The Kettlebell Swing Is NOT a Hinge!

[@slimsloth243]

One of your best videos... As an old guy that has done many different fitness modalities, I wholeheartedly applaud your approach. I would also add -- listen to your body. If you are forcing a position and it doesn't feel good - don't be afraid to modify. You might also find yourself modifying more as you age -- just keep up the consistency and the rewards will come.

[@Delakar79]

It's great to hear it said that we don't need to strictly stick to a specific form. That's honestly been holding me back, as I'm feeling I can't do the swings properly, and i only have a small kettlebell, so why bother, right? Even if the form isn't good, it's a fun exercise that works my body and heart, and that's what it boils down to. Keep it up. 👍

[@aravsingh24]

pff, regardless of what this guy says, learn proper technique and preferrably strongfirst.. and then also get playful.

[@terrancepinkney777]

Great info man I love the clear and easy to understand explanations. I just started using KBs at a part of my workout routines and I love it. I just wanted to make sure I'm maximizing my efforts and have the correct form. I love the distinction between competition and general workouts using KBs that made a lot of sense. New sub here!

[@LeoTheIronLion]

I love your videos. Your explanations of nuance, instruction, content, and presentation are all on point. As a new content creator in the space you are my current favorite inspiration. Keep doing what’s you’re doing sir. I appreciate you 🙏🏼🙂

[@davetravis5399]

Lebe mate. That was brilliant. I love the fact that i, we can focus on your voice, there's none of this awful distracting music. You are the future. Thank you, Thank you. 🙌👍🤝

[@lebe-stark]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DominicZaidan]

Debunking the bunk! Love it. Personally, if I try to make the swing into a squat, I'm putting my back in a serious risk of injury situation. Thanks for all you do, been going through your follow along workouts, different one each day to go through all and then repeat. They're fantastic! And passing your channel to my friends and family.

[@lebe-stark]

Appreciate your support, brother!

[@uncle0eric]

Thanks for this. I just started with KB and have been worrying probably way too much about incorrect technique.

[@lebe-stark]

Glad it helped!

[@wenhsin547]

LOVE THIS! I thought I’d just watch for a conclusion but this video ended up being a life lesson on top of a kettlebell video!

[@sethfarrell9605]

I find that the more I challenge myself with heavy doubles, the more I start to bend my knees. It seems that the more I have intent on going vertical instead of trying to swing the bell forward and pull it back, the more my movement turns more in to a jump. The right way is really the way that works for you. Guide lines, not rules.

[@lebe-stark]

"Guide lines; not rules…" You win with this statement, brother!

[@sethfarrell9605]

Yes, I win! It's so hard to properly articulate some of my ideas on KB stuff. I'm glad I hit this one.@@lebe-stark

[@tommarchand4683]

Gregory, excellent explanation as always! When all is said and done, there's 'perfect' form and then there's what's perfect for each of us. It's so great to hear from someone who's not so buried in dogma that he understands that since no two people are exactly the same, there has to be a range of what is safe technique. Thanks and keep up the great work.

[@lebe-stark]

Appreciate your feedback, Tom! Thanks for sharing! 💪

[@eowyn237]

This entire comment section is super helpful!

[@lebe-stark]

Glad you think so!

[@eamonob84]

Great video and a very important topic. I certainly find myself to be a hybrid kettlebell athlete. I do my two hand swings and double long cycle with a hardstyle hinge (though not quite as sharp of a snap; maybe a little closer to your hip extension on the hybrid swing) and my one arm swings, long cycle, and snatch with the sport style pendulum. I find benefits to both. My hardstyle hinge is certainly a hinge and not a squat, but I tend to bend my knees quite a bit, kind of like Coach Louka does. I think it was either Louka or Joe Daniels that said as long as you’re keeping your back safe and not hurting yourself, differences in technique from person to person are absolutely fine.

[@lebe-stark]

The only evidence we have about the Swing being a safety issue, is from McGill's paper. The rest can be summed up with one sentence: You injure yourself if load exceeds capacity.

