Continuing our focus on the posterior chain and movements related the Deadlift, we will now take a look at the KETTLEBELL SWING. At Habit Strength+Conditioning we primarily do the Russian kettlebell swing and is the style of swing we recommend and develop technique with our Members. Kettlebell swings are great for developing power in your hip snap while strengthening your hamstring, glutes and back.

Have a look at the video below where Coach Steff and Coach Pat illustrate a proper kettlebell swings:

Step by Step

Set your feet. Begin with your feet below your hips. A constant correction we make is to bring feet closer as people tend to set up with a wider stance. The kettlebell should begin approximately 2 feet in front of you.
Hips back. Rotate your pelvis back and push your rear toward the wall behind you. We often use the hip queue "Donald Duck", where your inspiration comes from a scoop or flattened lower back and booty pressed backward.
Torso hinge. Hinge your upper body and keep pushing your butt horizontally back. While pushing backward, reach for the kettlebell. Your back should remain flat and your knees should stack vertically above your ankles; you may feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
Engage your lats. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and squeeze your lats to keep your back in a flat position. Build tension in your core with your breath to assist in stabilizing.
Hike the bell. With that full breath, pull the kettlebell through your legs which may be bowed slightly outward (but not forward), as if you were hiking a football. Maintain your grip on the kettlebell, though!
Stand and squeeze. As the kettlebell reaches the full extent of the hike, quickly stand up to an up-right position, letting your hips move the kettlebell forward. At the top, squeeze your glutes and momentarily pull your hips underneath to rotate your pelvis forward into a position we call "Pink Panther" and squeeze your butt.
Kettlebell descent. As the kettlebell starts to descend let your hips move back towards your bottom position, reloading the hamstrings to fire the kettlebell forward again and again...
Loose arms, chest forward. Arms stay loose during this swing, but be sure that your back doesn't loosen up. Maintain tension in your back by tucking your lats back and downward, meanwhile, consider pushing your chest forward even when your torso is tilted toward the floor at the bottom of the movement.
Finish where you start. On your last swing, the kettlebell should return to the floor and placed 2 feet in front of you, and your body should be in the exact position as when you start with knees stacked over your ankles and back still under tension.