According to research performed by Dr. John Porcari, fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, your body works as hard doing kettlebell exercises as it does jogging six mph or biking 15 mph—all while making strength gains. Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop, benefits from these hardworking exercises and develops his core by performing a variation of Kettlebell Swings.
Like many athletes, Rollins relies heavily on his core to provide rotational power for batting and throwing. [Similar rotational skills include throwing a football, hitting a tennis ball and shooting a puck.] Instead of performing traditional Kettlebell Swings—where you begin with the kettlebell between your legs and swing directly in front—Rollins adds a rotational component by beginning with the kettlebell at his side. This not only activates core rotators, but also engages the legs, hips and upper body, making it an effective full-body exercise.
To see Rollins perform the Kettlebell Swings, check out the video above.
Sets/Reps: 3x10 each way
