Kettlebell Swings - Good or BAD for your back?

I don't usually post 2 blogs in 1 day, much less one week; however, this guest post by Geoff Neupert, Master RKC, answers one of the most frequently asked questions prospect students tend to ask their RKC instructors. 

"Will kettlebells hurt my back?"

[ SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Kettlebell Swings - Good or BAD for your back? (Surprising Results)

Happy Monday! 

 

I ran across an interesting scientific study this weekend. Here's why it's important to you. One of the reasons I went to the RKC back in 2005 was because the 2H Swing hurt my lower back. I just couldn't swing without pain. Weird, huh? Especially when you think about all the people who have "cured" their low back pain with kettlebells. So which is it - are Swings good for the lower back or bad?

 

In the study published in "The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,"(vol.26.1.Jan.2012), McGill and Marshall from the University of Waterloo,Canada, came up with some interesting conclusions.

They found that unlike traditional barbell lifting, kettlebell swings, the loads on the spines are

"inverted."Because of the arc-like trajectory of the Swing, there is relatively high posterior shear forces* in relation to compressive forces. *In "regular speak" shearing force is a force that can tear. Compressive force is just that - compressing material together until it explodes/ruptures.

 

In traditional barbell lifting, there are higher compressive forces compared to shear forces. So what does that mean? It means, according to the researchers that you should have sufficient spinal stability - and sufficiently more spinal stability to swing a kettlebell than lift a bar. 

 

So what's that mean for YOU?

 

1. Compressive forces are traditionally associated with back injuries - herniated discs.

 

Kettlebell Swings have low compression forces, therefore, when done correctly, they won't hurt

your lower back. They're more "forgiving" than barbell lifting. And that means that you can do a lot of them to strengthen your back and keep yourself from getting injured. This explains why so many people experience positive results from Swings.

 

Cool.

 

BUT...

 

2. Shearing forces can still cause back injury, so if you're swinging your KB and have back pain,

stop swinging!

 

Your pain most likely means that you either have insufficient spine stability and/or your technique

is incorrect. This means Swings actually ARE bad for your back in certain cases. And this explains why there are some people who find that Swings and kettlebell ballistics in general hurt their lower backs.

 

So...

 

3. If you even suspect you fall into category #2, you need to add in some spinal stability exercises and polish your technique. 

 

Well what about my Swing? Did it get better after going to the RKC? Did I have a spinal stability problem or a technique problem? I had been doing a bunch of spinal stability work so for me it was learning how to "wedge" myself between the ground and the kettlebell that cured my back pain.

 

Keep your eyes peeled because I'll be sending you some "interesting" ideas to help you polish your

Swing and your other kettlebell techniques.

 

Talk soon. 

 

Geoff

 

P.S. The other cool thing about this study is that Pavel was actually in it - I think he was

used as the control - but don't quote me on that.

 

Anyway, the point is, some of the numbers you can get with a Swing - especially 1 arm Swings, is quite

surprising.]

 Geoff is a veteran fitness professional of 16 years who's been all over the map: Personal Trainer, Divsion 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach, Competitive Weightlifter, Business Owner, Kettlebell Instructor, Member of the RKC Staff...

Geoff has created tons of fascinating online and printed resources on reaching your performance and body composition goals with the almighty kettlebell. 

Check out; 

Kettlebell Burn , Kettlebell Burn 2.0, Kettlebell Muscle, Kettlebell Secrets 

You can read Geoff's blog at Chasing Strength where he posts; "Cool Stuff To Make You Stronger, Leaner, and Even Better Looking…"

Strength In Healing Part 2

So the verdict on the left shoulder is mild degenerative arthritis. It is more than likely the result of taking a few hard hits during MMA class back in college along with poor exercise choices when I first started lifting years before that. Anything overhead is a no no right now; however, I see get ups coming back in the next few weeks with moderate press variations coming in as a close 2nd. Snatches are a different story.

Working cleans, swings, single leg dead lifts, FMS correctives and Indian clubs since I started feeling pain last week has really paid off. The swelling has gone down a bit, but I'm no longer experiencing pain on a consistent basis. "Better is better" says Brett Jones, Master RKC. I'm not one to argue with a master.

