Common Mistake
Curling instead of rowing to keep the weight closer during the Pendulum swing, clean, or snatch.
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Solution
Use the muscles at the back, do not involve the elbow flexors to bring the weight in, and use the acceleration pull to guide the weight in a different trajectory (closer).
Description
For the clean and the Pendulum swing, the weight should stay closer to the body. The objective for the clean is to keep it close so that the weight doesn’t have to travel all the way in, resulting in banging. The Pendulum swing is the foundation for the Pendulum Clean and Snatch; hence, the weight should not travel out and away like in a conventional swing for fitness.
There are variations of the snatch where the kettlebell isn’t kept as close as expected for this topic, but this is more advanced, and everyone should first master keeping the kettlebell close to see if it works for them, because otherwise, one will never know if keeping the weight closer to the body during the snatch is going to be more efficient for them. Once this is mastered, one can develop their own style.
A common mistake made to keep the weight in is to use the biceps to flex the elbow which is a curl rather than a row. A row engages the muscles at the back and a curl engages the muscles in the upper arm which can lead to tendon problems.
The elbow bends because the hand holds on to a weight, and the muscles that move the humerus (upper arm) bring the elbow back. Actively pulling the weight in with a focus on bending the elbow.
Do not use the elbow flexors to bring the weight in. The elbow flexors will be involved for stabilization but should be involved to action movement. This is a must. If one does not understand this then further knowledge should be sought as ignoring this will lead to issues and can lead to chronic issues when ignored for a long time.
Not only do the muscles at the back such as the rear delt and latissimus dorsi help keep the weight closer but also the acceleration pull should be considered, which is the action that happens right after the upswing when standing up and/or leaning back. Imagine the weight swinging back and forth naturally, on the upswing, now focus on the part where the knees and hips are extended. This is a short pull that brings the weight in a different trajectory.
Related Exercises
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