Congratulations to Pavel Macek, StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor on accomplishing the “Sinister” standard! At a bodyweight of 151.5 pounds. |
| | | Speaks Pavel “Sinister” Macek:
My S&S quest training log has tons of notes. I promise I will share some of my insights in an upcoming article—how to progress from 40kg to 48kg smoothly, how to utilize Second Wind breathing drills, my peaking strategy, etc.—but for the time being, here is a quick tip on how to make your kettlebell swing stronger and safer.
When watching the swing, laypeople usually ask: Isn’t it dangerous? Aren’t you going to hurt your back when bending forward with a weight in your hands?
As all StrongFirst certified instructors know, the bending happens at the hips, not the lower back: it is a hip hinge.
That said, there are two brief moments during a set of swings when the girevik’s back has to deal with significant forces:
- During the very first hike pass
- When parking the bell
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| | You really notice it when the kettlebell is heavy relative to your bodyweight, e.g., when I did 10x10 with 56kg, which is more than 80% of my bodyweight.
The solution is breathing and bracing as you would before a heavy deadlift.
Hip hinge, grab the kettlebell, and instead of sniffing in the air during the hike pass, do it before.
Hold your breath for a split second and brace your midsection.
Then carry on as usual: powerfully exhale as you are extending the hips.
Repeat a powerlifting style breath hold when setting the kettlebell down after the set. Sniff in the air when the kettlebell falls, maintaining your vertical plank for as long as possible, but hold your breath for a tiny bit longer, keeping your midsection braced until the kettlebell is parked safely on the ground.
To master the technique, practice “dead” swings (i.e., single reps) in series of 5-10. Apply to both your two-arm and one-arm swings.
More tips and tricks in my upcoming article!
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