[@keijoiisakka2788]

The best explanation I have seen about the hinge of the swing. Ive seen that my hinge is a little bit different just naturally, depend the weight of the bell.

[@AlanChunkyMunky]

concise AND nuanced. love it, great video!

[@bthompson1229]

Thanks for the great demo of different techniques

[@lebe-stark]

Glad you liked it!

[@chilljlt]

Wow! what an incredible response video! Balanced and informative. Been training KBs for 4 years. Leaned so much, thank you!

[@lebe-stark]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@davidchung3923]

I came across this video two weeks ago and I was certainly curious about it and how other kettlebell experts would react

[@glynhannaford7332]

Guilty of misquote here. The guy didn't say 'knee flexion', he said 'forward movement of the knee'. Whilst these two things are related, strictly speaking, they are not the same.

[@moversodyssey]

Great video, thank you for all you add to the community!

[@lebe-stark]

Thanks, brother! Your latest video about the Swing was awesome! Where are you from and are you a coach as well?

[@moversodyssey]

@@lebe-stark Glad you enjoyed it! I'm from the U.S. and I used to coach boxing, parkour and gymnastics for many years. Now I'm a neuromuscular therapist, but I've been heavily utilizing kettlebells the past few years while rehabbing and they have really impressed me. Your channel has been an invaluable resource along the way, thanks for the honest and analytical content.

[@lebe-stark]

Would you be interested in having a conversation about kettlebells on our podcast?

[@garymoore3446]

Thank you

[@hansmemling2311]

Okay wow this fixes my lower back problem. I hurt my back doing by using the hinge method. I now tried the “deadlift” method. Oh my God, it’s painless!

[@lebe-stark]

More power to you!

[@miked4309]

yes! this is the video i saw. i tried to do a squat move into my swing and it was very strange. i like the way i do it. it took me a long time to get decent at it. i agree with the notion that many people do it different and if it has benefits and no injury than thats fine.

[@jordangray6623]

Just started getting into 2 kettle bell swings a week ago. Still tryna get a feel for form but I always feel like I’m getting the hang of it when I drive my feet into the ground, everything else sort of flows.

[@hotstuff697]

My hips have always been above my knees

[@Fuzzball]

I've wondered why your swing is often more like hinge/RDL as opposed to the hardstyle deadlift position or the sport-style pendulum swing. Thanks for clearing this up.

[@lebe-stark]

Good point! We could call this variation the "RDL Swing" as well! lol

[@thebiggestpanda1]

He wasn’t saying to squat the swing. He was saying that not allowing the knees to bend sufficiently can put your back in danger when using heavier weights. Instead you should allow the knees to bend almost putting you in a position as if your squatting went down in the hole. It’s still a full hinge but you’re allowing for slightly more knee bend when using heavier weights.

[@paddiemellon1413]

Very nice video, it's too easy to fall into the trap of perfect form. Phil Daru does a lot of kettlebell work specific for MMA. He did a vlog on HIIT kettlebell training in which he does swing to squat - it's hard!

[@lebe-stark]

Swing To Squat is a different animal!

[@Voidrunner01]

I actually challenged him on that one as well, and it frankly seems like it's more a question of language than anything else. He refers to any bending of the knees as a squat because he thinks that provides people with a better cue. I disagree, but... Yeah. I call it a hinge, even though there's some knee flexion, because the focus is still to hinge at the hips, and realistically you HAVE to bend your knees just a little to hinge past a certain range of motion. Just like a conventional barbell deadlift is a hinge too, even though you have to bend your knees to reach the bar. The actual range of motion on the knee bend is so small compared to an actual squat that I'll happily argue that it remains a hinge and not a squat.

[@bunklypeppz]

I agree that it's largely semantics in this case. What the guy in the other video refers to as a "squat" is not what I would consider to be a squat-swing. A lot of hip hinge movements involve bending the knees as well, but they are still considered hinges rather than squats; an obvious example is a conventional deadlift.

