Dooley Noted: 10/2/2015
Today, I had the honor of assisting the Russian Kettlebell Challenge level one instructor certification for the first time ever at our facility, Catalyst SPORT.
Our master chief instructor, Josh Henkin, made a wonderful point about the value of the kettlebell swings that I had not yet considered.
He discussed the horizontal nature of the arc created by the swing, and how much it has carryover into sagittal plane movement in gait.
This made me think exclusively about how people don’t use their arms when they walk!
This just gave me one more reason to assign the kettlebell swing to my patients whose gait we are rehabilitating.
Watch the backswing, where the arm extension people are missing becomes prime focus:
And watch the upswing, where hip extension and arms approaching flexion is a prime focus:
Watching the person walk post-swing will typically result in more thigh and arm extension, propelling the person forward in gait.
If you have a client whose arms don’t move, the swing gets the arms moving more in the sagittal plane.
If you have a client whose hips lock up as they waddle, the swing can help improve hip extension while walking.
If you are not skilled in swing instruction, you can find a certified kettlebell instructor near you through the websites below.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
www.dragondoor.com
www.strongfirst.com