Discover the Power of the Kettlebell Swing

Understanding the Kettlebell Swing

Two clients in as many weeks both realised the value of the Kettlebell Swing. The true value lies in the backswing and the stretch-shortening cycle (stretch reflex).

In our muscles and connective tissue (fascia), there are sensory organs. These organs monitor changes in length and tension, sending vital information to the central nervous system. When the kettlebell swings back, it takes you into a hip hinge. During this motion, your hamstrings and glutes experience a rapid increase in length (stretch) and load.

The stretch reflex kicks in hard, propelling the kettlebell forward again. This creates a body that is elastic, pliable, and strong. It just works, assuming your technique is good.

The Role of Anatomy in Motion

This is also the theory I apply when using Anatomy in Motion techniques with individuals. We employ nuanced actions, guiding the bones to move in specific ways. This approach stimulates as many sensory organs as possible. The more sensory organs that activate, the stronger the signal sent to the CNS.

When dealing with injury, certain areas of the body may have “gone dark.” We often try to avoid stressing damaged structures, which can prevent signals from reaching the muscles. However, when we introduce clean, controlled movement, we can move the joints to lengthen the muscle. This sends information from that muscle, lighting it back up.

Now, the brain can recognise it again, allowing it to function properly. It’s amazing how the body works.

Personal Experiences with Kettlebell Training

Interestingly, one of my clients was actually one of my coaches when I was studying Anatomy in Motion. Now, I assist him with kettlebells, and he has discovered the fluidity that comes from the same eccentric loading concept we use in AiM. Another client recently found the backswing, which made his AiM exercises much clearer.

Sometimes, we focus on load (presses, squats, etc.). Other times, we concentrate on movement (Get Ups, Crawling, Joint Mobility, etc.). We also explore rapid stretch loading through kettlebells, mace, Indian clubs, plyometrics, and Anatomy in Motion.

The Importance of Technique

It’s simple but not easy. Mastering the kettlebell swing requires practice and attention to detail. Proper technique is crucial for maximising the benefits of this powerful exercise. When performed correctly, the kettlebell swing can enhance strength, improve flexibility, and promote overall fitness.

The Benefits of Kettlebell Training

Kettlebell training offers numerous advantages. Here are some key benefits:

1. Full-Body Workout: Kettlebell swings engage multiple muscle groups, providing a comprehensive workout.

2. Improved Cardiovascular Fitness: The dynamic nature of kettlebell swings elevates your heart rate, enhancing cardiovascular health.

3. Increased Strength and Power: The explosive movement of the swing builds strength and power in the lower body and core.

4. Enhanced Flexibility: The hip hinge motion promotes flexibility in the hips and hamstrings.

5. Functional Movement: Kettlebell swings mimic real-life movements, improving functional fitness.

   
   

Incorporating Kettlebell Swings into Your Routine

To incorporate kettlebell swings into your fitness routine, consider the following tips:

• Start with the Basics: If you're new to kettlebell training, begin with basic swings before progressing to more complex movements.

• Focus on Form: Prioritise proper technique over heavy weights. This will help prevent injuries and ensure effective workouts.

• Gradually Increase Intensity: As you become more comfortable with the swings, gradually increase the weight of the kettlebell and the number of repetitions.

• Combine with Other Exercises: Integrate kettlebell swings with other exercises for a balanced workout routine.

  
  

Conclusion

In conclusion, the kettlebell swing is a powerful exercise that can transform your fitness journey. By understanding the mechanics behind the movement and focusing on proper technique, you can unlock its full potential. Remember, it’s not just about lifting weights; it’s about mastering movement.

Regards,

Dave Hedges

www.DaveHegdes.net

Do You Like Podcasts?

Do you like podcasts?

I've an on/off relationship with them, but do like a listen either in the car or when doing manual work in my shed or garden.

But, I have to tell you about a superb podcast episode I listened to just recently.

It features a really smart dude you may have heard of, goes by Dave, occasionally "The Dave" and from time to time "that prick!"

So, you may have guessed it, I was interviewed recently on a podcast, you can listen to it here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/3wtucc5DKzfUQN4GQM3SQM

We talk about my background, some of my philosophies and more.

