The next stop on the tour of my go-to workouts is the Double Kettlebell Swing.
The Workout
10-minute countdown: 12 Double KB Swings
How I Do It
After a thorough warm-up, I use double 53# bells.
Explanation
This may not look like much, but don’t underestimate it. If you’re not ready to swing a lot of weight, don’t. Don’t be an idiot hero; work your way up gradually. Respect form and don’t lift more than your core can handle.
Back to the explanation.
Set up with the bells out in front of you about two feet, then actively “hike” them back to start the rep. Then explode from the hips. You’ll need to take a slightly wider stance from your typical athletic stance required when swinging one KB. Otherwise you may whack your knees on the backswing.
ALWAYS maintain the natural curvature of your spine; think “arch” in your lower back. This is the spine’s strongest and most stable condition. And keep your core TIGHT throughout the movement, or you’ll end up injured. Don’t be sloppy with your form or you’ll regret it when you do this foundational double KB movement.
But don’t be frightened; just be smart. This is a fantastic exercise that is very demanding and has far-reaching benefits for your core, your lower body and your heart!
Last thing: as with all workouts like these, you can go for greater fat-burning and conditioning by going slightly lighter but doing 20 reps (vs. 12). If you’re going for strength, you can do 5 reps with a heavier weight. These are easy plans to tweak to fit your own personal goals. Have fun with it!
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