A sneaky low-impact, full-body exercise, the kettlebell swing shouldn’t be overlooked.
Learn more about the move’s key benefits and all the muscles it works.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
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In turn, the movebuilds full-body strengthand gets your heart pumping, she explains.
Bend knees slightly andhinge at hipsto lower arms toward the floor.
Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands and tilt it toward body.
B.On an inhale, hike the kettlebell back and up between thighs.
Keep arms extended with a slight bend in elbows throughout the movement and allow gaze to follow kettlebell.
C.Hinge at hips, bend knees slightly, and drive the kettlebell back down and in between thighs.
Heres what you could expect to gain from the movement when performed properly.
In turn, the exercise gives you all the heart-health benefits without killing your joints.
The reason:Low-impact physical activityhas just a third of the injury risk of higher-impact activities, asShapepreviously reported.
Yourcore muscleswill also help keep your entire body stable.
Steal these modification and progression ideas, courtesy of Gao.
A.Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands at sides, and a kettlebell on the floor in between feet.
Bend knees and hinge at hips to lower arms toward the floor.
Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands and gaze forward.
Youll also want to maintain a neutral spine and gaze forward throughout the entire movement.
Finally, remember tobreathe with intention.
With any ballistic movement, you want to see big breath control, says Gao.
As it comes back down, that’s when you have to take your breath."
Try a 6 or 8-kilogram kettlebell to start and work your way up from there.
And if you have experience with strength training or kettlebells, shoot for 12 kilograms.
Its not about the weight of the kettlebell, its how you use it, adds Gao.
A light weight can also be highly, highly effective if youre doing a kettlebell swing correctly.
