Background

The purpose of this blog is to discuss your health and wellness. Everything from nutrition, to manual therapy, to CrossFit to Functional Movement Systems as well as pain and injuries.

Mini-Bio
I was raised in northern Virginia and played every sport they'd let me. I injured my low back/hip while playing baseball at Radford University in Virginia. I was treated by a physical therapist, an orthopedic, a primary care md, and an athletic trainer, but no one made the difference for me until I got chiropractic treatment. That day I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I'm a fitness consultant and sports chiropractor in South Florida and I'm dedicated to helping people maintain the well-oiled machine that their bodies could be. I'm certified as a Functional Rehab specialist, a Titleist Performance Institute golf fitness specialist, an Active Release Technique provider as well as a former personal trainer. To contact me, log onto www.mobility-4life.com or email me at drscotthoar@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Kettlebell Swings


I am ready for the world to stop doing isolation movements while working out.  Bicep Curls, Triceps Extension, Hamstrings Curls....oh c'mon really?  That was what the 90's were for.  "I do chest and tri's Monday/Thursday and I do Back/Bi's Wednesday Friday.....Tuesday is for my left calf and Saturday is for my right calf....."

Alright that might be going a little too far with it but still I'm ready for the exercise community to fully embrace full body movements aimed at strengthening, stabilizing, and conditioning as opposed to 'really hammering that specific muscle'.  Full body movements lead to greater hormone releases (which is what leads to muscle growth), better cardiovascular conditioning, a more proportionate build, and less fat.  What's not to like?

So today I thought I'd preview one of the best exercises out there:  The Kettlebell Swing

The Kettlebell swing is a fantastic whole body exercise that utilizes hip extension (remember your butt?)  to initiate a force that transfer up your spine(a great core exercise), out your arms (shoulder and arm strengthening) and into a kettlebell that swings over your head.  It requires a bit of coordination because the bell will swing back down for you to repeat the process as much as you can.  The more you do, the better your conditioning is.

Troubleshooting 101
The most common mistake I see is that people don't use hip extension to initiate the momentum of the swing.  They use a squat and their lumbar spine.



Rule #1 - Don't squat, keep your hips at the same level at all times

Rule #2 - Make sure the hips pop first, then the kettlebell swings upwards, not the other way around.


For any questions or concerns, please contact me at drscotthoar@gmail.com, and to schedule an appointment in Boca Raton, FL please dial 561.997.8898. To check out more visit www.Mobility-4Life.com








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