Kettle bell swings get little to no love. We do them often, but most people do not love them or hate them. Almost an afterthought in most workouts, but they are fundamental in building a strong core, learning how to hinge at your hips and develop a solid hip drive. All things that will make you a better athlete and a better human. Let’s break down a few major points of performance in the kettle bell swing and try to improve on any inefficiencies that you may have developed.
Feet Flat
Your feet should start flat on the ground and end flat on the ground. At the top/middle portion of the swing you should be driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes (butt muscles). If we lose that position, come up on our toes we have over extended our hips and lost our core stability (our abs turned off). An athlete goes up on their toes, their lower back becomes hyperextended and they get in a very vulnerable position. We see this at the end of workouts or when an athlete chooses to go a little too heavy.
Knee Position
The position of your knees should be out and back. So with a slight bend in the knee you drive them back and out. This creates a vertical shin position and puts the hips behind your shoulders which creates a powerful angle for your hips to drive from.
Hip Drive
More Hips- is an overused cue and something most coaches probably say too much. The base of power when it comes to the KB swing is revolved around your hips. But, you need to use them in an effective and powerful way to get any hip drive. The first thing we need to get down is the hinge. That is the difference of 79% power output from your hips. Just kidding about the %, but it makes a huge difference! When you are in this position you should be bracing. Bracing through your core with effective breathing and good body awareness. We will talk about breathing a little more below.
Chest position
A good hip and knee position will ensure a good chest position. When the chest starts to fall you are putting too much pressure on your lower back. Keep the chest in a more upright position. A position where someone could read your t-shirt if you were wearing your favorite rec league softball shirt from 5 years ago.
Breathing
Bracing is the first thing. Before anything you need to brace your core, hold your stomach tight and protect your mid-line. You do this by tightening your stomach and still breathing. After bracing and mechanics are locked in get to work on your breathing. Big breath in as the bell swings down. Then exhale as you swing the bell up. This pattern can be hard to keep with a full American swing and when you are out of breath, but no one ever said it was easy. Being efficient and learning correct technique takes practice, patience and persistence.