If fat loss is your main goal, without a doubt, your nutrition & lifestyle is going to make or break you. Ourselves and countless other fitness professionals have written about this.
If someone wanted to burn fat & get in shape quickly with minimal equipment, we would pick the kettlebell swing. The kettlebell can be taken virtually everywhere which means you don’t have an excuse to miss a workout.
At First Capital Gym, we try to get people swinging as soon as possible. Why not? It’s probably the best-bang-for-your-buck exercise. Not only does it burn fat, but it also helps with strengthening the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, etc) & core, and is great for conditioning.
Like all exercises, the kettlebell swing will only be effective when done right. As kettlebells have gained in popularity, you see more gyms have them laying around. Unfortunately, most people (and most trainers) do not know how to effectively teach kettlebells or kettlebell swings for that matter. What does a bad swing look like?
- Squatting instead of hinging
- Heels lifting up at the top of the swing
- Flexion or extension of the back throughout the swing
- Improper breathing
- Shoulder are unpacked
- Bell is floating higher than needed
These are just some of the bad things. Not only are they ineffective, it could actually become hazardous.
So, what does a good kettlebell swing look like? Well, before swinging the kettlebell, we recommend learning first how to properly deadlift the kettlebell first. If you have questions with that, we recommend you reading this>> https://www.firstcapitalgym.com/probably-the-best-exercise-you-are-not-doing/ After you can safely deadlift, we would then progress you to kettlebell swings.
A good kettlebell swing would look like this:
- Back is neutral
- Shoulders are packed
- Heels, toes, and feet are planted
- Movement is coming from the hips
- Biomechanical breathing match
- Straight line at the top of the swing
Even if we went heavier, they should still look the same. In the example below, Amber correctly swings 48kg bell (over 100#) at 115 pound bodyweight.
When your kettlebell swings look like the examples above, you’re getting the most out of this exercise. From there, it’s just finding the right weight, set & rep scheme, and work/rest ratios.
If you’re looking to learn how to correctly kettlebell swing, First Capital Gym and has four of the top kettlebell instructors in the area to teach you. Just send us an email at ryan@firstcapitalgym.com and we’ll set you up with the right instructor.