American Kettlebell Swing

Set-up

• Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width, a kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
• Hinge at the hips and grip the handle with both hands.

How to do it

1. Hike the kettlebell back between your legs.
2. Drive your hips forward and guide the kettlebell all the way up until it is overhead, arms straight.
3. Let it fall back down in an arc, hinging at the hips as it passes between your legs.

Coaching cues

• Finish with the bottom of the kettlebell pointing at the ceiling, not over your face.
• The hips do the work: your arms only guide the bell.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back to reach overhead.
• Pulling the kettlebell up with the arms.

Safety

• If your shoulders don’t reach comfortably overhead, stop at eye level (the Russian swing) instead.