Kettlebell Swings: Not for Everybody

Kettlebell swings are a great exercise for improving hip and leg strength.  They incorporate a speed and power component in an easy to teach and execute lift.  Many strength coaches use them as an alternative to Olympic style lifts in their programs.  This is often the case for training adult clients or athletes with limiting injuries.  Particularly those with upper extremity range of motion limitations.  Also, there are some coaches that do not have the desire or the skills to teach Olympic style lifts and they view swings as a great option.

However, I do not think they are for everybody and there are times when the swing may be contra-indicated.  This is especially true for athletes with lower back pain.  Anybody that has back pain due to a lack of lumbar stability may struggle with kettlebell swings.  This is because the swing has a unique way of loading the lumbar spine relative to more conventional barbell lifting. The kettlebell swing has high posterior shear forces in relation to the compressive forces that are produced.

To quote Stuart McGill and Leigh Marshall:

...the most important finding was the interplay between low back compression and shear forces that are not observed during low back extension dominant exercises such as lifting a bar, or squatting.  The swing incorporates an inertial component to the kettlebell such that the centrifugal forces and the forces needed to accelerate the bell through its arc like trajectory cause relatively high posterior shear forces in relation to compressive forces.

Therefore, any athletes that have poor movement patterns while squatting or lunging are most likely not candidates for the kettlebell swing.  Rather, work needs to be done to correct these faulty patterns and ensure that the athlete is capable of hip hinging without allowing excessive lumbar motion.  Dr. McGill goes on to recommend these athletes are started with 'short stop squats' before progressing to swings.

I think its important to remember that not every exercise is good for every athlete.  Be selective when programming, especially for athletes with a history of lower back pain.  Sound movement patterns are essential for the correct execution of kettlebell swings.

McGill, Stuart and Marshall, Leigh.  "Kettlebell Swing, Snatch, and Bottom Up Carry:  Back and Hip Muscle Activation, Motion, and Low Back Loads".  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.  Volume 26. No. 1. (2012): 16-27. pdf.