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Kettlebell Hike each swing?

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Sean M

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Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, I wasn't able to find it in a search of the forum.

In the swing, is the backswing of swings 2+ (so after the first swing getting it off the ground) entirely on inertia, or is one supposed to hike/pull it back each time? Obviously staying above the knees but is it with or without force from the lats?

I find mindfully hiking each time helps get me into a deeper hip position (not down, but back), while not doing so makes me more likely to dip down or pull up on the upswing.
 
As I do them, the muscles are always one step ahead of the bell, guiding it. This is both up and down.

Otherwise the muscle response is behind the bell, reacting to it on the downward portion.

With a lighter weight bell one can get away with a more reactive response on the downswing and even with a heavier one to some extent, but I feel I get better benefit and less taxing on the joints if I stay ahead of the load at all times.

When introducing these to people, once they get the deadlift posture down and the concept of the swing, I tell them to concentrate on the down portion most. If the down is done with control, it seems to induce better form on the up portion. Otherwise it seems like teaching two separate exercises instead of one IMHO.
 
@Sean M I believe you are describing Dead Stop Swings, where you park the bell after each swing? This drill is great for patterning the deep hip position from launch that you are describing to keep it going.

entirely on inertia, or is one supposed to hike/pull it back each time? Obviously staying above the knees but is it with or without force from the lats?

Use your lats to not only stop the bell at the top of your swing, but also to pull the bell back down into the "triangle." Patterning this action will keep your shoulders packed and posture "ram rod straight" upright. Hope this answers your question....
 
In the swing, is the backswing of swings 2+ (so after the first swing getting it off the ground) entirely on inertia, or is one supposed to hike/pull it back each time? Obviously staying above the knees but is it with or without force from the lats?

I'm thinking that you're asking for a clarification on this, S&S p. 30: "Once the kettlebell has reached the apex of its flight, let if float for an instant. Then, once it has started falling, guide it back between your legs using the lats." -- whether this means gently guide, or whether it means to aggressively hike it back for each swing (such as what you do with the initial hike pass to start the set of swings). If this is your question, the answer is the first; for regular swings, just gently guide it back using the lats. I like the description that @North Coast Miller gives for staying ahead of the load... that's an important concept for all kettlebell work, and is a good mindset to have in controlling the bell as opposed to reacting to it. But with the basic 2H and 1H swings, it's a subtle action.

In contrast to that are the "shadow swings" described in S&S pg 57-59 -- for this kind of swings, you do aggressively hike it back on every back swing. But this is just an option for light days or additional practice drills, not your daily swings.

Hope that helps.
 
@Sean M Use your lats to not only stop the bell at the top of your swing, but also to pull the bell back down into the "triangle." Patterning this action will keep your shoulders packed and posture "ram rod straight" upright. Hope this answers your question....
That answers it, thanks. I wasn't doing this at first and it really screwed up the move.

I do the dead-stop drill a few times before my first set of swings each session. Very helpful.
 
In contrast to that are the "shadow swings" described in S&S pg 57-59 -- for this kind of swings, you do aggressively hike it back on every back swing. But this is just an option for light days or additional practice drills, not your daily swings.

That is interesting. I do the aggressive hike back on every swing. Isn't that the hard style?
 
What @Anna C said.

I would add: so called overspeed eccentric swings aka shadow swings are used especially in a two hand swings. Yes, you can use them with single bell in the swing, or in the snatch - but usually with a lighter weight. As for one handed versions, I prefer to use snatch.

With a heavier bell, I just let it fall, I wait in the "vertical plank", and once my arms contact the body, I aggressively hinge back and quickly reverse the movement.
 
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