MASTER THE KETTLEBELL SWING

About a decade ago, a wave hit Swedish gyms around the country. A relatively unknown weight tool had taken the training world by storm. An iron ball with a handle that originated in Russia would become the new black for those who wanted to keep up with the latest trends. Unlike previous weight equipment such as dumbbells and barbells, these lumps of iron could not only be lifted up and down, but also swung, rocked and thrown around in a variety of ways. And the most popular way to handle the ball was the kettlebell swing exercise.

Today, the kettlebell is an obvious feature in most gyms and many high-intensity forms of exercise happily invite the kettlebell to contribute to both strength and cardio training. So today we thought we'd give some tips on how you can hone your kettlebell swings to perfection.

As we previously mentioned, kettlebells can be used in dynamic exercises. The kettlebell swing is an excellent example of such. A kettlebell swing is based entirely on momentum and timing. Something that beginners often miss when they try to pull the ball up with their arms using pure muscle strength. Therefore, remember that a good kettlebell swing should feel easy. If we have to pull and pull to get the ball up, it's time to lower the weight and find the swing.

HERE ARE FOUR IMPORTANT ADVICE TO GET INTO THE RIGHT MOMENTUM:

1. Drive with your hip.
When we work with momentum, it's all about creating power with our strongest muscle groups. Therefore, the kinetic energy of the kettlebell should mainly come from our hip and legs. Every time the kettlebell passes the legs to move forward again, it is time to push the arms and ball forward with the legs and hip. Just like when we put on someone who swings.

2. Start with small movements.
Like when we put on a swing, we start the movement with small swings. By finding the right timing on when to give power, we therefore do not have to exert much effort to get a proper swing on the swing. The exact same principle applies to your kettlebell swings. Start small and increase the speed accordingly.

3. Let the arms act as chains.
A common mistake that can happen when swinging is that the arms and shoulders tense up too much. Instead, try to relax and visualize your arms as chains. The only job of the arms is to be a link between yourself and the orb.

4. Bend the arms in the top position.
A further step to simplify your swings is to slightly bend your arms when the ball has passed the hip. Without tensing your arms in any way, you can bend your elbow joint to bring the ball closer to your body. What this does is that the centripetal force of the sphere decreases and we need to exert less effort not to be pulled along by the forward motion of the sphere.

The best thing about kettlebell training is how versatile it is. With a single ball, you can create workouts that challenge both your strength, fitness, coordination, balance, flexibility and endurance. There is nothing to wait for!