How Not To Swing a Kettlebell.

Stupidity is running rampant in the personal trainer and fitness world.
The ego of most gym rats and every other joe blow personal trainer and bootcamp instructor is too darn big to receive instruction in kettlebell techniques. Most of exercisers are under the impression that watching a youtube video or skimming a fitness mag that mentions kettlebell is comparable to receiving coaching from a trained expert.  As a result I've been seeing a lot of crazy jacked up kettlebell techniques that are guaranteed to injure everyone eventually.

Aside from absolutely ridiculous techniques like one-legged double kettlebell bicep curls on a bosu ball with tiny kettlebells ... my biggest peeve is watching everyone performing  the following version of the kettlebell swing (see if it sounds familiar)

The Jacked Up Swing
(a.k.a. How not to perform a kettlebell swing, a step-by-step guide to injuring yourself)

• Start with your back rounded, and legs straight or at least your knees jutting out over your toes with your heels raised.
• Stand up. Be sure to initiate the movement with your lower back, not your hips. 
• Shoot your knees forward, cave in your chest, let your shoulders raise up and outward away from your body. 
• Drag the kettlebell upward in a slow arc above chest level. Done slowly enough the ball will hang below hand level. Crane your neck way forward or backward. Either way.
• Let gravity do all the work on the way down, making sure to almost scrape the floor as it swings back between your legs. 
• Do about 3 to 5 reps, grunt and breath really hard like you're a stud performing a herculean feat of strength. 
• Set down your cute pink/yellow/orange/blue kettlebell that weighs 15lbs or less  and pace the gym like a caged animal psyching up for your next set.
• Be sure to play some really cool heavy metal in the background.
• Wear a UFC, Affliction or Tapout shirt. Pretend your'e a cage fighter.
• Spend the majority of the next week taking Tylenol and icing or heating your back and knees as you "learn" more kettlebell techniques from your Coach named "Youtube".

If this sounds like someone you know, it's time to find a kettlebell trainer that actually has been trained to teach safe and effective kettlebell technique.