Kettlebell Please check my form for 1H swing, TGU and warm up. 16kg

[Zwuckel]

Good day everyone,

finally I made some videos about my practice w/o stretches and want to get back on the offer @Anna C made for a form check. Naturally everyone else is welcome as well. Please be critical Thanks so much.

There are several angles for the main exercises but the forum only allows 5 pieces of media. I couldn´t get everything up on YT because of an upload limit.

Everything is done with 16 kg. I practiced 4 consecutive weeks, got a cold for one week and I am now in my 5th week.

2H Drill

240315 Starting drill 2H swing

www.youtube.com

Hip bridge


Goblet squat
It´s the first time I picked the bell up with a swing. Before I picked the bell up with the squat movement.

left side angle:

240315 Warm up Goblet squat left side angle

www.youtube.com

diagonal angle:


front angle:

240314 - Warm up Goblet squat front angle

www.youtube.com

Halo

left side angle:


1H Swing:

left side angle:


diagonal angle:

20240314_142902.mp4

drive.google.com

back angle:

20240314_143222.mp4

drive.google.com

right side angle:

20240314_143604.mp4

drive.google.com

TGU

diagonal angle:


side angle:

20240314_144401.mp4

drive.google.com

front angle:

20240314_144725.mp4

drive.google.com

Here´s what I found:

Swing:

- Important: I am overextending the back at the top of the swing and avoiding the standing plank. I tried to fix it on my last reps. I believe thats what got me a very tight back this week. (Not only the stretches)
- Important: On my left hand 1H swing my ribcage "escapes" to the right side. I try to keep the ribs to the arm that is loaded. I´m not sure if thats observable on the videos.
- I believe I can hinge even later.
- Maybe standing a bit closer when picking up.
- One of my biggest difficulties in technique is focus. I focus on a deep hinge and I twist to much, I focus on less twisting I chicken out way too early and so on. There is a lot too process.

TGU:

- I´m still working and figuring out the last step coming down.
- I know I shouldn´t lift the bell over my body. Will stop that with 24kg.
- Usually I do 2-2-1 consecutive.

There is one KB 101 course in Germany, but unfortunately it collides with an already planned vacation.

 

[marlowe]

I don't have much to say about the swing, I think it looks pretty good. You've already identifier the biggest problem, which I think is coming from a less-than-ideally active core at the top. Maybe add some planks to your warm-up, or some leg raises. Your non-working arm seems to be moving a bit weirdly. I'd say, play around with letting it swing freely behind and above your back at the bottom of the hinge, and folding it over your chest with a tight fist at the top of it, as if racking a bell after a clean.

As for the TGU, I refer you to this Tsar Horton video about the side hinge, specially when coming down. It's helped me greatly with this section of the movement.

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

It seems to me like you are in anterior pelvic tilt when you set up for your swings. You should find a neutral pelvic position and hinge from that. Your lumbar curve accentuates when you hinge back. Your timing in general looks decent though, you wait for the bell to come to you and don't break too early which is good.



I also feel like your hinge isn't quite as deep as it should be during your swings.

You could try the glutes to wall drill from Louka to work on both of your issues. Do the drill while keeping a neutral pelvis and braced core. And keep working on your deadlift with a braced core and neutral pelvis with a good standing plank.




EDIT: Look at how his pelvis is locked in while he hinges back around the 50 sec mark.

ReEDIT: You could try hollow body holds to work on your core activation and bracing. Those really helped me when I started swings with learning proper abdominal activation and learning to brace, connecting ribs to pelvis.

 

[Oscar]

Good day everyone,

finally I made some videos about my practice w/o stretches and want to get back on the offer @Anna C made for a form check. Naturally everyone else is welcome as well. Please be critical Thanks so much.

There are several angles for the main exercises but the forum only allows 5 pieces of media. I couldn´t get everything up on YT because of an upload limit.

Everything is done with 16 kg. I practiced 4 consecutive weeks, got a cold for one week and I am now in my 5th week.

