Workout of the Week:

 

Kettlebell Swing

 

The kettlebell swing is one way to get those toned summer legs and tighten up that backside. Here is an explanation on how to perform the proper kettlebell swing:

• Hold the kettlebell with two hands. The bell should be resting in front of your hips, at arm's length.
• Take an athletic stance. Your hips should be a few inches wider than your shoulders. Squat to start the kettlebell moving, stand with your feet 6-12 inches outside of shoulder width on either side, each foot pointed outward about 30 degrees.
• If toes pointed straight ahead were 12:00 on a clock face, your left foot would point at 10:00 or 11:00, and your right would point at 1:00 or 2:00. Squat just low enough to start the bell swinging.
• Keep your head up and your eyes pointed straight. Keep your shoulders pulled back (retracted) and down to avoid rounding your back. Keep your lower back arched and push your hips back to initiate the squat. Do not let your shoulders go in front of your knees at any point.
• Thrust your hips forward to swing the bell up. Your chest should stay up throughout the swing. At no time should you use the strength of your arms to lift the kettlebell. Keep your arms relaxed and allow the kettlebell to swing.
• Squat to slow the bell. When you are through with your set, stop the swinging of the bell by asbsorbing the momentum of the downswing with your legs. Do this by squatting without reversing the direction into the hip thrust.

Try this kettlebell workout: Perform 1 minute of swings with 20 seconds of rest, repeat this cycle 3-4 times. You can attempt this 2-3 times per week to master your kettlebell swing! Keep an eye on form!