Exercise Spotlight: Two-Arm Dumbbell Swing
Okay, so here's the first installment of a brand new feature on The Blog...The Exercise Spotlight. I'll be explaining, dissecting, (occasionally lambasting), and detailing a variety of exercises to introduce into your workouts. First up is the two-arm dumbbell swing.
The How-To: Get ready to jump up higher than you've ever jumped before...now go. At its root, that 's the simplest explanation of how to perform a swing. Squat down while scooting your hips and butt backwards, holding the weight with both hands between your legs and keeping all your weight on your heels (balls of the feet practically weightless.) Now, with minimal momentum, explode upwards almost coming off the ground.
By keeping your arms mostly straight (elbows not locked out, but not bent like a hug) the weight will travel in an upward arc, reaching a height anywhere from beltline to eye-level, depending on how much oomph you gave it. Very Important: Do not actively use your arms to lift the weight. They're only going along for the ride. The weight is being lifted by the amount of force you produce when you explode up.
On the descent, after the weight reaches its peak, be sure to bend your legs and "catch" the weight as you transition into the next repetition. Do not simply bend at the hips like you're reaching to tie your shoe. That would be murder on the lower back. We want one rep to flow smoothly into the next.
Fantastic starting position: Hips and butt wayyy back - weight on the heels, not the balls of the feet - ready to explode up.
Finish position: Standing upright - arms mostly straight - hips tucking under.
[My thanks to Mistress Krista over at Stumptuous.com for the pics. Her site is a phenomenal resource with tons of training tips for gals, but the info is definitely applicable to everyone. Actually, she's discussed swings in an article too.]
Main Muscles Involved: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, upper back, grip.
Common Variations: One-arm swing, kettlebell swing, medicine ball swing, swing to various heights.
Best Suited For: Use higher reps (15-50 per set) with light-to-moderate weight for a killer cardio session; Use heavier weight and lower reps (2-5 per set) for an explosive strength session.
Contraindications/Who Should NOT Perform This Exercise: Those with "delicate" lower backs (prone to injury or recovering from an injury.)
Fun Fact: The dumbbell swing is one of a select group of exercises that can give you a complete, full-body workout all by itself. Having a psycho day and find yourself with only 10 minutes to train? Try doing swings for maximum reps, nearly non-stop, resting only as needed. Problem solved. Not many exercises can do that for you (or to you.)
The How-To: Get ready to jump up higher than you've ever jumped before...now go. At its root, that 's the simplest explanation of how to perform a swing. Squat down while scooting your hips and butt backwards, holding the weight with both hands between your legs and keeping all your weight on your heels (balls of the feet practically weightless.) Now, with minimal momentum, explode upwards almost coming off the ground.
By keeping your arms mostly straight (elbows not locked out, but not bent like a hug) the weight will travel in an upward arc, reaching a height anywhere from beltline to eye-level, depending on how much oomph you gave it. Very Important: Do not actively use your arms to lift the weight. They're only going along for the ride. The weight is being lifted by the amount of force you produce when you explode up.
On the descent, after the weight reaches its peak, be sure to bend your legs and "catch" the weight as you transition into the next repetition. Do not simply bend at the hips like you're reaching to tie your shoe. That would be murder on the lower back. We want one rep to flow smoothly into the next.
Fantastic starting position: Hips and butt wayyy back - weight on the heels, not the balls of the feet - ready to explode up.
Finish position: Standing upright - arms mostly straight - hips tucking under.
[My thanks to Mistress Krista over at Stumptuous.com for the pics. Her site is a phenomenal resource with tons of training tips for gals, but the info is definitely applicable to everyone. Actually, she's discussed swings in an article too.]
Main Muscles Involved: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, upper back, grip.
Common Variations: One-arm swing, kettlebell swing, medicine ball swing, swing to various heights.
Best Suited For: Use higher reps (15-50 per set) with light-to-moderate weight for a killer cardio session; Use heavier weight and lower reps (2-5 per set) for an explosive strength session.
Contraindications/Who Should NOT Perform This Exercise: Those with "delicate" lower backs (prone to injury or recovering from an injury.)
Fun Fact: The dumbbell swing is one of a select group of exercises that can give you a complete, full-body workout all by itself. Having a psycho day and find yourself with only 10 minutes to train? Try doing swings for maximum reps, nearly non-stop, resting only as needed. Problem solved. Not many exercises can do that for you (or to you.)
posted by Chris Colucci at 12:12 AM
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