2H Drill

240315 Starting drill 2H swing

www.youtube.com

Hip bridge


Goblet squat
It´s the first time I picked the bell up with a swing. Before I picked the bell up with the squat movement.

left side angle:

240315 Warm up Goblet squat left side angle

www.youtube.com

diagonal angle:


front angle:

240314 - Warm up Goblet squat front angle

www.youtube.com

Halo

left side angle:


1H Swing:

left side angle:


diagonal angle:

20240314_142902.mp4

drive.google.com

back angle:

20240314_143222.mp4

drive.google.com

right side angle:

20240314_143604.mp4

drive.google.com

TGU

diagonal angle:


side angle:

20240314_144401.mp4

drive.google.com

front angle:

20240314_144725.mp4

drive.google.com

Here´s what I found:

Swing:

- Important: I am overextending the back at the top of the swing and avoiding the standing plank. I tried to fix it on my last reps. I believe thats what got me a very tight back this week. (Not only the stretches)
- Important: On my left hand 1H swing my ribcage "escapes" to the right side. I try to keep the ribs to the arm that is loaded. I´m not sure if thats observable on the videos.
- I believe I can hinge even later.
- Maybe standing a bit closer when picking up.
- One of my biggest difficulties in technique is focus. I focus on a deep hinge and I twist to much, I focus on less twisting I chicken out way too early and so on. There is a lot too process.

TGU:

- I´m still working and figuring out the last step coming down.
- I know I shouldn´t lift the bell over my body. Will stop that with 24kg.
- Usually I do 2-2-1 consecutive.

There is one KB 101 course in Germany, but unfortunately it collides with an already planned vacation.

I´m not an instructor so take it with a grain of salt:

Swings:

• It appears that your wrist is touching your hips when you are at the bottom of the swing, making the bell flip backwards. Try to avoid this, so that the bell and your arm are a straight line. You can imagine your arm is a rope tied to the handle. You can also look up the towel swing drill.
• Your toes are lifting at the bottom of the swing. Try to keep your feet more rooted and gripping the floor.
• I personally like to make it more powerful trying to imitate a broad jump. This might cause more knee bend, which I think is fine.

TGU:

• It looks generally good I think.
• You are dropping sloppy at the end of the descent, from the elbow to the floor. Try to make a controlled roll backwards.
• In the tripod position, on the descent, I think your two legs are too close to each other. In the TGU I get obsessive compulsive disorder and like keeping 90 degrees in my joints, alignment from the foot - knee - hand, etc. There is beauty in OCD turkish get ups.

General comment: Until you are more confident, try training in a place where you can drop the kettlebell without issues. Keep in mind that you will do thousands of reps, sooner or later you might drop the kettlebell. It hasnt happened to me many times, but I´m glad nothing bad happened the couple of times it did happen.

 

[Bill Lets]

I’m glad for you. Enjoy the ride. Your on your way and it just keeps getting better.

 

[Zwuckel]

Hi everyone. Thanks a lot for your advice.

@marlowe : Good idea to add planks to my warm up. Will combine it with the hollow position mentioned by @Benjamin Renaud .

Yes, my arm moves weirdly. It's when I focus on the other stuff my arm forgets to move. I try to incorporate it.

The Tsar Horton video is gold! Honestly I didn't know it's supossed to be a hinge. (Although I read the book like 3 times).

@Benjamin Renaud : Thanks for mentioning. Six weeks ago the anterior pelvic tilt was my regular posture when standing and sitting.

But I'm happy that the timing seems good. Took a lot of focus to get there.

Will integrade the hinge drill into my warm up and if I think of it somewhere into my day.

@Oscar : I'm not sure if I understood your first pointer. I thought the arm touches the body and then I, optimally, start the hinge.

Did you mean the movement in the kettlebell at the turn around point during the hinge? Also I turn my thumb inwards to get the window through my legs. I'm 5'4. (165cm)

Will focus on keeping my feet plantend. Maybe sth. that gets better with not overextending at the top.

Very good pointer. YT recommended me a good video by Tsar Horton how to get down more smoothly.

Regarding Tripolis position: So the lunge goes a bit more to the outside? Makes sense.

And yes, your general comment is dutiful noted. But atm I habe no other possibility time and space wise. I actually don't think I'll drop the 16kg. It got very light. But I get your concern.

@Bill Lets : Thanks!

 

[Mark Limbaga]

Let's work on one thing..

Let's find your deeper hinge so you produce more power..

Coincidentally, we filmed a vid for this yesterday



Let me know if this helps

 

[Oscar]

@Oscar : I'm not sure if I understood your first pointer. I thought the arm touches the body and then I, optimally, start the hinge.

