Muscles worked
In the dumbbell swing, your glutes and hamstrings supply the power. As you extend your hips quickly the dumbbell flies forwards, and on the backswing the same muscles load up for the next rep. Your back holds your spine still, your trunk braces at the top and your grip works for the whole set. Your shoulders only steer. A dumbbell is longer than a kettlebell and its weight sits further from your hands, so it needs more room between your legs. A common grip is to hold it vertically with both hands around the handle, tight under the top end.
Common mistakes
- Loose plates. An adjustable dumbbell can work itself loose as it swings. Tighten the collars before every set, or use a fixed dumbbell.
- The swing turns into a squat. If your hips drop straight down and your knees travel far forwards, your quads take over the work. Push your bum back and keep your shins close to vertical.
- The dumbbell hits your legs. It easily catches your thighs or knees on the backswing. Set your feet a little wider and let the dumbbell pass high between your thighs.
Variations and alternatives
- The kettlebell swing is the original, and the kettlebell's handle makes the swing smoother if you have one.
- The dumbbell Romanian deadlift teaches the same hip hinge at a slow pace and with a heavier weight.
- The devil press takes the swing all the way overhead after a burpee, a far harder option.
Sets and reps
The swing trains power and endurance rather than maximum strength, so the reps run high. A typical set-up is 3 to 5 sets of 12 to 20 reps, or intervals where you swing for 20 to 30 seconds and rest for as long. Stop the set once your arms start doing the job your hips should. The guide to sets and reps has more on choosing the numbers.
Dumbbells often come in closer steps than kettlebells, so you can add weight in small jumps instead of first grinding out many more reps. That is progressive overload with a single dumbbell. If your lower back hurts, stop the exercise and have it looked at by a doctor or physiotherapist.