Kettlebell Swing
A powerful hip-snap projecting the kettlebell to chest height — explosive posterior-chain power and conditioning in one movement.
Also called: kb swing, russian kettlebell swing
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Kettlebell a foot in front of you. Hinge, grip it with both hands, back flat, shoulders packed.
How to do the Kettlebell Swing
- Hike the bell back high between the thighs like a football snap.
- Snap the hips forward hard — the hips throw the bell, the arms just steer.
- The bell floats to chest height; glutes squeezed, body a standing plank at the top.
- Let it swing back and hinge — do not squat — into the next rep.
Kettlebell Swing muscles worked
The Kettlebell Swing works the glutes, hamstrings and core.
Common Kettlebell Swing mistakes
- Squatting and lifting the bell with the arms.
- Rounding the back at the bottom of the swing.
- Leaning back and over-swinging above chest height.
Scale it
Easier: Practice hinge + hip-snap with deadlifts and pillow swings first, or use a lighter bell.
Harder: Heavier bell — the swing is meant to be forceful, not slow.
Pairs well with
Back Squat
The barbell squat — the heaviest-loadable lower-body strength lift, building quads, glutes, and trunk strength together.
Deadlift
Lifting a barbell from the floor by hinging at the hips — the fundamental full-body strength lift for the posterior chain.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
The glute bridge on one leg — doubles the load on the working glute and exposes side-to-side differences.
Bird Dog
Extending opposite arm and leg from all-fours with a still trunk — back-friendly core stability and hip-extension control.