The Kettlebell Swing: (The Pull)


The kettlebell swing is the base strength endurance lift that you can perform with this ancient device.  This involves one of the two key movements that you are capable of performing with most any lift.  The swing is a pull oriented lift.   This exercise is very dynamic in nature and is performed by you having to perform the hip snap motion by forcefully having to flex and then extend at both your hips and knees in order to create the necessary momentum to swing the bell back and forth like a pendulum.  The arc like motion of the bell is initiated by your hip motion and propels the bell back and forth from between your legs up to at least chest level.  This is one of the most common strength endurance lifts that you can perform with the ancient kettlebell and it requires the use of hundreds of your working muscles in order to effectively pull it off.  This is the first main lift in the foundation of my EFPS kettlebell training philosophy.  Without it you can’t progress to anything else.

The kettlebell:  The Walking Static Press (The Push)


Note: My recognition of the Pull and the Push.  Both of these actions are the two basic movements of the human body. Everything we do can be classified in these movements. So for the second half simplified version of my kettlebell philosophy I want to describe a push movement with the bell.  Here is the catch: Before completing this push movement you have to learn another simple pull movement-the clean.  First of all you may be wondering, what is a clean?  The clean means that you have to lift the bell from the ground to your chest in one “clean” movement.  So to start this lift begin with the bell on the ground as described in the (Pull) paragraph above. From this point the individual will clean the bell with one arm.  To begin, the kettlebell strong person will perform a proper squat and grab the bell with the gripped fist facing away or using a pronated grip.  Then the person in one continuos motion moves to a standing position at the same time pulling the bell from the floor and in a corkscrew motion rotates the bell to the outside of the forearm.  The arm should come to rest against the front of the chest and abdomen slightly off-centered depending on which arm is used.  Women should be conscious of having the arm off-centered slightly more than men for  obvious anatomical reasons.  Once the kettlebell is lifted to this point then all you have to do to achieve the static walking press is two things. The first, is to make sure before you do this that you are on a level and flat surface with plenty of walking room. The second, is to simply press the bell from the chest-level catch position to overhead with the shoulder and elbow locked into position.  From here all you have to do is walk the desired distance. Finally, just make sure to always lower the bell the same way in reverse that you got it from the ground. This is always a safe and correct way to unload the bell!

Finish the Drill!  With the kettlebell there is no halfway doing it! Note: this is the clean position.

Remember that strength goes beyond muscles!  Its an attitude, a discipline, and a swagger. Note:  The overhead press.

 

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The end of the (Pull) or the Swing.           (3)

Midway through the Arc of the Swing.            (2)        

The starting position of the Swing.           (1)