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Kettlebell How good are kettlebell swings?

Anothercascade0

Level 2 Valued Member
I read everywhere that swings work your entire body and great for conditioning but would heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss? Or should you incorporate other movements like a squat?
 
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Anothercascade0 said:
I read everywhere that swings work your entire body and great for conditioning but would heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss? Or should you incorporate other movements
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I've been including days of Swings and pushups.
I think it covers a lot of ground.
and the intensity of the pushups can be adjusted per Band Loading and Deloading as described in Q&D.

Honestly, I'd advise - if you notice it feels left out, include it.

Examples: there are 2 things that I include for myself because notice it seems left out.

loaded carries have been helpful to me in adding cardio. I've got a bum ankle so running isn't exactly on the menu.
but walking or jogging every so often is something I'd include, cuz sometimes I notice it's not perfectly easy to climb a flight of stairs at home.

Also, I just discovered kettlebell crush grip curls via Pat Flynn.
On off days, I like doing a set of 5-10 curls a few times at my desk every so often.
maybe 25 to 30 reps in a day. 5x5 or 3x10. with the 24kg bell.
haven't been able to afford a nice pull-up bar for a bit, so I add in some curls.
(I did a set of 5 with the 32kg; but just barely. not quite in the money range for me.)
 
Anothercascade0 said:
I read everywhere that swings work your entire body and great for conditioning but would heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss? Or should you incorporate other movements like a squat?
Click to expand...

A lot to dissect there. Swings can work the whole body to some degree, yes. As do many other large compound movements -- like the squat. It's hard to find any part of the body that isn't doing something during swings or squats.... but with both, many other aspects are relevant beyond the movement itself. What is the loading? What is the volume? What is the work/rest ratio? What is the progression? Is the movement being performed correctly? What are the demands on the energy systems? What change is desired in the body that is trying to be stimulated with the training? Etc...

As for weight loss -- exercise can provide a boost, but weight loss should be thought of as 80% nutrition, 20% exercise, IMO.
 
The two arm swing with an appropriate load is the best thing you can do for your lower body and the body in general. If I would chose one exercise with a kettlebell, it would be the two arm swing.
Further - I think if you are not swinging or snatching, you would be better of with a barbell.
You cannot actually squat heavy with kettlebells - the barbell will always be on the top. So - if you choose to use kettlebells, the swing would be the heaviest lift for your lower body. Because of the ballistic component.
If you squat with a barbell - just do the swing as an assistance on the lower body day (if you do a 4 day split or something like 5/3/1) and it will be just fine.
Goblet squats are fine and are worthwhile. But more for the fact of squatting itself and for mobility. My 32 kg goblet squat would never match my 90 kg front squat. I can do 20+ reps with the kettlebell, but I do not see the point to go there.
 
I’ve heard they are so good you will grow back your hair! Obviously, this isn’t true given the pictures I have seen of Pavel .

That said, I’m a big fan of the “fast 10s” referenced in the Q&D book. With some TGU & goblet squats as a warm up and a straight arm hang to cool down it’s a great way to spend 40 minutes at the park.
 
Anna C said:
As for weight loss -- exercise can provide a boost, but weight loss should be thought of as 80% nutrition, 20% exercise, IMO.
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Amen. I would even argue the % changes favor nutrition/diet as we get older. For the last few months I e been in a 300 calorie deficit daily with 200 grams of protein rolled into that. My workouts have been very simple and manageable. Pulls, dips, goblet squats, rowing, rucking, and S&S 2 times a week. Total time commitment of about 6 hours a week.

Getting leaner and stronger every day.
 
For what it's worth 1H swings are probably my favorite exercise... Not sure it's even close either just my opinion

Maintains explosiveness without high impact movement (very important later in life)

Helps with body composition

Total body strength

Never really sore bc of the lack of eccentric movement

Very versatile in regards to rep range/goal etc

My distant 2nd would be C&J's (I prefer double bells)
 
It is summer here in Australia and so I have a bit of a deload for working out. Wrists and hands have been sore from too much clean and press. Son and I have been using swings as our staple exercise during this deload period. I find you can combo Swings with any other exercise you want. We have combo'd swings with DL, Bench, Front Squats, Rows, and Push Up.

What we do is I do a set then he does a set. Resting till breathing returns to normal.

So essentially do Swings, rest, any other exercise, rest... repeat... keeping rest to a real minimum.

We set a timer for 20 min and really push to see how many rounds we can do. You can set a timer for whatever floats your boat.

Was a really effective and minimalistic workout. I really enjoyed the 2x we've done push ups... generally, I pick a number to do that is about 30% of the number where I start to feel uncomfortable doing them. So since I can do 30, I do 10. If 24 was where they started to get hard I would do 8... I generally do 10 swings with the heaviest KB I can.

We got about 13 rounds with Push UPs but only 9 with Squats.
 
