Hi guys, Kris from Custom Fitness here, your Amarillo personal trainer. Today we’re going to be wrapping up the two part series on how to maintain your form while you get into the swing. This will really get into the specifics of the wonderful exercises that you can do with swings. Now be sure to read part one if you haven’t already at the link here: https://customfitness.biz/2018/02/02/maintain-form-get-swing-custom-fitness-amarillo-personal-trainers/
And as always, if you have any questions about today’s blog then please give us a call at (806)-322-3188
So lets continue from part one and get into the action!
So you’re going to start with bended knees and a flat back to pick up your weight so that you pick your weight up safely.
You’re going to start with your feet hip distance apart at the least, and shoulder distance apart at the most. So you don’t want to be standing with a super wide stance, but you’re also not standing with your feet together. What this is going to do is provide you with the best base possible.
So we’re going to go through a straight leg swing first. So you’ll grab your weight of choice. I have my sandbag so i’ll just grip it at the top. And you want to remember that with whatever you’re doing with this that the momentum has to be there, but your form also has to be in check. In other words, when you come to the top of this movement with the weigh raised, you don’t want to stop and just hold it there. You want to rather use that momentum to let it swing like a pendulum back and forth.
Now, the other parts that you would typically have issue with on this exercise is remembering to keep a flat back to where your shoulder blades are squeezed together, and that your stomach is in tight. So that’s going to be your stabilization-your engagement that you’re aiming for. So stomach in tight, shoulder blades are squeezed back, and back is long and flat.
What provides the movement for this exercise? Well, some would say the weight, but it’s not actually able to move on it’s own. So the arms maybe? But then that won’t be able to provide the right push, and it will throw the body out of alignment. So what provides the movement? It’s actually the hips. You’ll use your hips to press back and to press forward, and that’s going to help the sandbag to get to where it needs to go.
So you’re going to start this out down low. So you have a flat back, shoulder blades back, and tummy in tight. You’re going to reach down with slightly bent knees, swing between the legs, press the hips forward to swing it up, and then you bring it back down.
So at the top you’ll notice that with a sandbag, that the sandbag stays straight up right as you swing up just a little bit and change direction, but the arms don’t go above the shoulders. Now you’re not trying to go over the head here, you’re just trying to go straight up.
Now when you’re pressing those hips to the back, and then you press those hips forward and that swings the weight forward, that would be a straight leg swing.
As you’re straight leg swinging, you’re going to be feeling that in the hamstrings as well, but you’re going to be getting a lot of work through that upper body.
So what else can you do with this? Well, if you have some hamstring issues, or you have some problems with locking your knees where they’re popping back which is never good, then you can easily add a squat in.
So you can squat at the bottom, bring it through the legs, bring it up at the top, and as you swing down you also go down into that squat again. And now you have a squat involved with the momentum. So you have the weight coming down and working the muscles, and then you’re pressing up out of that squat and working more muscles. And you get a lot of benefit with adding in the squat.
So there is one more progression that a lot of people like to do, and that’s going into a front squat.
So you do a straight leg swing into a front squat. And again, it’s just a little different variation, it’s something that you can kind of change up. However, I definitely wouldn’t do it if you are new to this weighted swing. I would make sure that it is something to where you can get comfortable with that swing first, figure out your form, and then go into different variations.
So you’re going to start out with that tight tummy, shoulder blades back, and a flat back. You’re going to swing between the legs with those knees slightly bent, bring it up, catch the bag, and drop down into a squat (the goal is to get your elbows to touch your knees, but it you can’t reach that’s fine). Then you’ll bring that bag back up, catch the bag, swing down, and then do it over again.
You want a nice, flat back the whole time, make sure that the body is stable, the core stays in tight, and that you’re really focusing on that backside.
So feel free to try that in whatever form or fashion you feel best with. And if you’re new to swings like that, then be sure to start off with those easier versions. Maybe do that squat to lift, then build into the straight leg, and then build from that into a straight leg with a squat.
So that ends the two part series on maintaining your form while you get into the swing! If you want to know more about Custom Fitness and what we do here, then please give us a call. If you’re wanting the accountability and help with creating an action plan to see results, or are wanting to someone to help create a workout plan to push you to your greatest potential, then that’s what we’re here for. We have an entire team of dedicated professionals to help you with your health and fitness goals. To get your consultation set up, give us a call at 806-322-3188 or email us at info@customfitness.biz At Custom Fitness, we are YOUR personal trainers in Amarillo, Texas. Have a great day.