Wiki/Exercises/Kettlebell Swing

Kettlebell Swing

full bodykettlebell

Labelled anatomical illustration of the major muscles of the human body, front view. Illustration by Mikael Häggström, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Primary muscle

full body

Equipment

kettlebell

Secondary muscles

glutes, back, core

How to perform

Stand with the kettlebell roughly a foot in front of you, feet slightly wider than hip width. Hinge at the hips, grip the handle, and hike the bell back between your legs. Snap your hips forward explosively to swing the bell up to chest height. Let it fall back down, hinging again as it passes between your legs. This is a hip hinge, not a squat, and the bell is thrown by the hips rather than lifted by the arms. Common mistakes: squatting instead of hinging, and lifting the bell with the shoulders.