This is Part 5 in our 5 part series designed to help improive your golf game as well as build strength and conditioning. In this post we will cover the Double Outside The Body Swing.
We have collaborated on this series with Master of Sport, Mike Salemi (@kettlebelllifestyle) and Mind Pump Media (@mindpumpmedia), both are great follows on social media and full of knowledge about kettlebell and fitness. In order to prepare for this series, Mike Salemi went to the Titliest Performance Institute certification and completed his TPI certification which is designed to "teach professionals how to increase player performance through a deep understanding of how the body functions during the golf swing." (https://www.mytpi.com/certification). 14 of the last 17 Major Championships were won by golf professionals advised by a TPI certified expert. Combining the knowledge taught at TPI certifications with Mike's already indepth knowledge of the body and lifting will create an amazing series of posts designed to help improve your golf game as well as overall strength.
By Mike Salemi:
Double Outside the Body Swing for Golfers
Think you’re driving the ball long? Well think again. A fluid and powerful golf swing is one in which each segment builds off the prior, starting with the pelvis, thorax (chest region), lead arm, and finally shaft.3 And while the golf swing is a movement driven by rotational power, there certainly is a time and place for power exercises that occur in other planes of motion.
This may be appropriate for situations for example when seeking to avoid overuse patterns stemming from the same repetitive movement (i.e. pattern overload), or when we need simply need to build up a power deficit, and we are less concerned with it happening through a rotation.2
The Double Kettlebell Outside the Body Swing is a ballistic swing that focuses on loading the lower body in the sagittal plane (front to back direction), and mainly incorporates the muscles concentrated on backside - lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.
One reason why I choose this specific kettlebell swing variation for golfers specifically, is because many players exhibit a common postural fault known as “C-Posture” - increased rounding of the back during normal standing posture and also the position at address. C-posture restricts rotation, making twisting around a smooth axis all the more challenging.3 By positioning the kettlebells at your sides, this swing variation encourages an opening of the chest and elongation the spine, which is something wise to promote while lifting.
Read detailed description of this video below!
For this movement:
- With feet just narrower than hip width apart, stand 6-8 inches behind two kettle bells - handles positioned vertically.
- Hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes back. Once you feel a nice stretch in your hamstrings, start bending from the knees to reach the kettlebell handles.
- Gripping the kettlebells, depress your shoulders down away from your ears, lengthen your spine, and take a big belly breath. Next, gently draw in your navel towards your spine, increasing the pressure within the abdomen (this intra-abdominal pressure helps stabilize the spine).
- Hike the kettlebells high and back, and push the earth away as you begin standing tall. During this acceleration phase, deliver a quick partial (pressurized) exhalation breath, avoiding any breath holding, while also still maintaining trunk stability.
- Allow the kettlebells to effortlessly float to chest level.
- As you stand tall, without muscular effort let kettlebells fall with gravity during the downswing. Once they approach your sides, push your glutes back in a hinge pattern and once again feel the stretch loading happening in your hamstrings.
- Repeat for 8-10 repetitions, focusing on good alignment throughout, and a powerful “hip snap” as you quickly contract your glutes and quadriceps at the top.
Thanks for reading our five part series on kettlebell exercises for golf! You are welcome to send any questions to info@kettlebellkings.com or post a comment below!
WHAT IS NEXT?
If this is your first time reading one of our posts, we create kettlebell workouts in collaboration with kettlebell lifting champions and experts which are designed to give you maximal results and not take up much of your time. We send these to your in box automatically every week! We recommend you read more about receiving a quick, free, dynamic kettlebell workout every week you can click below.
Also, we recommend you subscribe to our posts so you can be notified when we publish helpful content for kettlebell workouts. We cover topics like technique, how to chalk a kettlebell, breakdown of kettlebell movements, strength building and kettlebell workouts for specific niches like combat sports and fitness competitions. Additionally, you can be notified when we publish new articles about specific kettlebell movements or techniques as well as niche pieces like this designed for specific training.
You can do that through the sign up form at the bottom of this post.
Resources
1. Blandine Calais-Germain, Anatomy of Movement. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, 2013
2. Chek, P. Pattern Overload. C.H.E.K Institute, 2000-2012.
3. The Titleist Performance Institute Level 1 Seminar Manual, TPI Nevada Star I, 2016
ABOUT MIKE SALEMI
Kettlebell Master of Sport and WAKSC World Champion Mike Salemi's road in strength and conditioning started at the age of 15 while competing in Powerlifting. Today, as a Sports Performance Specialist, Mike’s focus is primarily geared towards Kettlebell, Golf, and Combat athletes alike. By collaborating with industry leaders who share a similar vision of building more balanced athletes, Mike offers workshops on topics ranging from integrative kettlebell training, athlete nutrition, and shoulder & spine health.
Click here to read more about Mike, and to inquire about hosting a workshop in your area.
Kettlebell Kings has the most highly & frequently reviewed kettlebells in the world. We have free shipping in the US & Canada (www.kettlebellkings.com), Europe (www.kettlebellkings.eu) and Australia (www.kettlebellkings.com.au). Check out our 4,000 reviews for quality and customer service here!
