The Chairman's Fitness Challenge Blog

My current routine calls for dumbbell swings every third week, during the back/chest/abs session.  I can honestly say that I've never seen this exercise done before, and based on a single static picture it is awfully hard to figure out what the exercise entails, or why anyone would need to do it.

It turns out this is a great exercise for abs and back, basically all through the core.  It also hits legs and arms, so there are full-body benefits.  I have not yet quite figured out the right weight for myself but this seems like a good exercise to throw into core strengthening routines.  (Like many other complex movements, it is a great idea to start with light weights until mastering the movements.)  I will probably try this one out with kettlebells as well, and there are single-arm, high and low variations to mix things up a bit.

Chalk up another good discovery as a result of changing up my routine!  If you are interested in seeing a video of this one, check out Exercise RX or google it - there is no shortage of instructional videos on the differnet variants.