Kettlebells are one tool used in the metabolic conditioning of athletes. Some of the exercises that are specific to kettlebells lend themselves to a conditioning workout. One of these exercises is the kettlebell swing.
The kettlebell swing involves standing up. It uses most of the muscles of the body. It can be performed rhythmically in nature, so it lends itself to being done for periods of time (for example, swing for 60 seconds). For all of these reasons, it is an ideal metabolic conditioning exercise.
For these reasons, it also lends itself to being used by smaller teams in a team strength and conditioning setting. The challenge with using kettlebells in a large team setting like football is that you would have to have enough kettlebells, of the correct weight, to allow a significant part of the team to train at one time. But, in a team setting with 10-20 athletes training at one time, this is not as big of an issue as you’d need enough kettlebells for 4-5 athletes at a time to use them.
If we are using the swing as a conditioning tool for athletes, then the exercise needs to be performed athletically. This means the athlete should approach the kettlebell and take an athletic stance:
- Chest out, shoulders back
- Feet between hip width and shoulder width apart
- Hips pushed back slightly and knees unlocked
From here, the athlete should pick up the kettlebell and hold it between their legs. Arms should be straight but not locked out. Keeping their knees unlocked, the athlete will push their hips back, which will force the kettlebell back as well. Without pausing, the athlete will extend their hips which will “swing” the kettlebell forward until the arms are parallel to the ground. There is no need to swing the kettlebell higher than that.
This exercise can be done for conditioning, in which case it is performed rhythmically. This means performing it nonstop for a period of time. Typically this is going to mean lighter weights. It can also be performed as a strength movement, in which case it will be performed as a series of repetitions with a pause between each rep (push the hips back, extend the hips and swing the kettlebell, reset, repeat) shooting for three to six repetitions per set with a heavier kettlebell.
