Kettle bell swing and back pain

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  • debr1126
    debr1126 Posts: 28 Member
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    Same thing happened to me. This video helped 100%:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSB9q59Bcgo
  • zaellany
    zaellany Posts: 57 Member
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    The swing has to come from your hips, NOT from your arms (if you are holding the KB with both hands). You have to clench your butt cheeks and pop from the hip, I can't really explain it better. It's weird since your arms are swinging but it's more like a pendulum thing, sort of. And don't forget to bend your knees slightly on the down swing but don't drop too low.

    I love kettle bell swings and snatches.

    This is a great explanation of the mechanics of a swing, it is an explosive movement that comes from the pelvis. If your glutes aren't engaged, you aren't doing it right. I had a couple of training sessions with a certified Russian Kettlebell trainer and he told me the 15 lb bell I was using was fine - that whole thing about the "minimum weight" being 18-20 lbs gets people injured. I LOVE KBs and working out with KBs 2x a week is really helping my core strength. I have never had back pain after doing KBs but form is so, so important...I agree with getting some professional advice from a trained instructor OR, if nothing else, watch some of the kettlebell form videos on YouTube from people who know what they are talking about (there are certified instructors on there) before your next workout. Good luck!
  • mgottlieb50
    mgottlieb50 Posts: 4 Member
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    I've been dealing with back pain for a long time in my life. The problem is you can't have good form most of the time doing kettle bell swings, you have to avoid bad form pretty much always. Working with lower weight KBs certainly makes sense in terms of minimizing back pull and spasm risk, but form and keeping the back out of the upward thrust force effort of the swing is the key. In KB swings back muscle strengthening is evolved as part of the stabilization process, not as part of the swing force generation.

    I'm trying to increase my frequency of performing my KB routine and I'm finding that being really focused on form and hip energy generation is really essential to keep my back happy. Also both pre and post workout stretching with some back twisting stretches helps and KB weight warm-ups (rotational - for lack of the proper KB exercise term for these head, waist and between the legs (three different bi-directional sets) rotational orbits of the body with a KB at least 10# lighter than the 35# KB I use for single arm swings and cleans).

    KBs are such a wonderful work-out modality.
  • Froggymcconnell
    Froggymcconnell Posts: 92 Member
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    i will disagree with people who say 20lbs is too heavy - any lighter and you will be lifting the bell not swinging it - if the swings caused you back pain you are not doing them correctly - there are plenty of videos out there of people doing piss poor kettle bell form - Jillian Micheals springs to mind -

    My advice - find a certified kettle bell instructor in your area and get a few training sessions



    MOST instructors will tell you do not start with heavy if newbie!!! its about form to start! therefore using heavy asap will take away from form.

    Source: kettlercise classes weekly!

    as others have said make sure warm up and cool down is done and practice the technique and form.
  • h7463
    h7463 Posts: 626 Member
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    Hi there.... Everybody on this seems to blame the kettlebells for your pain... How about your form on the pushups...? I know from experience that those are more likely to break me than kettlebell swings....

    Get well soon!
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    I'm not sure I can afford a trainer now, but with the tips you're giving me now, I kind of think that I was not pushing the right way with my legs. I'll try to do it slowly to learn the good way to do it.

    When I get to higher reps levels or bigger weights, I'm literally coming up on my toes sometimes when I fire my hips out of the bottom. After that the KB should just move up to wear you want it. Arms should not be involved at all.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    Hi there.... Everybody on this seems to blame the kettlebells for your pain... How about your form on the pushups...? I know from experience that those are more likely to break me than kettlebell swings....

    Get well soon!

    Or, more accurately, no one blames the kettlebells. She stated that it was the KB swings that were the likely source. And between pushups and KB swings, swings are the most likely culprit.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    i will disagree with people who say 20lbs is too heavy - any lighter and you will be lifting the bell not swinging it - if the swings caused you back pain you are not doing them correctly - there are plenty of videos out there of people doing piss poor kettle bell form - Jillian Micheals springs to mind -

    My advice - find a certified kettle bell instructor in your area and get a few training sessions



    MOST instructors will tell you do not start with heavy if newbie!!! its about form to start! therefore using heavy asap will take away from form.

    Source: kettlercise classes weekly!

    as others have said make sure warm up and cool down is done and practice the technique and form.
    I know this is a zombie thread. I don't know what 'kettlercise' is but RKC certified kettlebell instructors will tell most females to start with a 8-12kg (18-26lb) kettlebell for swings. 20 is fine.

    http://www.ontheedgefitness.com/shopping-for-a-kettlebell/
  • ellew70
    ellew70 Posts: 222 Member
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    the best thing I can compare the motion to is what happens at the top of the range of a barbell deadlift,, where your hips pop forward to straighten you
  • h7463
    h7463 Posts: 626 Member
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    Hi there.... Everybody on this seems to blame the kettlebells for your pain... How about your form on the pushups...? I know from experience that those are more likely to break me than kettlebell swings....

    Get well soon!

    Or, more accurately, no one blames the kettlebells. She stated that it was the KB swings that were the likely source. And between pushups and KB swings, swings are the most likely culprit.

    Hahaha....Oh well...re-phrasing to 'blaming the form on kettlebell swings....'?
    I have trained a 240 lbs girl for 3 months, and believe me, kettlebell swings with something as low as 20 lbs were not her problem....pushups while lifting (part of) 240 lbs off the ground was a whole different story...and that's just the version where she was still doing them on her knees..... Just an experience that I had...

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