Tip Two Tricks for a Better Kettlebell Swing Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Two Tricks for a Better Kettlebell Swing It' s one of the best posterior chain exercises if you do it right by Linden Ellefson May 24, 2018April 5, 2022 Tags Kettlebell Training, Tips, Training The kettlebell swing has become a staple in many training programs. Unfortunately, most people feel it more in their lower backs than their hips and hamstrings. Instead of being crisp and fast, the swing ends up sloppy and slow. This needs to change. Use these two cues to turn your swing into an explosive posterior chain developer instead of a sloppy low-back exercise. Solution: Try and hit yourself in the crotch... sorta. When the kettlebell is too far away from your hips, you turn the movement from a hip-focused exercise to a squat-looking thing. Incorrect Swing The problem with this is that you use your lower back much more than necessary. Keeping the kettlebell closer to your crotch keeps it close to your hips. You'll use your lower back less and your glutes and hams more. Correct Swing And don't worry, as a human you have great reflex mechanisms when it comes to avoiding getting hit in the junk. This is especially true when a 50-pound iron ball is headed straight for your groin. You're naturally going to get your groin out of the way. Solution: Stand up aggressively. Now, many coaches will say to squeeze your butt and push your hips forward. This isn't completely incorrect, but this cue can often cause you to feel lower back pain when you're at the full extension position. Too Much Low Back The hips going forward isn't the action, but the reaction to when you stand up aggressively. Instead of thinking "hips forward," push your feet into the ground and stand up aggressively. Correct The kettlebell will still swing forward, but instead of feeling soft, the swing will feel more solid. You'll feel your core and glutes instead of your lower back. The swing will also feel easier. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Do This Exercise to Sprint Faster Want to run like a cheetah? You need more than squats, deadlifts, and box jumps. You need this horizontal force exercise. Tips, Training Simen Rise Aaslund June 27 Training Tip Lift With Two Lower With One This training method builds muscle several different ways, including increasing growth factors like IGF-1. Here's how to do it. Bodybuilding, Legs, Tips, Training Eric Bach April 9 Training The 5 Minute Workout Booster Five minutes is all it takes to make more gains, build more strength, and hit goals faster. Just add a simple pre-workout primer to your training. Here's how. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Eric Bach December 23 Training 5 New Ways to Build Big Healthy Shoulders Presses and lateral raises, presses and lateral raises. That's all anybody ever does for shoulders. Time to shake things up. Here's how. Bodybuilding, Shoulders, Training Lee Boyce August 9