Did you mean the movement in the kettlebell at the turn around point during the hinge? Also I turn my thumb inwards to get the window through my legs. I'm 5'4. (165cm)

Take a look at this video of the towel swing by instructor Louka Kurcer:



I might be wrong, but it appears that your hips are pushing your wrist when you begin the upswing. This should be avoided, and the towel swing drill helps to learn it. Since there is a flexible towel between the hands and the handle, you cannot push with your hips.

 

[Ege]

Let's work on one thing..

Let's find your deeper hinge so you produce more power..

Coincidentally, we filmed a vid for this yesterday



Let me know if this helps

This is brilliant!!! Thank you …. Why couldn’t I figure this out?! I am in excitement to try it right now!

 

[Ege]

This is brilliant!!! Thank you …. Why couldn’t I figure this out?! I am in excitement to try it right now!

This really is a good one. It will help a lot thanks, you still gotta find the right groove but this helps a ton!

 

[marlowe]

Hi everyone. Thanks a lot for your advice.

@marlowe : Good idea to add planks to my warm up. Will combine it with the hollow position mentioned by @Benjamin Renaud .

Yes, my arm moves weirdly. It's when I focus on the other stuff my arm forgets to move. I try to incorporate it.

The Tsar Horton video is gold! Honestly I didn't know it's supossed to be a hinge. (Although I read the book like 3 times).

You might not have missed anything. Hardstyle kettlebell training is a relatively new proposition. The recommendations on how to lift have evolved and changed, and sometimes what's in a book is not what's considered best practice anymore. The TGU wasn't always taught with that hinge, but it is definitely better to do the lift with it. Another case of this evolution is the high-pull, the precursor to the snatch, which was originally taught with an elbow strike to the back at the top of the swing, then moved to an "elephant trunk" version and lately has been substituted as a precursor to the snatch by the "tiger claw" version of the swing. Cheers!

 

[Zwuckel]

@Mark Limbaga : Yes, indeed that was very helpful to dial in a better feeling for the depth of the hinge. I'd say it still needs several practice sessions to find the best spot. The deadlifts are a great addition to the glutes to wall drill @Benjamin Renaud posted.

@Oscar : Yes, you're right. I didn't get it because I thought wrong about where the force is applied to. I'm a strong visualizer and was thinking that the hip actually pushes the bell forward. After the towel swing and also a much deeper hinge I noticed how the force is generated with the backwards movement of the shoulders. (Although I think I shouldn't visualize it, as it is a byproduct of the hip exploding forward. As in a deadlift)

@marlowe : That clears up some confusion. I actually did the high pull as a stand alone exercise maybe 10 years ago and always thought of it as a harsh and uncomfortable movement. At some point I'll definitely visit a SFG. Seems to be worthwhile more and more.


My new programm looks like this:

Warm up:

3 circles of goblet squat, halo, SF hip bridge
2 circles of towel swing, hollow body position and wall butt DL drill

Main course swings and tgu

Stretches and some light gluteus medius work.

As I don't have a tight back anymore I yesterday decided to bring in the 24 for 1 set and it worked great. Could implement all technique advice although not perfectly.

 

[Mark Limbaga]

For the getup..

Before you move to the next step, pause and adjust as needed. You can adjust hand and foot position before moving to the next step. That usually allows you more mobility and stability.

If finding a workshop or an instructor near you is a challenge, a virtual session with an instructor is a next best thing. @mvikred passed his SFG1 doing purely virtual training during his prep

 

[Ege]

For the getup..

Before you move to the next step, pause and adjust as needed. You can adjust hand and foot position before moving to the next step. That usually allows you more mobility and stability.

If finding a workshop or an instructor near you is a challenge, a virtual session with an instructor is a next best thing. @mvikred passed his SFG1 doing purely virtual training during his prep

Your ques are very good sir! I love the clarity and if I dare to say simplicity of them. I know it might sound superb idiotic but watching the people w very good TGU form, I have always thought that adjustments were bad …

 

[Anna C]

@Oscar : Yes, you're right. I didn't get it because I thought wrong about where the force is applied to. I'm a strong visualizer and was thinking that the hip actually pushes the bell forward. After the towel swing and also a much deeper hinge I noticed how the force is generated with the backwards movement of the shoulders. (Although I think I shouldn't visualize it, as it is a byproduct of the hip exploding forward. As in a deadlift)

Yes! This is what I was going to say. But you said it better.

Great work, keep up the solid practice!

 

[Zwuckel]

@Anna C : Thanks