Kettlebell Swing

Hold the kettlebell firmly with both hands in front of your body. Slightly bend your knees and push your hips back into a hip hinge, then lift your chest and keep your spine straight.

Send the kettlebell deep between your legs and feel your hamstrings lengthen. Don’t sit down like a squat; keep your shins upright, push your hips back, and brace your core.

Drive your hips forward explosively to send the kettlebell ahead, letting your arms only transmit the force. At the top, align your body from ankles to shoulders and squeeze your glutes to finish.

The key is for your glutes and hamstrings to lengthen quickly, then contract powerfully. If it feels like you’re lifting with your arms or shoulders, lower the weight and focus on driving through hip extension.

Sitting down like a squat takes away the hamstrings’ spring, while lifting with your arms quickly tires your shoulders. If you arch your lower back at the top, squeeze your glutes harder and keep your ribcage aligned.

Exhale shortly and forcefully as you send the kettlebell forward, then inhale as it returns between your legs. Matching this breathing to every rep helps you keep your core engaged and your form steady for longer.

At first, focus on naturally guiding the kettlebell back between your legs rather than on how high it travels. When your form starts to break down, stop the set instead of forcing reps and reset with a clean hip hinge.