Kettlebell One-Handed swings form assessment

[Francisco]

Dear All,

Lurker here, read most of Pavels books and decided to start kb training last July. Since then been doing S&S by the book (results have been great) and reading these forums - thanks everyone for so much wisdom on strength training!!

So far so good, I love S&S’s simplicity and progress has been steady from 12kg to 24-28kg.

I work 60+ hours every week and have two children, so my time is very limited. As soon as I can I would like to have my technique checked by an SFG (four hour drive forth and back), but due to work and family constraints this will not be possible in the next few months. (Of course will do so as soon as possible).

Which is why I ask any of you if you would be so kind as to take a look at my swing and help me improve it.

I include two videos, side view and front view. One-handed swings with 24kg bell (currently working to introduce 32kg bell, so these should be decent since 24kg is not too much for me right now)

Thanks in advance,

Francisco

 

[Anna C]

Hello @Francisco !

Looks pretty good. Nice job on the set-up. I'd suggest two easy fixes, then another video once you've got those changes incorporated.

1) Keep your gaze out on the horizon (or where the wall meets the floor) throughout the set. This will help with forward power projection and being solid in both positions. Currently you're following the kettlebell with your gaze and also looking down on the downswing.

2) Brace your abs like you're ready for a punch, and pull up on your kneecaps, in the standing plank. Make your body tight like a board!

 

[Oscar]

To add to @Anna C, it appears to me that you are hinging a bit too early. Wait until the arm touches your body and only then hinge.

 

[Francisco]

Hello @Francisco !

Looks pretty good. Nice job on the set-up. I'd suggest two easy fixes, then another video once you've got those changes incorporated.

1) Keep your gaze out on the horizon (or where the wall meets the floor) throughout the set. This will help with forward power projection and being solid in both positions. Currently you're following the kettlebell with your gaze and also looking down on the downswing.

2) Brace your abs like you're ready for a punch, and pull up on your kneecaps, in the standing plank. Make your body tight like a board!

Thank you @Anna for your quick response and your corrections. Sorry for taking so long to reply, kids and work don’t leave much free time...

1) You are 100% right!! I wasn’t keeping my gaze on the horizon (I don’t know how many times I’ve read and reread that indication in S&S, yet somehow miserably failed to incorporate it in my swings). I have been swinging following the bell with my eyes for the last 9 months, so I think it will take a little time to iron it out. Will work on it every single session until it becomes automatic.

2) I thought I was doing this properly. Check the videos I include, just in case these are any better. If not, would you advise SF Planck?

Again, Anna, thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Francisco]

To add to @Anna C, it appears to me that you are hinging a bit too early. Wait until the arm touches your body and only then hinge.

Thank you for taking the time to look at the videos and your help @Oscar.

Honestly, you bring up something I have been suspecting a few months. I have been working on swinging as late as possible, as Chairman says - play chicken with the kB - but somehow I thing I still have to improve. Are the videos I just posted any better? I am trying what you said - to wait until the arm touches my body, but I still feel I am hinging earlier than I could/should. Do you have any cues?

Thanks again for your help Oscar,

Francisco

 

[Anna C]

2) I thought I was doing this properly. Check the videos I include, just in case these are any better. If not, would you advise SF Planck?

Yes, much better on gaze and on plank! The plank is correct. Keep working on making it tighter and working towards "everything must arrive at once" as is somewhere in S&S. Knee extension, full hip extension, shoulders above hips, tight plank -- snap to this all together, as you would if you're jumping.

You're doing a good job keeping the shoulders aligned! The left shoulder in the 2nd video could be packed better draw the shoulder down towards your hip, even at the top of the swing.

Are you doing 5R+5L for the video for demo? For S&S, you would do 10 right hand swings, rest, then 10 left hand swings, rest, 10 right hand swings, etc. for 10 sets total (5 R and 5 L).

 

[Francisco]

@Anna thank you for your tips, will work this week on polishing the planck position and achieving total tightness.

Yes! You are right, sometimes (specially at the top of the swing movement) my shoulders tend to “unpack”. Will try to fix it.

Yes, I am doing 5+5 for the videos, so that the videos don’t get too long and both sides can be analyzed. Normal training sessions are: 10L, rest, 10R, etc just as Pavel describes in S&S.

Thanks a lot for your help Anna!!

 

[Oscar]

Thank you for taking the time to look at the videos and your help @Oscar.

Honestly, you bring up something I have been suspecting a few months. I have been working on swinging as late as possible, as Chairman says - play chicken with the kB - but somehow I thing I still have to improve. Are the videos I just posted any better? I am trying what you said - to wait until the arm touches my body, but I still feel I am hinging earlier than I could/should. Do you have any cues?

Thanks again for your help Oscar,

Francisco

I think you are still hinging a bit too early, yes. I dont know any cues for this. What I do know is that if I hinge too early, I feel the bell pulls me forward and down. Maybe someone mor experienced than me can help with some correctives.

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

I think you are still hinging a bit too early, yes. I dont know any cues for this. What I do know is that if I hinge too early, I feel the bell pulls me forward and down. Maybe someone mor experienced than me can help with some correctives.

For me, the best method for stopping myself from hinging too soon was doing stiff-legged deadlifts the day before: Any time I'd hinge too soon, the soreness in my lower back would let me know about it!

Failing that, I learned to wait for the moment my upper arm connects to my torso on the backswing (when the triceps hits the pecs). It forces you to hinge very quickly, which is where a lot of people go wrong; I see a lot of very slow and 'flowy' swings in the gym (often the swing is performed as a squat to front raise with e very light kettlebell) and it's all about being snappy and punchy.

Try to react to the bell as it swings back, don't anticipate it.

 

[Francisco]

I think you are still hinging a bit too early, yes. I dont know any cues for this. What I do know is that if I hinge too early, I feel the bell pulls me forward and down. Maybe someone mor experienced than me can help with some correctives.

Sorry for the late reply Oscar, being a dad and working 60+ hours / week doesn’t leave much free time. Yes, you are right I feel the bell pulls me down (more than forward actually). I have been working on delaying the hinge as much as I can, I’m not happy with my results yet. As soon as I feel some real progress I will post a video.

Again, thanks a lot for your help and your insights. This community is great!

 

[Francisco]

Thank you for your help Chris!! This has helped me enormously:

Failing that, I learned to wait for the moment my upper arm connects to my torso on the backswing (when the triceps hits the pecs). It forces you to hinge very quickly, which is where a lot of people go wrong; I see a lot of very slow and 'flowy' swings in the gym (often the swing is performed as a squat to front raise with e very light kettlebell) and it's all about being snappy and punchy.

Try to react to the bell as it swings back, don't anticipate it.

I have started to get a feeling in my swings I didn’t have before. Kind of snappier and effortless. I don’t manage to get that feeling every time I try them. I will keep working on them and when I feel I have progressed I will post a new video.

Thank you all guys! Yours in strength.