Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing. Explosive glute and lower-back power. It works mainly the glutes and hamstrings, with help from the lower back, adductors, trapezius and forearm flexors.
Flawless ranks it by lifetime volume: Gold, the third of eight ranks, starts at 25,000 kg.
How to do Kettlebell Swing
- Stand with the feet a little wider than the hips and the kettlebell on the floor in front of you; hinge and grip it with both hands, back flat.
- Hike the bell back between your legs, then snap the hips forward to stand tall; the bell swings up to about chest height on its own.
- The arms stay straight and relaxed; the power comes from the hips, not from lifting with the shoulders.
- Let the bell fall back between the legs, hinging at the hips with a flat back, and repeat in a rhythm.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Glutes | Gluteus maximus |
| Primary | Hamstrings | Biceps femoris |
| Secondary | Lower back | Erector spinae |
| Secondary | Adductors | Adductores |
| Secondary | Trapezius | Trapezius |
| Secondary | Forearm flexors | Flexores antebrachii |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Explosive hips with a light weight
- Conditioning and strength in the same set
- Teaches a fast, sharp hinge
How Flawless ranks Kettlebell Swing
| Rank | Total volume |
|---|---|
| Bronze | start |
| Silver | 5,000 kg |
| Gold | 25,000 kg |
| Platinum | 50,000 kg |
| Diamond | 100,000 kg |
| Obsidian | 150,000 kg |
| Painite | 250,000 kg |
| Antimatter | 1,000,000 kg |
Flawless ranks Kettlebell Swing by lifetime volume: the weight × reps of every set you have logged, added up. The ladder is the same for everyone, because it measures work done rather than strength relative to bodyweight. The rank updates after every workout.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Kettlebell Swing work?
It works mainly the glutes and hamstrings, with help from the lower back, adductors, trapezius and forearm flexors.
How do you do Kettlebell Swing?
Stand with the feet a little wider than the hips and the kettlebell on the floor in front of you; hinge and grip it with both hands, back flat. Hike the bell back between your legs, then snap the hips forward to stand tall; the bell swings up to about chest height on its own. The arms stay straight and relaxed; the power comes from the hips, not from lifting with the shoulders. Let the bell fall back between the legs, hinging at the hips with a flat back, and repeat in a rhythm.
How does Flawless rank Kettlebell Swing?
By lifetime volume: the weight × reps of every set you have logged, added up. Gold starts at 25,000 kg and Diamond at 100,000 kg, the same for everyone.
Try it free
Free on Google Play and the App Store. The whole log is free; PRO is optional.