Kettlebell Side Swings
These swings are serious
Difficult and complex movement that develops awesome rotational strength and works and tones the shoulders, cores, and has extra focus on the sides of the abdominals
Summary
The Kettlebell Side Swing is a serious exercise that produces serious results. It is a variation of the standard kettlebell swing and is a bit more difficult given not all of your power is coming directly from the hips and has to be transferred in a different direction.
Key Points
Movement
Begin with knees bent with shoulders slightly more than shoulder-width apart. While keeping your back straight and grabbing the kettlebell by the handle, bring the kettlebell next to one of your knees on the outside, and keeping your arms straight, simultaneously extend your hips out and bring the kettlebell across your torso diagonally so that it is above the opposite shoulder from where it started. Then bring the kettlebell back in the opposite motion back to the same side.
Once you have finished your set, stop, bring the kettlebell to the other side, and then aim to perform the same number on the other side. NOTE – be very careful when bringing the kettlebell back close to the knees and make sure that it doesn’t crash into your knees or legs coming down. It is very important that you use light weight when starting out with this exercise and increase the weight slowly.
Muscles Worked
The Kettlebell Side Swings are incredible at working the quadriceps, the obliques, abdominals, hamstrings, glutes and back with specific emphasis on quadriceps, hamstrings, and obliques. These is definitely an exercise that will promote toning and strength development in those areas.
Primary
Secondary
Conclusion & How to incorporate
This complex and challenging exercise will demand plenty of energy to complete, but is incredibly rewarding due to all of the different muscle groups it tones. The rotational component of this exercise is also one not found in many others making it a very useful addition to most kettlebell workouts particularly if using kettlebell to help train for sports and other activities where power and rotational movement are needed. This kettlebell exercise is fantastic towards the middle of the workout.
Similar Exercises
We encourage you to check out these other kettlebell exercises if you have not done so already.
