Double Kettlebell Exercises — Harness The Power Of The Kettlebell Swing
Don’t try to learn the kettlebell swing by watching it get butchered in your local gym. Use these drills to nail this powerful movement once and for all!
Go to pretty much any gym in the United States today, and you can find some form of kettlebell class or training. Heck, I signed my wife up for a membership at the local YMCA, and there, sitting in the corner, was a haphazard collection of various sizes, weights, and colors of kettlebells.
Unfortunately — and this is going to sound snobby — very few people use them correctly. By correctly, I mean in a biomechanically sound way that won’t simply prevent injury, but will also produce the desired outcome.
What’s that outcome? Well, I believe that kettlebell workouts can put you closer to whichever goal you have, including as much strength and muscle growth as you’re willing to work for. But let’s start with the reason most people pick up a kettlebell: to burn fat.
How do you use kettlebell swings correctly to hack off slabs of unwanted fatback? Simple: You explode with each and every single repetition. This applies to those other goals as well, but the swing is an especially amazing tool for fat loss — once you know how access its power.
Moving Around The Bell
A kettlebell is an inanimate object. Left to its own devices, it just sits in the corner collecting dust and eventually rusts. But if you pick it up, it’ll do what your body directs it to do, for better or worse. I know that sounds like a “no duh” statement, but let me explain.
If you watch the way many people perform kettlebell swings, you may think the point is to move the weight around. But during a proper swing, perhaps more than in other weight-bearing exercises, the kettlebell simply reacts to the movement of your body.
That’s right: The kettlebell swing isn’t really about the kettlebell. It’s about you, and how you control your body and move around the kettlebell. Since you, like most people, are probably accustomed to thinking in terms of moving weight, it may be difficult to grasp this at first. So let’s take the load out of the equation entirely for the moment.
Start With The Finish
There are two positions you need to become familiar and comfortable with if you want to maximize the significant benefits of the swing. It may sound backward, but the first position is the finish position. Here’s how you perform it:
The Finishing Position
Stand with your feet placed outside your shoulders, either pointing straight ahead or turned slightly out, whichever is more comfortable to you.
Clench your hands into loose fists. Hold your arms out in front of you, parallel to the ground, with elbows locked and hands touching.
Pull your shoulders down into your waist, away from your ears. You should feel some tightness under your armpits. Those are your lats. You may never have felt them like that before, but this sensation is crucial to the swing, so remember it.
Tighten your abs like you’re bracing for a punch. Don’t bend forward, though. Just try to lock your ribcage to your pelvis.
Finally, squeeze your glutes as tightly as you can, like you’re pinching a coin between your cheeks. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders through your hips and knees down to your feet.
Practice holding this position for about 6–10 seconds, and then relax. Repeat for 3–6 sets, or until it feels comfortable.
This is a tense position, but make sure not to hold your breath. Your face shouldn’t turn red, and you should be able to maintain this position while keeping your muscles relatively tight. Doing so protects your shoulders, neck, and lower back during the swing.
If you hit the finish correctly, even without weight, you’ll feel not only your lats, but also your abs, glutes, and maybe even the muscles in your legs. This should give you an idea of why the kettlebell swing can be such an amazing fat-loss movement. Some of your most powerful muscles work together, work hard, and work fast.
