Russian Kettlebell Swing
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds drills like this into your personalized off-ice program, week by week. Your first week is free.
How to Do It
Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width. Bell on the floor slightly in front. Hinge at the hips, grip the bell with both hands. Hike the bell back between the legs like a centre snapping a football. Drive the hips FORWARD explosively — stand up fast. The bell floats up. Let the bell float to chest height — it's the hip snap that drives it, not the arms. As the bell falls, hinge back immediately — load for the next rep.
Why It Works
The kettlebell swing is one of the most explosive posterior chain exercises available — it trains hip extension power at high velocity through a ballistic hip hinge. The pattern directly mirrors the skating push-off: hips load back, then snap forward with maximum force. Practically every strength coach working with hockey players lists the KB swing as a cornerstone exercise. It is also one of the safest high-velocity exercises for the lower back.
Hockey Transfer
Hip-hinge ballistic — develops explosive hip extension without barbell load. Direct transfer to skating push-off. Cheap, simple, effective. Don't overthink it.
Coaching Cues
- "Hike between legs"
- "Snap hips through hard"
- "Swing to chest height (not overhead). Glutes and hams do all the work."
Common Mistakes
Squatting instead of hinging — hips go BACK first, then snap forward. Not a squat. Pulling the bell with the arms — the arms are just ropes. Hips do the work. Bell going overhead — this is a swing, not a snatch. Shoulder height is enough. Lower back rounding at the bottom — maintain a flat back through the hinge.
Progression / Regression
Single-arm kettlebell swing — adds rotational core demand and unilateral loading.
Romanian deadlift — teaches the hip hinge pattern before adding the ballistic element.',
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds exercises like this into a personalized off-ice program — created by a sport scientist and former national-team coach. Your first week is free.
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