This picture makes us very sad…
If you’ve ever taken an Alaris Strength class, you know how much we LOVE kettlebells, and really focus on good form. We primarily utilize the theories and approach of the StrongFirst movement:
“Strength is the foundation for developing the rest of physical qualities,”
– Prof. Leonid Matveev.
Why are we talking about swings today? Well, as we travel around Santa Barbara, we see bootcamp participants doing “swings” that make our back hurt by just looking at them. Proper swings are designed to strengthen the hips, core, and lower back…it’s a movement that requires strength to produce POWER – your body is a mechanism that moves the kettlebell. Often, we’re seeing the body being moved by the kettlebell, which is a recipe for injury.
Now, let us clarify by stating that we are not in the business of swing shaming, nor is that the goal of this post; but instead it’s the opportunity to talk about proper swing form for those who simply may not know proper swing form. The benefits of proper swings are so awesome and profound that we simply want to share what a great swing is, so the end user is informed. End of story. Thank you.
Here’s a quick demo on what we’re typically seeing vs. what a real swing looks like:
Here’s just an example from YouTube of how KB swings are often executed in bootcamps….lots of “squatting” – KB going below the knees, back not fully engaged, etc.
Now here’s what we’re looking for when we teach/watch kettlebell swings in our classes – the hip HINGES and SNAPS forward, there’s a downward force through the feet into the floor, the back is in a nice straight line, and the head is neutral (also, is it interesting that we found videos with very similar looking kettlebell demonstrators in them?!?!)…
THIS swing translates into creating a strength foundation that we work from for lots of other things (running, burpees, deadlifts, etc.). In both our strength and running programs, we drive home the idea that working from a strong foundation is going to keep you happy and injury free for a long time, and the foundation of overall strength are the hips/core. Like running form, kettlebell swing form is going to have some slight variation to it depending on the body performing the movement.
So really, the foundation of living life comes from your hips and core, and the foundation of your hip strength comes from kettlebell swings, so in theory, life IS kettlebell swings! (we totally made that up, but think about it for a minute, what could you do well if your hips weren’t involved?).
So the next time you do kettlebell swings in your class, think about whether you’re doing “swings” or SWINGS.