Monica, the host, did a great job as I'm not known for being particularly chatty, but she drew me out.

There was a question she asked though that I maybe didn't answer too well, so lets have a pop here.

We talked about how in my early years I took on karate as an identity and how every task I undertook became Karate.

If I ran, it was to be better at karate

If I lifted weights, it was to be better at karate

Pretty much anything I did was karate.

It was my identity

And Monica asked a smart question, she asked if become so attached to something is a problem in itself.

This is precisely what happens with so many of the injured athletes that come to me.

They get big injury and all of a suddent they see their own mortality, the thing they love, the person they are is in danger of dying off!

So my job is to get them back into the game and do so while also getting and keeping their head right.

But what about my own personal journey?

Yes, the year I blew my back out, twice, and pretty much lost the use of my lower body, it took about 6 months to regain my squat, longerto be out of pain, was how I transitioned from a martial artist to a coach.

But, even as a coach and therpaist, in my head it is still karate.

How?

This is the part I missed in the interview. Traditional martial arts, unlike most sports, including modern competitive martial arts, has a deep philosophical side.

This is portrayed most famously by Mr Miyagi in the Karate Kid movie and TV series franchise.

But if you grew up in the 80's as I did, you also had Master Chiun from Remo, you had Pei Mei from Kill Bill, you had Splinter from TMNT, Xian Chow from Kickboxer and many more.

And this was the goal.

Yes, be an arse kicking physical specimin, but also to eveolve into the wise old master.

With this path, injuries may have meant you had to slow down as the physical specimin, the Vann Damme character, but instead you could become the wise old master.

Something that I am still working towards becoming. I'm closing in on 50 and my beard is ever greyer, so maybe I'll get there.....

I guess my point is, in traditional martial arts there is always something bigger. It's not just about the next medal, the next PR.

It's not the time on the stopwatch or the distance covered.

That stuff matters, but athleticism, even without injury, will burn out. But you don't have to.

It's why I like asking people to have "Blue Sky" goals

Goals that you may never achieve, but simply having them and reviewing them from time to time is what keeps you on the path.

It's your bearing, the "destination" on you google maps, so that when you get distracted, side tracked, you can simply work to get back on that bearing, and you keep heading in the right direction.

Now, here'sthat link again: https://open.spotify.com/show/3wtucc5DKzfUQN4GQM3SQM

Get over and have a listen, then let me know your thoughts.

Regards

Dave Hedges

www.davehedges.net

Understanding Core Strength: The Water Bottle Concept

The Importance of Core Strength

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Galway as a guest of the remarkable Sarah Smith, owner of Galway Kettlebells. During my time there, I conducted a bodyweight training workshop.

Teaching this workshop is always a joy. Each time I run it, I am impressed by the level of questions that participants ask. However, this time, I received a particularly thought-provoking question.

A 17-year-old martial artist, a bright young lad who is relatively new to the fitness and strength conditioning world, asked me, “So why exactly is core strength so important?”

Typically, I am asked about how to develop core strength. This was the first time someone asked me the fundamental question: “Why?”

To answer this, we first need to agree on what exactly the “core” is. I personally use three definitions depending on the context.

Definition 1 – The Water Bottle Concept

This idea came to me while teaching a kettlebell seminar to a group one day. I asked the attendees, who were mainly young fitness instructors, for their opinions on how to define the “core.”

Needless to say, I received a lot of blank stares, followed by stumbling descriptions and a lot of pointing at the stomach. At that moment, I grabbed my water bottle and used it to illustrate a simple view of the core as a singular unit rather than a jumble of parts.

Here’s a brief overview of how the speech goes:

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A plastic water bottle, even when empty, can support a good portion of my body weight without any issue. Assuming I can balance on it, it can support my entire body weight with some deformation occurring.

A sealed empty plastic bottle supporting a 10kg plate

Now, if I put the tiniest hole in the bottle or simply unseal the lid, it will collapse under a fraction of that weight.

But if we remove the lid…

How does the sealed bottle hold me up while an open one collapses? After all, it is the same bottle made of the same thin plastic.

