Do Kettlebell Swings Work the Obliques?

If you have yet to hear about kettlebells, chances are you've been living under a rock or at least been off the grid for awhile. Kettlebells are an old tool making a huge comeback, and for good reason -- kettlebell exercises such as swings are an effective and efficient way to burn calories and shed fat. Kettlebell swings are also renowned for working nearly every muscle in the body, including the obliques.

  1. Get Into the Swing of Things

    • Before you concern yourself with which muscles a kettlebell swing works, make sure that you can perform them properly. To begin, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell resting on the floor between them. Squat down and grasp the kettlebell with both hands in an overhand grip. Straighten your back, stabilize your abdomen and then lift the weight a couple inches off the floor. Allow the kettlebell to swing slightly to the back, then push through your heels to extend your knees and hips, propelling the kettlebell upward. Keep your arms straight as the kettlebell rises upward. Once it reaches shoulder level, swing the kettlebell back down between you legs while you return to the squat position. Immediately swing the kettlebell upward again. The power to swing the kettlebell should come entirely from your lower body while your upper body acts as a pendulum.

    Job Description: Support

    • The obliques are found along the sides of your torso and come in two layers, or heads: the internal obliques and external obliques. Both pairs of muscles work to support the abdominal wall, assist in forced respiration and aid in raising intra-abdominal pressure, all of which are necessary during kettlebell swings. Without the intra-abdominal "block" created during the downward portion of the swing, your torso could collapse forward causing your back to round and possibly resulting in injury. The obliques are also responsible for rotating and bending your trunk from side to side.

    Take Them to the Brink

    • While the obliques get a sufficient workout with kettlebell swings, you can take it another step and really exhaust them with one-arm swings. This exercise takes the same principles from the standard swing but ups the level of difficulty. Execute a one-arm swing the same way you would a standard swing, but use only one arm at a time. This variation will force the obliques opposite of the swinging arm to work intensely to stabilize the torso and keep it from twisting or collapsing forward. Once one side has reached the brink of exhaustion, switch arms and repeat the exercise.

    Start Small

    • Because kettlebell swings rely on the musculature of your entire body, you may be tempted to go for the biggest kettlebell available. This is fine if you're experienced in kettlebell training, but if you're a novice, think twice -- using a kettlebell that is too big is likely to result in injury. Instead, start with a lighter weight to learn and perfect the technique. Gradually increase your weight as your strength, stamina and form improve.