Tips for Avoiding Back Pain from Kettlebell Swings
In kettlebell training, it is common to find clients who want to skip sessions because their back hurts or even prospective clients being sceptical about hurting their back while lifting kettlebells.
However, back pain is not something that should stop clients or even you from enjoying kettlebell workouts. Kettlebell courses teach you all about identifying the causes of back pain and tips on how to avoid them.
What causes Back Pain while Doing Kettlebell Swings
The swing is one the fundamental kettlebell movements. However, it is also one of the most common steps that can lead to injury in the back.
There are several reasons such as wrong technique, lack of flexibility or lack of strength that may cause recurrent backache while doing kettlebell swings.
Following the Wrong Technique
Faulty technique is one of the primary reasons why many people suffer from back pain after doing a few swings. Here the wrong technique is often letting the kettlebell move away too further from your body.
If you are gripping the equipment the wrong way then it will be off your midline thereby pulling you forward more than intended. As you lean on your toes to maintain balance and then yank up the kettlebell upward, this sudden lift puts significant stress on your lower back.
Another faulty technique is swinging the kettlebell low while gripping it too firmly. When you do this, you are not allowing it to follow its natural arc; instead you are trying to ‘lift’ it from a low position which again puts additional stress on your back. The process of obtaining online kettlebell certification will cover more on this.
Tips to Correct your Technique
You will learn in your kettlebell courses that ideally you should try to move your body in sync with the kettlebell. You should know how to grip it the right way and allow your body to follow the natural arc of the kettlebell.
Your hands should stay relaxed while swinging the kettlebell and instead use the momentum of the kettlebell to move your body with it.
Lacking Flexibility
If your back is not flexible enough to follow the kettlebell as it swings upwards or sideways, it can lead to strain in the back muscles.
Often, people with rigid back find it difficult to maintain a neutral spine which means you have a tendency to lean forward or sideways while doing the swing.
Tips to Rectify
Kettlebell courses teach you that while lifting the kettlebell overhead, you should always try to maintain a straight line between the kettlebell’s centre, your spine, hip joint and the middle of your feet.
Lacking Strength
Often clients will try to achieve more in less time and thereby lift heavier kettlebells than they comfortably can. This is another factor for causing back pain as the kettlebell is uniquely shaped and difficult to move. Lifting a kettlebell that is too heavy puts additional stress on your back muscles making you susceptible to low back injuries.
Tips to Rectify
Obviously you need to gain more strength and stamina before lifting heavier kettlebells. Remember that healthy women can safely start from 8kg loads and men from 16kg loads. So build your strength till you can comfortably lift this minimum weight and then progress to lift heavier loads. Be sure to visit www.kettlebellcourses.com.au/melbourne/ for more kettlebell tips and tricks as well as visiting their Canberra location.