It’s the internal air pressure that supports my weight. The walls of plastic merely prevent the air from escaping, ensuring there is sufficient pressure to support me.

As soon as the air finds a way out, through a weak spot in the plastic, the bottle collapses. This is almost exactly how our abdomen works when we generate high levels of force.

The air pressure in the torso stiffens the body, allowing the hips and shoulders to use it as a platform to push from.

The water bottle analogy even helps us understand the anatomy:

• The front side represents our Rectus Abdominis, or “6 pack.”

• Directly opposite this on the back of the body is the Erector Spinae.

• The sides represent our obliques.

• The label illustrates the Transverse Abdominis nicely as it wraps around the bottle, albeit on the outside rather than the inside.

• The base of the bottle is the Pelvic Floor.

• The lid represents the Diaphragm.

  
  

When all these elements work together, we are strong. Individually, they are pretty much useless.

How Does This Help Us?

This analogy shows us how the core functions as a unit, stiffening to protect the body and transfer force from one end to another.

For our martial artist, this means that when his fist lands, the core stiffens so that the force is transferred not just into, but through his opponent, with minimal recoil reverberating back through himself.

Definition 2 – From the Hips to the Shoulders

I don’t use this definition as much as the water bottle concept, but I find it useful for getting contact athletes and fighters to reconsider their training needs.

This definition is a simplified version of the next one that follows.

To illustrate this, I like to use two pens and an elastic band.

Put one pen through the band and hold it steady. Now, insert the other pen and start twisting. After a few twists, hold the top pen steady and release the bottom one. What happens?

That’s right, the bottom pen spins as the band unwinds. This is exactly how a Thai boxer throws a kick: wind the top so that the bottom whips around.

BOOM!

If the bottom pen represents our hip and the top pen represents our shoulder, then the band is our core.

What connects the hip to the shoulder? A whole host of muscles, including everything discussed in the water bottle concept, plus the Glutes, Lats, Rhomboids, Traps, and more.

When you observe a thrower, whether in shot put or baseball, you can see how they rotate their hips so the torso twists like our elastic band visual. As the torso reaches its maximum stretch, it snaps the shoulder through, whipping the arm out and propelling the ball at incredible speed toward the target.

Every muscle involved in that stretch can be considered part of the core. It’s not just your abs; it’s the entire connection between the hips and shoulders.

Definition 3 – The Spine

This is the "real" core. It consists of 33 bones, 24 of which can articulate against the bones above and below them. The spine can flex, extend, and rotate, essentially moving in every plane. It also protects our spinal cord and serves as an anchor point for a vast amount of muscle.

Let’s use throwing a punch as an example:

A punch starts from the ground. We extend our rear ankle and knee, which pushes our rear hip forward.

This all happens quickly, with each joint accelerating the next. Assuming our abdominal muscles have enough elasticity and strength, the hip turning while the shoulder remains stationary will torque the midsection. The spine will twist, causing many muscles that attach to it to either lengthen (stretch) or shorten (contract).

The spine then unwinds, releasing that stretch and literally slingshotting the shoulder forward, throwing out the arm and potentially knocking out the opponent.

If you remember nothing else from this, just remember the word “slingshotting.” I encourage you to use that word in a conversation today.

Drop me a comment letting me know how you get on.

The Role of the Spine in Strength Training

The flexion and extension of the spine in the sagittal plane (front to back) is used by strongmen and kettlebell lifters during presses and jerks to efficiently propel weight overhead with a whip-like action.

Combine forward flexion with rotation, and you have a tennis serve. Reverse it, and you have a suplex throw.

In essence, the spine is the core. Muscles are designed to move joints, and the spine has 24 articulating vertebrae, along with the sacroiliac joint, the atlas, and others.

That’s a lot of joints, all of which need to be controlled by muscular contraction.

Does the Core Need to Be Strong?

Absolutely! It also needs to be mobile or “elastic,” as I prefer to think of it.

So, don’t just focus on strength work; be sure to include some mobility work too.

Learn Joint Mobility Fundamentals Here

I hope this provides some food for thought. I would love to hear your opinions on the topic. I’ll discuss strengthening the core in another post.

Regards,

Davewww.WG-Fit.com