Stance: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
Bell placement: Place the kettlebell 12–18 inches in front of you on the floor.
Grip: Hinge at the hips, keep spine neutral, and grab the kettlebell with one hand.
Engage lats: Pack the shoulder down and back, like tucking it into your back pocket.
Hike: Pull the kettlebell back between your legs (like a football hike).
Hip drive: Forcefully snap hips forward, squeezing glutes and quads.
Float & switch:
As the kettlebell rises to chest height and feels weightless, release with one hand.
Smoothly switch to the opposite hand — no grabbing when it’s heavy.
Guide down: The new hand controls the downswing; hinge hips again and repeat.
Breathing:
Inhale on the backswing.
Exhale sharply on the hip snap.
“Hinge, don’t squat.” (Hips back, not knees forward.)
“Snap hips, let arms be ropes.”
“Switch hands at the float — not when it’s heavy.”
“Hips and shoulders square — resist rotation.”
“Stand tall, squeeze glutes at the top.”
Start with two-hand swings first. Progress to single-arm swings, then alternating swings.
Use a smooth hand switch. Don’t chase the handle; let it pass in the midline.
Choose the right weight. Too light → choppy swing. Too heavy → hard to control.
Use gloves or dry hands. Switching grip is harder if your palms are sweaty.
❌ Squatting instead of hinging → knees bend too much, back rounds.
❌ Lifting with arms → arms should guide, not muscle the bell up.
❌ Switching too early/late → only switch when the bell floats weightless.
❌ Twisting torso → keep core braced, hips square to front.
❌ Overextending back at the top → stand tall, don’t lean back.
❌ Gripping too tight → makes hand switches clumsy and tiring.