[@lebe-stark]

I was thinking about including the perspective of the Squat being semantics in the context of this video. Glad to see it pops up in the comments! Thanks for sharing! 💪

[@thebiggestpanda1]

Yeah he’s really not talking about a squat even though he uses the word. He was really only saying that you need to be OK with allowing more knee bend at the bottom when using heavier weights to protect the back.

[@maverick_4]

Very interesting. I do mostly hardstyle swings but I'm one of those that Dr McGill talks about with the disability I have. I tried for nearly 3 years to get my body to swing as described by strongfirst. I could never go heavier than the 16kg (and I'm not weak. Several years of powerlifting). Until I started squatting my swings. My swings look just like a regular hardstyle 2 hand swing but the very initial start of my swing I initiate from the quads and then fire my glutes a fast as possible after the quads. It took me a long time to do this consistently but I'm swinging the 40kg now in a matter of months after "perfecting" my technique. And zero pain in my back when swinging.

[@lebe-stark]

Try a softer swing without the explosive hip snapping and see how your back feels.

[@maverick_4]

@@lebe-stark I've been watching your channel for a few years now and I like your system. In the meantime I set my goal at achieving the simple standard for this year because of the fact that I've had so much trouble tweaking my form and progressing that I'm determined now to achieve "simple" in spite of my disability. Then my plan is to move away from purely hardstyle to more of your hybrid style but I just gotta achieve my goal first. I hope that makes sense. It took me almost 3 years to swing heavier bells without pain and now that i can i have to finish what I started.

[@daleskinner-l4k]

Great video!

[@lebe-stark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@eowyn237]

I wish I had seen this before I forced myself against my better judgement in training and injured my hip/back! 🫠 How important is horizontal back during hardstyle kettlebell swing, would you say? I was getting some good/powerful feeling swings, but then I realized my back wasn’t going much below a 45 degree angle. Is that something that can just come with practice? I’m almost quite long waisted, so could that make a difference? Obviously the chief answer is does it feel comfortable, but obviously there can be further nuance. Thanks for all the excellent information you share!!

[@lebe-stark]

You're welcome!

[@chilljlt]

excellent

[@TRWperformance]

Best KZbin KB videos 🔥🔥

[@SeriousMFBlack]

I saw this last night was hoping you would get it

[@scraps4019]

Liked and saved!

[@WarDog-x3n]

Bravo!

[@brendascott9738]

CrossFit squatty swing…works for me 🤷‍♀️

[@jackjack3874]

As long as you keep it safe you can swing with different mindsets... a stiffer leg will work your muscles different than a slightly more bent knee.. who is to say that even performing it more squat like and engaging your quads too is wrong as long as you keep it safe? my personal preference is hinge with a slighlty more bent knee.. but that s just it... a preference

[@lebe-stark]

👉 E-Book - www.lebestark.ch/startseite-english/kettlebell-code-e-book/

[@jackjack3874]

@@lebe-stark Thanks for the link. I may buy it at some point

[@lebe-stark]

It's free for a limited time

[@jackjack3874]

@@lebe-stark It is not free for me.. it is 19.90.. nevermind.. not trying to get a freebie.. I appreciate your effort

[@lebe-stark]

Once the timer is up, it forwards you to the paid version. Funny thing though, I wanted to comment something different but my KZbin app messed up and posted this comment under your thread. lol Thanks for sharing! 💪 @@jackjack3874

[@oradtke]

Is your form correct? Your arms are flexing dramatically with the 62 kg kettlebell. Would it be more beneficial to master a lower weight with straight arms---after all, the explosive force is developed with the hip thrust.

[@lebe-stark]

My form is absolutely solid. For reference, watch this part of the video: 06:49

[@ianelliott8720]

How do you get hurt with kettlebells? Too much, too soon, too sloppy. The best voices for longevity might be Pavel and Dan John.