Moral of the story? DON'T CHASE PAIN.

The instant you feel new pain, this is a red flag that something is out of wack. Don't hesitate to make an appointment with a specialist. Of course, I recommend a clinician who specializes in Active Release Technique and/or is SFMA certified. Shots and pills only mask the real issue. If your here in Houston or the surrounding area, I highly recommend Dr. Chris Sanders and his staff at MultiSport Health Center. Dr. Sanders ultimate goal is to get you out of his office and back on the playing field as quick as possible. If you need his contact info or would like a referral, send me a PM.

When you play hard you WILL eventually need a tune up or minor adjustment. Don't let your ego keep you from doing what is best for your health and fitness.

Strength In Healing Part 1

So here's some great news. Apparently, I've injured my acromioclavicular (AC) joint.  According to Medscape, ..."the AC joint is located at the top of the shoulder where the acromion process and the clavicle meet to form a joint..."Several ligaments surround this joint, and depending on the severity of the injury, a person may tear one or all of the ligaments. Torn ligaments lead to acromioclavicular joint sprains and separations."

Not sure if you've seen me shirt less ( or really want to), but I've got pretty prominent acromion processes. They're the bumps on the inner part of my shoulders. It gives me the appearance that I swallowed a coat hanger. I've been on a variation of Coach Dan's and Pavel's "Easy Strength" Program with dead lifts,  presses, L sit chins, and swings and correctives done b/t sets. I woke up a few days ago with a sore lt shoulder and swollen acromion process that was tender to the touch. Supposedly, most injuries in this area are contact in nature. (i.e. contact sports, traumatic injury). I'm a bit perplexed because I can't figure out  how this happened. You think that I would recall taking on some type of impact trauma...unless I was knocked out in the process. 

Anyway, I went to see Dr. Chris Sanders at MultiSport Health Center who is SFMA and ART certified. He ran me through a few assessments and concluded that I've got  tear some where.

Awesome.

I'm going for x-rays today and I'm hopeful that Doc and I will resolve this issues ASAP so that I can get back into moving heavy stuff and accomplishing my goals.

In regards to this, here's the current RED LIGHT list;

presses

get ups

snatches

push ups

pull ups ( rows on the jungle gym don't seem to bother)

So that leaves the following as my GREEN LIGHT; (until I'm advised otherwise)

swings

cleans

dead lifts (KB variations)

squats

pistols

Indian clubs ( again, don't seem to bother) 

sprints

Obviously, I have to take time to heal; but at the same time, there's a lot I can work on perfecting in order to keep my strength and overall health on the incline. Point being, don't let an injury totally keep you from learning how to move well. Be sure that it receives the proper care and attention, but also concentrate on improving other movements. you may just find that the injury will heal faster....At least, that's what I'm hoping. 

If you've got experience treating or dealing with this type of injury, I would love to hear your thoughts. I would also love to hear about how you came back stronger after a set back like and injury, illness, or typical life. 

Best in strength and life.

X-ray results soon. 

 

HKC ROCKED THE LONE STAR STATE!

I can't tell you how honored I was to be a part of the 1st Houston, TX Hardsylye Kettlebell Certification. The caliber of instructors and attendees at Dragon Door workshops never ceases to amaze me. Senior RKC Franz Snideman brought his "A" game instruction, of course, and it was fun and inspirational to work right along side him, and fellow RKC instructors Ryan Grob, and Rob Exline. It goes without saying, that the quality of instruction and learning at an RKC cert is unbeatable; however, I was amazed how much I learned from being on the instructor side of the room.

 

Franz told me after the cert. that I would wake up Sunday morning with "HKC blues." I would compare it to the day after Christmas when you realize you have to wait 364 more days to experience the excitement again. Franz is coming back in April for to teach another HKC at Crossfit West Houston. Not exactly 364 days, but long enough. 

I would like to send out a big HARDSTYLE congrats to all the newly certified HKC instructors and if I can give you one piece of advice, it would be to start teaching people what you learned asap. Do not sit on this opportunity to help people. Get out there and spread the Russian influence.