The kettlebell swing

Approaching the world of weightlifting, alongside dumbbells and barbells, it is easy to come across the kettlebell. A ball made of cast iron, or other materials, equipped with a handle, is in fact an excellent ally in the execution of weightlifting exercises.

Its practicality and versatility allows it to be included in numerous exercises, with the advantage of being able to train a large number of muscle groups.

One of the most practiced and well-known exercises, using the kettlebell, is that of the “swing“.

Kettlebell swing: what muscles are involved ?

We are faced with a fairly complete exercise, which in fact involves a large part of the muscles of our body. The most stimulated bundles, however, are those of the posterior chain. In fact, the hamstrings, glutes, quadratus lumborum, and erectors spine will come into action.

Depending on the technique and the size of the instrument, the muscle involvement will be more or less marked. However, it is important to know that if we feel excessive fatigue and burning in the shoulders, then this means that there is something wrong with the execution.

What are the benefits of performing the kettlebell swing ?

Also in this case, the benefits are many.

It certainly stimulates the muscles and we have already specified previously which are the most affected groups; It also works on strengthening the lower limbs and core.

Another characteristic is that it is an exercise that, if performed on medium-high repetitions, brings cardiovascular benefits: it is in fact, it is common, during the swing, to feel the heartbeats increase in frequency. The intensity of this benefit cannot be compared to endurance sports, but it is certainly better than other gym exercises.

This workout is also helpful for those who want to lose weight: it helps burn calories, although in smaller quantities than running; to achieve the most noticeable results, however, it is appropriate to combine a suitable diet.

In general, this type of training has overall benefits for our body: it increases bone density, helps work on endurance and flexibility, and is excellent for improving coordination, balance and stability.

How do you do the kettlebell swing ?

It must be said that this type of exercise is probably a first basic workout to approach the world of kettlebell weights.

The starting position sees the athlete with his legs wide apart until he reaches the same distance as his shoulders; feet firmly planted on the ground. You will have to grasp the instrument with two hands and start swinging it head-on.

The oscillatory movement is given exclusively by the thrust of the legs and pelvis, the legs must follow the movement and the back must always remain straight and well tense.

In addition to all the muscles that we have said are involved, in this kind of exercise various muscles of the body should not be neglected, in particular the abdominals that will work intensely to maintain coordination and balance the body.

There are some important caveats when performing such a movement: it is necessary not to carry the weight on the tips of the toes, not to lose the physiological curves of the spine and not to hold your breath.

How to use the kettlebell in different swing variations

It is always recommended to know how to perform the swing exercise well before starting to insert the kettlebell in other types of workouts; In order to settle these movements well, there are variants that deviate slightly from the basic movement.

A prime example is the american variant of swing. In this case, what changes is the amplitude of the oscillation: the arms will have to rise until they reach a point above the head. There are conflicting opinions on this different movement, as it considers the risk that could be incurred by elevating the arms too much and thus risking a compression of the cuff muscles.

A second variation is to try the one-handed swing movement. In this case, the movement is almost the same but, in fact, only one of the two upper limbs handles the kettlebells.

The arm not involved, in this execution, must of course not remain unused but will serve to collaborate in the oscillation. In fact, he will have to move while remaining in line with the tool: so we will have to stretch him forward when the kettlebell is in front of us and lower it during its return to our body. Only when the kettlebell is between the legs will the arm reach up behind the back to load.

How to choose the most suitable kettlebell ?

When choosing this tool there are several things to take into account.

A first factor is the body shape of the athlete interested in buying and the training goals you want to achieve. If you have a specific fitness goal, such as losing weight or a certain muscle build, then there will be particular types of kettlebells that meet those needs.

The weight and size of the tool must also be taken into account: especially if you are still a beginner it is important to be able to handle it well, you will gradually increase the measurements as you increase your skills.