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Kettlebell Critique on my swings

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I don't know if it's the weird angle but to mee that looks like a "squat"-swing.
I'm still fairly new to KBs so i will keep it to the SFGs and long-time KBers to give you tipps :)
 
Not bad for your first day.

Your hip drive/thrust could be a bit snappier and more deliberate & as Kettlebelephant said it's possibly a bit too deep in the bottom part of the movement.

And seeing that you are just beginning try to keep a bit better posture (no slouching) when you pick up and sit the bell down. It's best to get into good habits from the outset.
 
One of the tricky things with swings is that you learn them as you do them, so like other's say, you're definitely on track for that being your first day. I can't really tell, but it looks like you might be using more of your arms on the upswing than is necessary, almost like your hip drive is following the arms up rather than the hip drive throwing the arms up. I'm not quite sure.
On the way down, try to keep your body planked and locked upright for a little bit longer as the bell comes down. Right now you start to sit back in the hips as soon as the bell starts coming down. You want the bell to pass at or above the level of your knees. That's a cue that really helped me. Another way of putting it is to wait until your arms come into contact with your ribs before folding at the hips. Your arms and body all come down as one as you hip hinge with your arms glued to your ribs. These things become more clear as you get more reps in. Don't sweat it if it takes a while to get these. Practice practice practice!
 
What size is that bell? It almost looks too light for you as it appears you are able to use your arms to lift the bell up as opposed to a hip snap that pushes the arms forward, sending the bell to shoulder level.
 
twowheels24:

- focus on correct setup (lower back neutral), practice hike pass/pendulum swings
- wait for the bell in the plank - you are hinging too early. "Attack the zipper", evade at the last millisecond. "Play the chicken" with the bell.
- find the optimal hinge - hinge more, "squat" less. Please refer the that latest Brett Jones's article about swing - lot of very important info.
- and use heavier bell.
 
twowheels24:
Won't hurt to read this very recent article by Brett Jones.
There is a rhythm to the swing. Stand tall with your arms extended straight out from your shoulders with your hips extended. Slowly let the arms come down until the inside of the upper arm makes contact with your ribs, and then begin the hip hinge to the loaded or eccentric position. (Note that the inner part of the forearms will be hitting very high in the groin and pointing behind you — not at the ground.) Now begin the hip extension, returning to fully-extended hips (glutes tight) and standing tall... and once the hips finish their extension, then the arms come off of the ribs (“blown off the ribs” by the wave of power from the hip extension) and ultimately extend straight from the shoulders.
http://www.strongfirst.com/is-there-a-perfect-swing-or-the-quest/
 
Thank you guys for the response! I'll definitely incorporate that in my next work out.

I'm 165 lbs and the only kettlebell I have right now is a 35 lbs. I use the same weight for my TGU.
 
One of the tricky things with swings is that you learn them as you do them, so like other's say, you're definitely on track for that being your first day. I can't really tell, but it looks like you might be using more of your arms on the upswing than is necessary, almost like your hip drive is following the arms up rather than the hip drive throwing the arms up. I'm not quite sure.
On the way down, try to keep your body planked and locked upright for a little bit longer as the bell comes down. Right now you start to sit back in the hips as soon as the bell starts coming down. You want the bell to pass at or above the level of your knees. That's a cue that really helped me. Another way of putting it is to wait until your arms come into contact with your ribs before folding at the hips. Your arms and body all come down as one as you hip hinge with your arms glued to your ribs. These things become more clear as you get more reps in. Don't sweat it if it takes a while to get these. Practice practice practice!
Thank you so much! This makes it very clear to me.
 
Thats' looking a lot better.

I always found it difficult to get into a good groove with a 16kg bell myself. A heavier bell can be a good teacher in some respects when it comes to the swing. The extra inertia seems to take my arms out the equation and helps you get into a better rhythm.

Have you tested your flexibility Two wheels ?

You seem a bit tight when you pick up and sit down the bell.

Face the wall squats are a good way to gauge your hip mobility/flexibility.

I couldn't say it any better than Pavel.
 
Yeah, you should feel the bell leave your hips without the assistance of your arms. If you hamstrings load on the way back and your glutes fire completely launching the bell forward, your arms are just "chains" holding the bell. This is how it should feel.
 
This is my day 5 on S&S. I'm using 24kg. It definitely took out the arm action when I was using 16kg. I really want to start doing one-hand swing but I got to master my two-hand swing first. What do you guys think of my day 5 form? Am I still hinging to early?
 
Nice progress.

See if you can make the change of direction at the back of the swing happen more quickly - as soon as the bell gets as far back as you know it's going to go, immediately bring it forward again. No rest at the back, only at the top.

Keep up the good work.

-S-
 
Well, this is pretty good swing :) Always can be better, but this looks pretty safe to me.
 
Much improved from the 16kg day 1 to 24kg day 5. Nice work.
As mentioned, you will groove a better pattern each time you swing. You are using safe technique which is most important. Think about being a bit more explosive, as the hips drive the bell and the arms just guide the bell to the float. Then rehike, and stay tall til the very last second.

But nice work look forward to seeing you progress through the program.
 
Much improved from the 16kg day 1 to 24kg day 5. Nice work.
As mentioned, you will groove a better pattern each time you swing. You are using safe technique which is most important. Think about being a bit more explosive, as the hips drive the bell and the arms just guide the bell to the float. Then rehike, and stay tall til the very last second.

But nice work look forward to seeing you progress through the program.

Should I be more snappier from the hike pass?
 
you could definitely be more aggressive into the hip thrust, and overall - really focus on squeezing your glutes at the top - HARD and STRONG - also, as you reach the plank, clamp down on your abs, as if absorbing a punch, lift up from the knee caps, to complete the plank at the top - all things that Pavel highlights in Enter the Kettlebell - on the way down your bell travels into the hike position too low, see how it draws an arc through your knees, that's too low, yank the bell from the plank towards your crotch, and dont hinge back until the bell is about to hit you in the jewels - "play chicken with your crotch" is a phrase mentioned often. keep your shoulders packed, lock down your lats and keep your upper arms glued to your ribs. these cues are all based on really utilizing the muscles that come into play in the swing - dont let the bell control you and turn this into a momentum movement - use your major muscles, your hips, glutes, abs and lats to aggressively put the bell where you want it. the arms are just ropes attaching the bell to the body, keep them out of it. you are making great progress and are obviously interested in improving - take control of the bell and attack this movement, the kettlebell swing is a sprint not a jog.
 
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