by hip hinge movement meaning use the power of your hip but not the arms. Squeeze your glutes when you reach at the top.
- Swing back the kettlebell to your back and repeat the movement. Change your arm to the other one after completing with one arm.
Perform 30-40 seconds for 2-3 sets.
One of the biggest differences between a kettlebell swing with both arms and a single arm is how much you engage your core. Not only this single-arm kettlebell swing but also many other single-arm or single-leg exercises have great benefits for your core engagement. You must brace your core because you must maintain your balance and maintain a straight body—not one that is tilted to one side—when moving in an unstable manner with just one side of your body producing the movement.