Glutes
Dumbbell Swing
One dumbbell held in both hands and swung up with a fast snap of your hips. It builds your glutes and hamstrings and gets your heart rate up at the same time.
- Works
- Glutes, hamstrings, core, lower back
- Equipment
- One dumbbell
- Load
- Light to medium
How to do it
- 1Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips, holding one dumbbell in both hands, arms long.
- 2Hinge at your hips and swing the dumbbell back between your legs, high up near your hips, back flat.
- 3Snap your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to swing the dumbbell up to about chest height.
- 4Let it fall back and hinge again as it passes between your legs, going straight into the next rep.
Cues
- Hinge and drive with your hips, not your arms.
- Drive with your glutes. It's not a squat.
- Stand tall at the top, like a standing plank.
Common mistakes
- Lifting with your arms. Your arms are just ropes. The hip snap is what makes the dumbbell float up.
- Rounding your back at the bottom. Keep your chest up and swing the dumbbell back high between your thighs, not down by your knees.
- Leaning back at the top. Finish standing straight with your ribs down and your glutes tight.
Easier
Go lighter and swing only to belly button height while you learn the hip snap.
Harder
Use a heavier dumbbell and keep every rep just as crisp, or go 45 seconds on instead of 30.
Try it: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
Can you do kettlebell swings with a dumbbell?
Yes. Hold one dumbbell in both hands and use the same hip hinge. It works the same muscles; the dumbbell just sits a little differently in your hands.
