Russian Kettlebell Swing

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell on the floor slightly in front of you.
2. 2Hinge at the hips, push the hips back, and grip the handle with both hands, keeping your spine neutral and shins near vertical.
3. 3Hike the bell back between your legs, above knee height, with the arms relaxed and the hips loaded.
4. 4Snap the hips forward violently and squeeze the glutes to drive the bell up and out.
5. 5Let the bell float to roughly chest or eye level, arms straight, with no shoulder lift.
6. 6As the bell falls, hinge at the hips and guide it back between the legs, then immediately repeat for the next rep.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Squatting instead of hinging at the hips.
• Pulling the bell up with the arms or shoulders instead of driving with the hips.
• Letting the bell drift too far from the body, which strains the lower back.
• Hyperextending the lower back at the top of the swing.
• Allowing the knees to cave inward during the hinge.
• Swinging the bell too high, past eye level, which turns it into an American swing and adds unnecessary shoulder demand.

TIPS

• Treat the swing as a hip hinge, not a lift; the arms are ropes and the hips are the engine.
• Stop the bell at chest height by bracing the abs and glutes, not by pulling with the shoulders.
• Keep the bell path close to the body on the way up and let it travel slightly forward at the top.
• Breathe sharply out at the top of each rep and inhale as the bell descends.
• Keep the neck neutral and the gaze forward, not up at the bell.

SAFETY

• Avoid hyperextending the spine at the top of the swing.
• Keep the lower back neutral throughout the hinge and do not let the bell pull you into lumbar flexion at the bottom.
• Use a load you can decelerate under control, and keep the area around you clear in case of a lost grip.

DETAILS

Muscles

GlutesHamstrings

Equipment

Kettlebell

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Weight & Reps