Kettlebell Swing
Quick Information
Category
Ballistic Training
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Kettlebell
Primary muscle group
Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings
Secondary muscle groups
Erector Spinae, Lats, Trunk, Forearms
Movement pattern
Ballistic Hip Hinge
Training goal
Power, Conditioning
Sport
General Athletic Development, Football, Soccer, Rugby, MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, BJJ, Tactical / Military
Overview
Purpose. A ballistic hip hinge that projects a kettlebell forward on an arc, training explosive hip extension with very little joint stress.
How it fits the system. A beginner-level ballistic hip hinge entry in the Ballistic Training section, programmed to develop power, conditioning. Related work in the library: Overhead Medicine Ball Slam and Medicine Ball Punch Throw.
Primary muscles
Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings
Secondary muscles
Erector Spinae, Lats, Trunk, Forearms
Movement pattern
Ballistic Hip Hinge
Equipment
Kettlebell
Difficulty
Beginner
How to Perform
- Set the bell about a foot in front of you and hinge to grip the handle with both hands.
- Tilt the bell towards you, hike it back between the legs above the knees.
- Snap the hips forward hard, squeezing the glutes and bracing the trunk.
- Let the bell float to roughly chest height with the arms relaxed.
- Guide the bell back down and hinge as it passes the hips.
- Continue for the prescribed reps, then park the bell in front.
Coaching Cues
- The hips throw the bell, the arms only guide it.
- Stand tall and squeeze the glutes hard at the top.
- Keep the shins vertical, this is a hinge not a squat.
- Keep the ribs down at lockout.
Common Mistakes
- Squatting the bell up instead of hinging.
- Lifting the bell with the shoulders and arms.
- Leaning back and hyperextending at the top.
- Letting the bell drop below the knees behind you with a rounded back.
Progressions & Regressions
Progressions
Hip hinge, then kettlebell deadlift, then hike pass, then two-hand swing, then single-arm swing.
Regressions
Kettlebell deadlift or a banded hip hinge with no projection.
When to Use It
When to use
As a power primer before lifting, or in clusters for conditioning at the end of a session.
When not to use
When the athlete cannot hinge without rounding the lower back, or when grip fatigue makes control unreliable.
Programming
6 to 10 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on the minute, or 4 sets of 20 for conditioning.
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