Setup & Positioning
"Place the kettlebell about a foot in front of you on the floor. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, toes turned out slightly. Hinge at the hips, grip the kettlebell handle with both hands, and keep your back flat, chest up, and shoulders packed down."
Key point: “Think of it as hiking the kettlebell back between your legs, then explosively driving it forward with your hips—not lifting it with your arms.”
Execution
1. Hike:
- Pull the kettlebell back between your legs like a football hike.
- Keep your wrists high and close to your inner thighs.
2. Drive:
- Forcefully extend your hips, snapping them forward to propel the kettlebell to about chest height.
- Arms stay straight but relaxed—momentum from the hips moves the bell.
3. Return:
- Let the kettlebell swing back down between your legs, hinging at the hips and keeping your back flat.
- Maintain control—don’t let it pull you forward.
Where You Should Feel It
- Glutes and hamstrings driving the movement
- Core bracing to stabilize the spine
- Shoulders and forearms holding the kettlebell without lifting it
Where You Shouldn’t Feel It
- Lower back pain from rounding or overextending
- Arms working harder than your hips
- Neck strain from looking up or craning forward
Breathing
"Exhale sharply at the top of the swing, inhale as the kettlebell swings back."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Squatting instead of hinging – The movement is a hip snap, not a knee bend.
- Lifting with the arms – Let the hip drive move the bell.
- Overextending at the top – Finish tall without leaning back.
- Losing control on the downswing – Stay braced and in control.
