Kettlebell swings are tricky. They’re a challenge to do well and as I stated previously, once you do “get it”, there’s always going to be something to work on.
Kettlebell Swing
We know swings and kettlebell snatches are a great workout because they kick our butts, but also because the American Council on Exercise studied the effects of dynamic kettlebell exercises and reported that they burn more calories per minute than spinning or running!
So how do you get the most out of your kettlebell swing?
The way I do it is: Once you have the basic swing down, focus on improving one thing at a time!
This week, we’re going to focus on the FEET!
I’m going to be talking a lot about the 3 points of contact, taught to my by my friend, Senior RKC Franz Snideman. The 3 points of contact on your feet are: (1) the spot right below your big toe, (2) the spot right below your pinky toe, and (3) right in the middle of your heel. Remember those spots and think about driving those spots into the floor at every point of the movement.
Breaking it down….
In the Starting Position:
- butt is back and hamstrings are engaged
- focus on driving those 3 points of contact into the floor before you swing
- your weight should be on your feet, not leaning forward on the kettlebell
San Clemente Beach Workout, my girls demonstrating the start position
- resist the urge to shift your weight back toward your heels
- keep the 3 points of contact in both feet driving straight down into the floor
Keira Newton, Senior RKC, in the Hike Back Position of the Kettlebell Swing
- when you snap your hips “forward” and squeeze your glutes
- the forward is in quotes because, I really want you to focus on driving your hips “down” through the floor via those 3 points of contact in your feet. This one is tricky because it looks like the hips are pushing forward. But, if you focus on driving your hips down through your feet AND forward, you’ll get a more powerful movement.
Brett Jones, Master RKC, demonstrating the top of the swing