Swing’s are especially good for old man exercises along with the press, goblet squats and hanging. I think Dan John says they provide “snapacity” which makes perfect sense as athletes when they move out of there prime and as they get older they also get slower.

age: 65
wgt: 183lbs
 
Anothercascade0 said:
I read everywhere that swings work your entire body and great for conditioning but would heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss? Or should you incorporate other movements like a squat?
Click to expand...
Niche, but I think swings are an absolute must for martial artists. They help you get the "snap" in your movements, particularly punches. The hips thrusts and tightening at the top of the swing are excellent to develop your explosiveness and the speed at which you can contract/relax.
 
To the OPs question:
heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss?

"Maybe" and "Could be"—swings check a lot of boxes IMO.
what is your current base of fitness/training? What weights would you be using for the heavy swings?

For S&S squats are part of the warm-up but not "training" so some exercise variety can be added.

@james_1127
Can you explain the no eccentric load comment?

The loaded eccentric is a huge component of the benefits of the swing IMO.

@BrianCF
Can you explain how you feel they are overrated?
 
Anothercascade0 said:
I read everywhere that swings work your entire body and great for conditioning but would heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss? Or should you incorporate other movements like a squat?
Click to expand...
If you ask here, everyone will say they are the bees knees because the foundational program is built around the swing. I have the privilege of seeing a ton of 'fit' individuals on a daily basis and maybe like 2 out of 10 know about kettlebells at all. Even less know about Pavel and StrongFirst.

Take that for what you will.
 
Pavel.Kosenkov said:
You cannot actually squat heavy with kettlebells - the barbell will always be on the top.
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While this may be true, I think it misses the point of the question which is around general fitness.

While everyone should squat, not everyone needs to squat heavy. It depends on your goals, pre-existing injuries, etc. For most people, goblet squats or double kettlebell front squats are more than enough.

And for some of the strongest people in the world like Donnie Thompson or Andy Bolton, they also make great specialized variety / accessory lifts.
 
Anothercascade0 said:
work
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Depends on what that means to you, how you swing, what weight you use, and other factors. My vote would be to add one additional movement in which you are standing and the kettlebell is above your head - could be a getup, could be a press. For press I'd choose a grind like the military press or bent press since you're already training explosiveness with the swing.

Or, if you can do snatches, that'll get you both explosiveness and overhead work - it's a one-stop-shop and you'd forego the swings. Or a clean+overhead like the long cycle jerk as your one-stop-shop.

-S-
 
Brett Jones said:
To the OPs question:
heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss?

"Maybe" and "Could be"—swings check a lot of boxes IMO.
what is your current base of fitness/training? What weights would you be using for the heavy swings?

For S&S squats are part of the warm-up but not "training" so some exercise variety can be added.

@james_1127
Can you explain the no eccentric load comment?

The loaded eccentric is a huge component of the benefits of the swing IMO.

@BrianCF
Can you explain how you feel they are overrated?
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In comparison to other hip dominant/hinge type movements there is not an eccentric portion of the swing... At least not to the level of say an RDL, good morning, SL DL etc... There is definitely an isometric component with the lats etc but you're not necessarily controlling the back phase of the swing unless you're over speeding the bell (which has merit)

I'm referring to a full total tut rep, the back swing of the kb swing you're not maintaining constant tension on the eccentric like those other movements there is a natural pause at the top and you don't load the hips until the bell gets closer to the zipper... If that makes more sense
 
Anothercascade0 said:
I read everywhere that swings work your entire body and great for conditioning but would heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss? Or should you incorporate other movements like a squat?
Click to expand...
Try this, swings and pushups am currently doing this and enjoying it. Have a listen to what he says
 
Brett Jones said:
To the OPs question:
heavy swings and push ups be enough for a stand alone workout if your goal is general fitness and weight loss?

"Maybe" and "Could be"—swings check a lot of boxes IMO.
what is your current base of fitness/training? What weights would you be using for the heavy swings?

For S&S squats are part of the warm-up but not "training" so some exercise variety can be added.

@james_1127
Can you explain the no eccentric load comment?

The loaded eccentric is a huge component of the benefits of the swing IMO.

@BrianCF
Can you explain how you feel they are overrated?
Click to expand...
I was doing a LOT of them. When I go to a gym, I do sets of 20 swings in between everything else. So, it ended up being 300. I've done the 10k challenge in 10 days 3 or 4 times. As I stated above, great for conditioning. The claims that you can increase or replace your deadlift or for hypertrophy are false. As a supplemental exercise for the deadlift, sure, but the Donnie Thompson claims are eyebrow raising at best.

I think you can get better returns during cleans and snatches. Though a PROPER swing is your base to do these other ballistics. Unfortunately, 95% of the people at my gym who do swings. A. don't program it correctly and B. use improper form. (Squat, Raise Arms, No Hip Snap)
 
I believe KB swing is the most efficient and safe way to train ballistics. And it is a compound movement covering many molecular, cardiovascular, benefits.

It is a perfect exercise for minimalist routines and it is a great exercise to compliment programs with more exercises.

It might be the golden exercise of KB world except more advanced moves like snatches, and C&P.

Do you need them? Do you enjoy them? These are all personal preferences I believe. But in my opinion it is a fun exercise.
 
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