Kettlebell Swing

How to do the Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is a fast, powerful hip hinge that drives a kettlebell forward to chest height. It trains the glutes and hamstrings to produce force quickly and doubles as hard conditioning work.

Set up

1. 1Place the kettlebell about a foot in front of you and stand with your feet a little wider than your hips.
2. 2Hinge at the hips with a flat back and grip the handle with both hands.
3. 3Tilt the bell toward you so it is ready to be hiked back.

The movement

1. 1Hike the bell back high between your thighs, as if passing a ball behind you.
2. 2Snap your hips forward hard and squeeze your glutes as you stand tall.
3. 3Let the bell float to about chest height with your arms relaxed.
4. 4As it falls, wait until it nears your hips, then hinge so it passes high between your legs.
5. 5To finish, hike it back once more and park it on the floor in front of you.

Cues

• Hips, not arms
• Hike it high
• Stand tall like a plank at the top
• Let the bell fall, then hinge

Common mistakes

Squatting the bell up instead of hinging.

Keep your shins close to vertical and push your hips back, not down.

Lifting the bell with the arms.

Let the hip snap send the bell; your arms only guide it.

Leaning back at the top.

Finish standing straight with your glutes and abs tight.

Letting the bell drop low toward the knees.

Keep your forearms against your inner thighs so the bell travels high.

Also works: Spinal erectors, Lats, Core, Forearms, Quads

Clear the space in front of and behind you, and end each set with a controlled hike back rather than letting the bell drop mid-swing.

Sets and reps

• For strength: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets.
• For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (up to 15 on smaller lifts), resting 1 to 2 minutes, ending each set 1 to 3 reps short of failure (RPE 7 to 9).
• Add a rep or a small amount of weight once every set reaches the top of the range at the same effort.

General ranges, not medical advice. Stop if anything hurts.

In our free programs

• Athletic Power · Power + Conditioning5×15 @ RPE 8
• Fat-Loss Conditioning · Circuit B4×20 @ RPE 7
• Glutes & Posterior Chain · Glute Volume4×20 @ RPE 8

Variations

The same movement with other equipment or a different angle.

• Kettlebell Single-Arm SwingKettlebell

Alternatives

Other exercises for the glutes, for when the kettlebell is taken or you want a change.

• 45-Degree Hip ExtensionBodyweight
• 90-90 Hip StretchBodyweight
• B-Stance Hip ThrustBarbell
• Band Hip ThrustResistance band
• Band Monster WalkResistance band
• Band Pull-ThroughResistance band
• Barbell Block PullBarbell
• Barbell Clean PullBarbell

Questions

What muscles does the Kettlebell Swing work?

The Kettlebell Swing mainly works the glutes and hamstrings.

What equipment do you need for the Kettlebell Swing?

A kettlebell.

How many sets and reps of the Kettlebell Swing?

For strength: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets. For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (up to 15 on smaller lifts), resting 1 to 2 minutes, ending each set 1 to 3 reps short of failure (RPE 7 to 9). Add a rep or a small amount of weight once every set reaches the top of the range at the same effort.

What can I do instead of the Kettlebell Swing?

45-Degree Hip Extension, 90-90 Hip Stretch, B-Stance Hip Thrust and Band Hip Thrust work the same main muscle.