kettlebell swing technique, legs straight at the back of the swing? (ivan denisov)

[pendlet0n]

I started personal training a few months back with an emphasis on Oly lifts (we incorporate some other exercises to just build overall strength, but 90% of the time is dedicated to lifting). I recently asked to learn some kettle bell techniques. Today was my first day and we mostly just worked on the swing (single arm swings, alternating swings) and a little bit of the clean. I'm trying to find some videos online to watch to help me out - but it seems like almost all the videos I come across, the person is in a mostly squatting position at the back of the swing (where the kettle bell is between your legs and back), but the technique I was learning in my training is to have your legs mostly straight at the back, and you are working on more of a rocking motion. My trainers were taught their kettle bell technique from Ivan Denisov, and he is the only person I can find using that technique. I can't find many videos of him doing just swings that aren't for competition. Is that technique called something specific/do you know of any other videos that show that technique? It's still explosive through the hips but you never get into that mostly squatting position, and with Ivan's technique, your arm that has the kettle bell in it - your elbow is pretty much staying pinched to your side, not lifting up off your body straight out to shoulder height like I see in 99% of videos. Not sure if this is just because I'm learning swings to set up for cleans/jerks/snatches or not - but if anyone could point me in the direction of more videos/resources with this technique, I would definitely appreciate it.


for reference, the video on youtube that shows what I'm talking about is called Ivan Denisov & Gregor Sobočan side view (can't post links yet!)

[JOoa0ky]

These are proper kb swings... working the hip hinge!

[pendlet0n]

These are proper kb swings... working the hip hinge!

that's not exactly what i'm asking about. i'm looking for more videos that use more of ivan's technique, i'm looking for technique where the sit isn't as low and and the arm stays close. my KB swings are to work into power lifts, and the way I'm learning, your hips are in more of the position they are for hang cleans (back, but not squatting). you still get power through your hips, but your legs are straighter in the back and definitely not leaning forward so far. i just don't know if the technique denisov uses is called something specific that will help narrow my search.

[BombDonald]

The way they taught you was how people that are training for kettlebell sport do swings, which is a method of CONSERVING energy to get more reps, more specifically a way of doing cleans/snatches without wearing yourself out. While it's not improper, you would be better of doing RKC style swings that emphasize the hip hinge.

Check out dragondoor.com for a lot of RKC stuff.

[pendlet0n]

The way they taught you was how people that are training for kettlebell sport do swings, which is a method of CONSERVING energy to get more reps, more specifically a way of doing cleans/snatches without wearing yourself out. While it's not improper, you would be better of doing RKC style swings that emphasize the hip hinge.

Check out dragondoor.com for a lot of RKC stuff.

ah gotcha, which is pretty much the goal of what i'm learning, as it is to work on my cleans/jerks/snatches to improve my barbell lifts and whathave you, not for the swing to be the main exercise i'm doing. is that technique called something/do you know where i can read more about it? i'm definitely interested in the regular swing, but there are so many more resources for that - can't seem to find much on what i'm learning in training.

[CookAndrewB]

I think you have to understand that swinging a kb is a little like squatting. Lots of movements can be classified as swings, much like lots of movements can be classified as squatting. Let me show you what I mean:

Valery Fedorenko


Your guys... which by the way isn't really a swing. This is a competitive lift for KBs.


American swing:


Something that I would call an "athletic swing" or Russian swing:


Point is... none of these are wrong. The example you gave have a slightly different form based on needs of competition (same with Valery Fedorenko). If you are just swinging to swing, the Russian/American styles are more common, but no more "correct" in terms of validity.