Single-Arm American Kettlebell Swing

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell on the floor slightly in front of you, handle angled forward.
2. 2Hinge at the hips, push the hips back, and grip the handle with one hand, keeping your spine neutral and shins near vertical.
3. 3Hike the bell back between your legs, above knee height, with the working arm 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 past chest height and continue overhead, finishing with the arm straight and the bell locked out above the shoulder, bicep near the ear.
6. 6As the bell falls, hinge at the hips and guide it back between the legs, then immediately repeat for the next rep.
7. 7Complete all reps on one side, then switch hands and repeat.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Squatting instead of hinging at the hips.
• Pulling the bell up with the arm or shoulder 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.
• Rotating or leaning the torso toward the working arm instead of staying square.
• Shrugging the working shoulder or bending the elbow at lockout.
• Losing the bell forward because the grip fails before the set is finished.

TIPS

• Treat the swing as a hip hinge, not a lift; the arm is a rope and the hips are the engine.
• Keep the working shoulder packed at the bottom and let the bell rotate naturally so it does not wrench the wrist at the top.
• Brace the abs and squeeze the glutes to stop the bell overhead rather than muscling it with the shoulder.
• Keep the shoulders square to the front and resist the urge to twist toward the working side.
• 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

• Overhead lockout requires adequate shoulder flexion and thoracic mobility; if you cannot reach a straight-arm overhead position without arching the lower back, use the two-handed chest-height swing instead.
• 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, keep the area around you clear in case of a lost grip, and set the bell down rather than fighting a failing grip.

DETAILS

Muscles

GlutesHamstrings

Equipment

Kettlebell

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Advanced

Tracked as

Weight & Reps

TECHNIQUE

Arms

One