Kettlebell Spondylolisthesis and Kettlebell Swings

[Casey Canino]

Hello everyone,

I have a client with Spondylolisthesis who is interested in learning swings. I think it would be great for her if done in a safe and progressive manner. My goal is lots of kb deadlifts, isometrics, presses, split lunges, Big Three, maybe even some seated presses to build around the spondy before even teaching the swing. Just wondered if anyone had clients with this injury who they were able to teach swings to. I would love to hear how you programmed for it. Thanks team!

 

[Brett Jones]

Casey

Are they now or have they worked with a Physical Therapist and any recommendations from them or the Dr?

Is there a grade or severity of the spondy noted?

Typically with Spondy situations you avoid extension and do a lot of stabilization work.

 

[wespom9]

One of my baseball athletes dealt with this all winter. The advice of the therapist he worked with is as Brett describes. We held off on an extension based stuff and just added a few stability moves to the regime directive of the PT. Worked well but can take a while to recover and get back to harder training.

 

[dobie]

I had spondy at L5 S1 and it was unstable. Required lumbar fusion 5 years ago. It was severely impinging the nerve causing quite bad leg pain. Would definitely seek out PT.
FYI- any extension movement really caused issues for me back before surgery.

 

[Casey Canino]

Casey

Are they now or have they worked with a Physical Therapist and any recommendations from them or the Dr?

Is there a grade or severity of the spondy noted?

Typically with Spondy situations you avoid extension and do a lot of stabilization work.

She has worked with a PT, and she has had this spondy for the past almost 20 years. Interestingly enough, hip hinging is what feels the best on her body. She loves squats, split lunges and presses. and we never work into pain. She is also in her 60s and feels stronger now than she did when she first got the diagnosis. I’m worried that the explosiveness of a swing will be too much on the spondy, so maybe I just need to stick with grinds with her. But she loves the kettlebell work so much, it’s something I’m looking into

 

[Brett Jones]

Casey,

If she is moving well and can control the deadlift without extending the back at the top then I think it could work out but "tiptoe" in as you are doing.

 

[Casey Canino]

Will do! I will be as careful as possible!

 

[ajs]

I've had L5/S1 spondy for almost 25 years. It seems to be pretty stable as I've managed a double bodyweight trap bar deadlift just a little over a year ago (though i backed off after that to be safe). I've been doing swings for about 15 years maybe. My technique is much better than when I started and I still go to the chiropractor on occasion but mostly I'm hanging from my rings to decompress. I highly recommend it, after every session.

 

[Steve Freides]

@Casey Canino, I do not have spondy but do have a bad lower back - story repeated many times here - and when training someone with lower back issues, @Brett Jones' advice to "tiptoe" into swings is what I would also recommend. I spent years strengthening my lower back via barbell deadlifts and overhead kettlebell presses before I ever trained swings regularly. I will often go so far as to work a student up to a 48 kg kettlebell deadlift, and sometimes then up to a 135 lb (60 kg) barbell deadlift before introducing the swing, and I am a big fan of introducing the swing as Pavel suggests around page 35 of the print version of the Revised and Updated, "Kettlebell Simple & Sinister." In addition to that excellent progression, I also introduce the pendulum type swing using a towel, since I feel it tends to encourage a more gentle swing in the beginning.

And I know this may sound odd, but for some of us with lower back issues, the snatch can be a better choice than the swing because the bell doesn't get as far away from the body and therefore doesn't "hit" the lower back in the same way it can when one's lower back strength isn't up to par yet.

-S-