The swing lift is a great favorite in France, the weightlifter and barbell-maker Alan Calvertwrotein 1911.
He described it rapidly coming into favor in England, along with the snatch lift.
And I say we should bring it back.
The history of the dumbbell swing
The swing is a dumbbell lift.
You could do it with a single dumbbell, or with two at a time.
Before loadable barbells were common, a lot of weight-lifting was done one-handed, often with large dumbbells.
Today, heavy one-handed lifts are pretty much unknown outside of a few circles of kettlebell enthusiasts.
But the dumbbell swing requires you to counter the arc of the bell with your own bodyweight.
Calvert writes that a 150-pound man swinging aloft a 140-pound dumbbell would be a star in this particular lift.
Its good to learn both.
…the lifter will stoop down and grasp the bell with one hand immediately behind the front sphere.
There are a few ways to do the catch.
Its also possible to catch a dumbbell swing in a lunge position, much like asplit jerk.
A note on safety: You dont want to lose your grip in this exercise.
And if you load an adjustable dumbbell for this, check that the collars are very secure.
Benefits of the dumbbell swing
Besides looking cool, what is the dumbbell swing good for?
A lot of things, it turns out.
For one thing, its an explosive movement.
Kettlebell swings and dumbbell snatches have long been favorites; the dumbbell swing combines elements of both.
And finally, stabilizing the bell overhead works your arms and shoulders.
The asymmetrical load of a single-arm swing challenges core muscles like the obliques.
Go with double dumbbells, and it’s possible for you to increase the total load.
For me, swinging a single 60-pound dumbbell is tough; thats just about my max.
Its a great alternative to the burpee, or you might evencombineit with burpees for a particularly hellish workout.
(The squat catch is often left out, but otherwise its the same move.)
