This, of course, is complete idiocy and claims like that are just used to sell more garbage from Dragondoor.
The problem I have with the swing is has less to do with the fact that it's simply swinging a bowling ball with a handle through the legs for countless repetitions, it's the name and the confusion associated with it.
--From here on, the traditional, badass Swing I am referring to will be capitalized, so as not to be confused with the contemporary swing.
The Swing is not a high-rep conditioning movement.
It was, at one point, a contested lift. The goal was heavy poundage, not "conditioning." (Note: What the fuck are these conditioning-addicted clowns preparing for? How much "conditioning" do they need?)
To find out more about the history of the movement, click these links:
http://www.usawa.com/history-of-the-one-arm-dumbbell-swing/
http://www.usawa.com/single-handed-dumbbell-swing/
http://www.usawa.com/the-one-arm-dumbbell-swing/
Numerous sites claim that the contemporary high-rep swing was performed by "old time strongmen."
Some just gloss over the slight differences between the Swing and the dumbbell snatch.
While they did perform one-handed snatches, they did not perform high-rep swings.
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| Even Mulder can't believe the shit he's reading... |
Complete. Bullshit.
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| "They're perpetuating lies!... AND MY SISTER WAS ABDUCTED BY FUCKING ALIENS! SHE WAS SPACE RAPED!" |
If I traveled by vehicle all the time, and had no equipment other than 1 dumbbell, then I would practice the Swing. I know a lot of Internet goofballs claim everything under the sun is a "total-body movement" but the Swing truly is.
Normally I'd snicker at a program that doesn't use the legs to an extreme degree, but I believe one could achieve decent strength and mass with the Swing alone.
If you're wondering how this shit was done, then check out this video:
The style employed in the above video is known as the British style. The weight is picked up with one hand and swung backwards to build momentum. Also, the dumbbell is unevenly loaded--the backside has anywhere from 10 to 40 pounds more weight on it. This really helps in getting the weight overhead. After the initial swing, the weight is heaved overhead in one fluid motion. The one problem I have with the video is his depth in the split... however, seeing as how that video is literally 1 of 2 videos featuring the Swing, I can't complain all that much.
The other style is known as the French style. When using this style, the weight is swung without the preliminary swing and is evenly loaded. It is more like a "neutral grip one handed dumbbell split snatch." I don't recommend this style because less weight is used, generally.
Now, let's say you're a traveling business person or something, and you travel around in your car. You still want to be badass, but the idea of doing bodyweight-only routines and shit like that makes you cringe, thanks to all the 135 pound pullup/pushup fiends that promote calisthenics as the Holy Grail of fitness. You have one dumbbell and roughly 1/2 to 2/3rds of your bodyweight in weight plates.
My advice to you is to perfect the Swing. Your entire posterior chain will be worked thoroughly, along with your shoulders/triceps (even more so if you lower the weight under control) and legs (assuming you split deep enough.)
"How deep should I split?"
As deep as fucking possible. Only a bitch would suggest otherwise.
Your split should look like this:
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| This kind of depth may not happen immediately, but it is the goal. |
If you're wondering what kind of rep scheme you should use stop right now and disregard reps over one.
Just do singles and switch hands every rep (or set).
20-40 work set singles (divided between both hands), with weight increases after every 5 or so singles would be my plan of attack.
This lift was at one time an Olympic lift, so treat it like one--do it all the fucking time. Do it as frequently as possible. On days you're too beat up to go heavy, practice with lighter weights.
Even if you're not someone who lives out of his or her car, the Swing could very well be a main lift if you're into "all around" lifting. It's a really fun lift to do and it isn't very hard to master.
Now get to Swinging the right way.
And for no reason at all:
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| Crying Mulder. |
For more on the Swing, check out these links:
http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2008/05/greatest-all-time-performers-in-one-arm.html
http://gubernatrix.co.uk/2007/11/one-arm-dumbbell-swing/
