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Writer's pictureDave Hedges

Kettlebell Swing Tutorial part V – Double Swings

Where are my hands?

Where are my hands?


This is the final part of the Kettlebell Swing Tutorial series. if you missed the previous articles, here are the links:

If you’ve followed each stage through, you may well be ready for this final part, the double kettlebell swing.

Double kettlebell swings are far more intense, you’re not only using more weight, but the bells are able to move independently of each other. This takes extra stability through the body in order to maintain control of the two swinging wrecking balls.

Practising the double swing will develop a high level of strength and work capacity, it’s hard work, but it’s well worth it.

In the video I explain the three main methods for swinging two kettles. these are:

  1. Inside the legs, or standard double swing

  2. Outside the legs

  3. Alternating

The inside leg swing is the first one you should go to, it’s a natural progression from single kettlebell work to double kettlebell work. The inside leg swing is also the precursor to the clean, if you wish to add double clean and press or long cycle into your training, you must master this movement.

Obviously you will need a wider stance than with a single bell and it is very important to keep the core active.

The second style is the outside leg swing. This is actually a favourite of mine and a drill i utilise a lot. This requires a narrow stance, the bells will be swinging past the outside of the knees, so you want to keep them out of the way.

As the bells swing back, you must sit back, the arms should not go into hyper extension, sit back so that they are in line with the body. This puts a huge load on the upper traps, so expect to be sore the next day. From there explode upwards and let the bells swing.

The third variation is one I rarely see. It was taught to me by Vasilly Ginko several years ago and I’ve not seen anyone else use it. It’s the double alternating swing.

The set up is the same as the outside swing, except the bells travel in opposite directions, one forwards, the other back.

This is a fantastic core strengthening drill, especially for rotation/counter rotation. I do urge you to be very cautious with this, it can pull you off balance quite easily.

Done right this will build a great deal of strength and stability through the midsection, it’s a great drill for anyone involved in contact sports.

Here’s the video:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krvKjp9wK8g?hl=en&fs=1]

This next video is a bonus featuring some swing variations that are rarely seen or used. All the drills shown here move in the frontal plane.

Most exercises, including the majority of kettlebell lifts travel either horizontally or vertically in the saggital plane. These are different, they travel laterally across the body filling in a gap that may be left out in a standard training program. If you use Indian Clubs or Clubbells in your training, you may already be familiar with these moves.

They are: Lateral swings, Circular cleans and pummelling.

Each one of the lifts will require you to turn the hip and waist, which is the key to power generation in the real world.

Practice caution with these, ensure your technique is on point before adding volume or weight to the drill. If you rush into these you are looking at shoulder, knee or even back injury. Keep the shoulder blade packed down, rotate from the foot and hip to avoid torquing the knee and keep the core tight.

Then, have fun. Here’s the clip:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YolF5ysSwTI?hl=en&fs=1]

Regards

Dave

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