Muscle Research: It’s Good To Be The Swing

Muscle Research – July 2016

 

It’s Good To Be The Swing

 

Lower-back pain is a common training partner for many people in the gym. Strengthening the lumbar muscles often clears up this painful and infuriating condition. A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared the muscular fatigue generated in the lumber muscles by a kettlebell swing to that of an isolated lumbar extension on a fixed apparatus. While the lumbar extensions caused greater fatigue (measured through torque response), the kettlebell swing provided significant stimulus to the lumbar muscles despite the lack of pelvic restraint. The scientists who conducted the study commented on the efficacy of kettlebells swings in strengthening the lumbar muscles and treating lower-back pain.