How Heavy Should You Kettlebell Swing?

This is a clip from Episode 18 of The Dan John Podcast

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Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.

Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. Dan is also a Senior Lecturer for St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.

His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad. He and Josh Hillis co-authored “Fat Loss Happens on Monday.”

In 2015, Dan wrote Can You Go? on his approach to assessments and basic training. In addition, Before We Go, another compilation akin to Never Let Go became an Amazon Bestseller.

In early 2017, Dan’s book, Now What?, his approach to Performance and dealing with “life,” became a Bestseller on Amazon. Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge became available in September 2017, too.

[aquilesvaestaya]

🤣🤣🤣 "I'm a pretty good swinger.... With kettlebells" That's a good one 😂

[philwhite]

"Take a moment to ensure your technique is spot on and there's value in going heavier that day." A key takeaway for every movement.

[jackmcqueen]

Dan I’m 71 and I’m swinging the 70 pound bell and I thank you for dissuading from going any higher.

[MoreVideo]

I always enjoy Dan's liberal application of sound principles and good sense.

[edwinkimmusic]

I use a 50lb kettlebell for swings and I do agree good technique is extremely important.

[Jamboydrum]

I get that foot cramp some times but I've only made the connection to Swings. Ah right!!! It's the same cramp I get when mountain biking a lot of fast downhill trails.

[gustavf.]

I've been doing fine with 16kg for 3 years now adding volume and/or complexity instead of weight because I travel a lot and can't carry a lot of weight around. I feel like I could keep going for a while and it's still a pump every time. KB swing is such an amazing thing.

[sexyliam]

I’ll use the 32 kg for single on swings, and on occasion, I do double outside the leg swings with 2 32kg bells. I never rep the doubles past 10, because form is critical (obviously) I’ll definitely do higher rep sets with a single 24 or 32 though.

[bacul]

That's such an interesting video! I use the 24 kg for swings, wouldn't consider mysalf a great athlete but I'm a big girl and i got a coach who keeps an eye on my technique so i guess it's fine

[medsurgcutie]

This is awesome content. Man you are spot on about the sore feet later that night. Now I know what's causing it.

[simoncanning]

Absolutely correct about the form at heavy weights. I was swinging two 25 kg bells. As soon as my grip started to go my form went and so did my back. It took around a month before I could swing again.

[samthesaxon]

I have a 48kg and I stick to Pavel's ladders so my technique doesn't falter. I'm 31 but also very short and heavy so it works.

[matthewhawke]

In my brief experimentation, it seems that if you want to go heavy and high volume with a kettlebell hip hinge, the DK clean seems to be the best bet. You can still move through them quickly, but there's a clear finish that allows the body to briefly "reset" for lack of a better term, and gives clear feedback to the posture being utilized.

[willagnes]

Just the video I needed while deciding on moving up from 32kg for swings.

[toddchamberlain]

Great podcast! No need to go heavier than a 32kg for sure. Thanks for the common sense approach sir.

[robbylove]

Keeping the soft elbows with a heavier bell and keeping it high in the hips is key for me

[michaelgagon]

Never knew you were a USU Aggie! Subscribing and hanging on your every word from now on.

[biscuitkiller]

At 50 years old I decided to set a goal of 50 swings of 50 kg(two 25 kg kettle bells). It took 6 months to work up to that. I did it but on the last rep of the second set, I was aiming for three, my forearms gave out and my technique suffered just a little bit. It was enough to pinch that nerve again. Like you said, it has to be perfect.

[robertwegner]

Great clip. I seem to get something out of your videos every time. Sign of a good teacher?

[miloqu]

Regarding your advice to avoid exceeding 32 kg for two-hand swings, does this imply that performing ABC with two pairs of 24 kg kettlebells is not recommended? Also, if a clean is considered a type of swing, as you mentioned, would it be inadvisable to attempt ABC with either a pair of 24 kg or 32 kg kettlebells? This point is a bit confusing to me.

I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you, Dan John, for all the invaluable guidance and support you provide. Your help means a great deal to me. Thank you so much.