Move of the Week - KB Swing to Lunge Swing - 8/28

Coordination comes in many different ways. We use coordination everyday in the smallest of movements sometimes easy and sometimes difficult. The more we can test our coordination the easier those smaller easier movements can feel. This falls right in line with stability, balance and knowing where our body is in space. Sometimes it's hard to trust our feet and know where we are going.

This weeks move is a KB swing to lunge swing where we will have to focus on moving our feet and our KB at the same time. Starting off in a hinge swing we want to drive through our heals and push through our glutes to make the KB come up into a swing in front of us. As we do this we will step back into a lunge. The KB needs to switch to the same hand as the front leg as it swings down. We will drive through our front leg to swing the KB back up and step back into our hinge position catching the KB with both hands as we return to our swing. We will then repeat this on the other side so alternating our hinge to lunge on each leg.

The momentum and power is all going to come from our legs and the natural motion of the movement. We don't want to use our arms as this will create unnecessary shoulder tension and could lead to lower back pain. We want to maintain our best posture and elevate up through our ribs to keep our core engaged.

The challenge of this movement comes from trusting where our feet are going. We want to start off with our feet in a neutral position for our hinge. This will be about shoulder width apart. when we step back into our lunge our feet need to move in closer together to about hip width apart. Then returning to our neutral stance. This seems like a very small detail but can interfere with your swings and momentum if your feet aren't landing in the right place.

The swing will come after the footwork is down and work on creating power through the legs to move the KB. As our whole body moves together in unison we create a fluid, coordinated movement, that works the whole body. Even our brains will get a workout planning out this sequence of steps.

​Keys to Success:

1. Start in a neutral athletic stance with your best posture
   
2. Power comes from your legs and glutes
   
3. Posture and elevation engages your core and protects your back
   
4. Break down each movement to create a sequence
   
5. Trust your feet and have fun!