If you’re a gym newbie or a seasoned CrossFitter, you can benefit from adding kettlebell swings to your strength training routine. This essential all-in-one workout helps with everything from spine strength and hip flexibility to cardio and calorie burn.
The kettlebell is an utterly fantastic piece of equipment. There is so much which you area able to do with a kettlebell that it would blow your mind if you read them all at once. We are actually here to talk about the benefits of kettlebell swings, the swing being one very particular exercise which you are able to do with the kettlebell.
The kettlebell swing is one of the base movements of kettlebell exercises and has a lot of different benefits. Not only can it assist you with burning fat as well as increasing your fitness, but a kettlebell workout can also improve postural reactions.
Not Familiar With The Kettlebell?
A kettlebell is basically a cannonball that has a handle. This piece of equipment has gained popularity as an exercise as well as rehabilitation tool. The kettlebell is nothing new. Popular myth is that the kettlebell was born out of Russia. Russian farmers utilised them as a counter weight in order to measure grain at the market. They then started throwing them around and developing competitions to pass the time.
How To Do Kettlebell Swings For Maximum Benefits
The two-handed Russian swing is the ideal entryway into kettlebell exercises. Here’s how to perform this exercise:
- Stand straight and tall. Make sure that your feet are around shoulder-distance apart. Hold the kettlebell to the front of your body with both of your hands.
- Engage your core. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Keep arms long as well as loose.
- Bend knees slightly. Shift your weight into your heels and push your hips back.
- Drive through your heels and explode forwards with your hips. Activate your core and glutes as you thrust your hips in order to assist you with swinging the kettlebell to your chest height, with your arms extended.
- Ensure you keep your upper body relaxed as you swing. Don’t lifting the weight with your arms. Rather, push with your hips and allow the kettlebell to swing from your shoulders.
- Shift hips back as the kettlebell drops (almost like pushing your hips to the wall behind you). Hinge at your hips, allowing your hamstrings and glutes to carry the weight.
- Allow the kettlebell to gently swoosh back between your legs.
- Drive through hips and heels to repeat this movement. Your arms should act as a pendulum which the kettlebell swings from.
The Benefits Of Working Out With Kettlebells
Strengths Dozens Of Muscles Quickly
You’ll be challenged to find another exercise which works so many areas of your body. The kettlebell swing improves your core, glutes, hamstrings, quads, back, delts as well as your arms.
Improves Balance And Posture
Research demonstrates that kettlebell swings betters balance and posture – this is even for elite athletes. When you utilise a kettlebell, you learn naturally what good posture feels like. In order to keep your balance, it is necessary for you to keep your back straight and your core engaged. And forward bend comes from your hips as opposed to slouching your back.
Enhances Flexibility
Every time you swing the kettlebell and stand up tall, you engage your glutes which relaxes your opposing hip flexor. The constant contraction of the glutes and relaxing of the hips finally unlocks tight hips… which is a common problem. This is partly owing to the modern conveniences of today… we sit too much! This can lead to lack of hip mobility.
The kettlebell swing is a phenomenal exercise to combat our modern-day issues of sitting too much. Improving hip flexibility assists with increasing performance in other exercises, sports, and decreases back tension.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Would you like to study to become a kettlebell instructor? If you do then you need to do our Kettlebell Instructor Course. Follow this link to find out more.