Kettlebell Swings are an extremely powerful exercise for improving athleticism, posture, strength, and building a better butt.
Unfortunately they are also extremely dangerous…IF your body isn’t properly prepared for the task.
Far too many people jump right into kettlebell swings without proper preparation, hurt their back, and say kettlebells hurt them.
It was not the kettlebell’s fault–it was just a lack of proper preparation!
Today I’m going to teach you how to prepare the body to do kettlebell swings safely and effectively. This simple sequence will not only help prevent injury, but it will also supercharge any of your full-body athletic movements.
Let’s get right to it.
First, understand that the Kettlebell Swing is essentially the same movement as a deadlift. In fact, apart from the movement and position of the arms, it should be identical.
In order to perform this “hip-hinge” type movement safely and effectively, you need 3 things.
This would be fine, if hours upon hours in a seated position didn’t actively destroy all 3 of these!
Luckily there is a simple sequence that can address these 3 areas and get you swinging and deadlifting big weights with no pain or stiffness in the back!
Step 1: Mobilize the Hips with the 1/2 Kneeling Hip Mobilizations
Step 2: Activate the Glutes with Bridges
Step 3: Integrate new Hip Mobility with Core Stability during Push-Up Knee Tucks
Repeat for 2-3 cycles before your lower body power or strength movements (like KB Swings, Jumps, Cleans, or Deadlifts)
[Here’s the Sequence–pulled from my Kettlebell Essentials Video Series]
One of the biggest secrets to my success with training comes from these little extras. Sometimes I call it “mobility splicing.” Sometimes I call it “activation.” Whatever you want to call it, adding these little movements to enhance your main lifts is crucial for maximum efficiency, effectiveness, and injury prevention.
I first introduced this concept of mobility splicing back in my book Ultimate Athleticism–and I believe it is the holy grail of training and exercise. These movements stack the deck in your favor and are especially important for Kettlebell Training.
As always, the BEST way to get good at anything is through proper instruction. If you want a NO-BS, time-tested, how-to supercharge your training with Kettlebells, then I strongly recommend instant-download Kettlebell Essentials.
Better every day,
-Max