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The kettlebell swing is one of the most fundamental lifts for building overall strength and conditioning, not to mention burning calories. Although a wonderful exercise I often see people performing the swing improperly. Today I am going to talk about fixing the kettlebell swing and address the common mistakes I see people making.
When fixing The kettlebell swing, the first mistake I will address is swinging the bell higher than shoulder level. This has become a common mistake among people due to poor instruction. Swinging the bell above shoulder level defeats the purpose of the swing, and is potentially dangerous; avoid any instructors who say otherwise.
The next mistake I see often is the preemptive squat. This is a term I use to describe people sitting back in the swing too early. When you reach the top of the swing, the tight plank position, let the bell fall in a controlled arc. Sit back with your hips the moment the bell reaches your body. I see many people trying to squat too soon, this changes the arc of the bell making it feel heavier and can aggravate your knees, elbows, and shoulders.
Swinging the bell too low is another very common mistake. The kettlebell swing is a front to back movement, not up and down. You should be able to swing a kettlebell while standing directly over another kettlebell, if you hit the bell on the ground; you’re swinging too low. In fact, you should have lots of clearance.
Swinging with knees. If your knees rock backward in the backswing and forward in the upswing, you’re swinging with your knees. Learn to keep your knees in the same place - directly over the ankle regardless of the phase of the swing you are in.
Rounding of the back. People that haven’t perfected the deadlift often suffer from this deviation. Learn how to sit back into your hips with a flat back, practice it until you can’t get it wrong before even considering kettlebell swings.
Feet and knees roll out or in during the movement. Your feet should be flat on the ground; training with shoes that have cushy soles can cause this to occur. I recommend barefoot or minimalist shoes, even Converse all stars aren’t a bad way to go because the sole is flat.
Too big of an arc is another common mistake when swinging a kettlebell. Many people end up making a very big arc in their swing. Pull the bell back toward you by pulling your shoulder blades together. Keeping the bell front to back instead of up and down and not squatting too early also helps tame the arc.
These are not the only problems I correct with kettlebell swings but they are the most common. Watch my video carefully and ask yourself if you are keeping the same form. If you have questions about your kettlebell training let me know what help you would like to see in the future!
Thank you for reading,
Peter Hirsh