[@lebe-stark]

The best voices for longevity are the sages in our comments, who are 60/70+ and who have been training all their life.. 🔥

[@marksteven6116]

Hope thrust 😊

[@marksteven6116]

Hip thrust

[@utubepunk]

Your closing there was giving me Bruce Lee vibes.

[@lebe-stark]

Why so, brother?

[@bolandbohlecke]

I tought the same, kettlebell jeet kune do! Use what's the best for yourself!

[@utubepunk]

​​@@lebe-starkAt 6:50 you were talking about how dogmatic adherence to traditional kettlebell masters isn't the best path forward & how you were able to be more open minded & separate the competition from the general fitness use. Reminded me of Bruce Lee ditching the rigid classical mess for a more hybrid system he called Jeet Kune Do.

[@lebe-stark]

Not only do I follow in his footsteps when it comes to body type. It also seem, I'm coming close to his philosophy. Adding his books to my wishlist ASAP! Thanks for sharing! @@utubepunk

[@utubepunk]

@@lebe-stark I had a copy of _The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do_ when I was a kid in martial arts. It got heavily worn. About 5 years ago I found a hardback special edition on the official Bruce Lee website & treated myself. The edges are gold & it comes with a slipcase. True work of art for a classic martial arts & philosophical book. shop.brucelee.com/product/XLAM0639/tao-of-jeet-kune-do-expanded-limited-edition

[@Raven_of_Doom]

I suggest we rename this the "Stark Swing" as nearly everyone does it wrong.

[@lebe-stark]

Exactly, friend! You're not the only one being held back from these overarching principles of "perfect form." Experience shows, that perfection is not necessary… So keep going, you got this!

[@jeremytee2919]

This vs that, The most consistently incorrect concept in fitness. “This” is good Often does not mean “that”is bad. The ability to swing a kettle bell from both a sit and hinge position is better than only being able to perform one or the other. In the field, whatever angle of force nature throws at you, decides which mechanic is the more efficient one.

[@lebe-stark]

Agree!

[@rodneybosch7290]

I noticed when you did the heavy KB swing .Your arms are bent. So when I do the swing on any weight, should my arms be bent?

[@lebe-stark]

Swing however you want friend. Focus on the hips/ hinge and let the arms flow with it.

[@timmurphy3769]

Any questions about kettlebells? Answer : Pavel Tsatsouline...

[@lebe-stark]

LOL

[@thephotochad]

Just do the Ketllebell Swing with the best form you can. As long as you do this, you'll become a better athlete and even a better lover with delicious glutes that the world will envy.

[@lebe-stark]

Very true!

[@DominusFeles]

@5:57 mic down!

[@lebe-stark]

The litteral definition of a Mic Drop! lol

[@DominusFeles]

@@lebe-stark How could I miss that opportunity of a literal word joke! Dang!

[@marcinmarcin1218]

Does kb swing increase punching or kicking power ?

[@lebe-stark]

It helps with your GPP (General physical performance)

[@hansmemling2311]

You can try Fyras Zahabi’s kettlebells for a stable life at his website for that. I did and he gives exercises to enhance punching performance.

[@The-Contractor]

McGill's article is typical of why people need to learn how to do correct research. His study focused on outliers with zero potential to generalize to the population at large. Certain people are also susceptible to myocardial infarction when they sneeze. Not really something I want to base my physical being on.

[@lebe-stark]

You're raising a valuable point! I hope we can somehow be of help, when it comes to studying the landscape of kettlebells better!

[@Blue.Crawler]

how do you feel about squat swings? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmbTlH-ZiNt8fbMsi=y0-VUhXCMDI_MRRA&t=23

[@lebe-stark]

That's a completely different beast!

[@chocolatecosmos1424]

Pavel said the KB swing is a hinge. I don't care if Jehovah himself tells me its a squat, it will still be a hinge until the end of time.

[@lebe-stark]

Putting any person on that high of a pedestal is detrimental to one‘s learning journey.