Vertical Swing

How to perform

1. 01Allow the dumbbell to hang at arms length between your legs, holding it with both hands. Keep your back straight and your head up.
2. 02Swing the dumbbell between your legs, flexing at the hips and bending the knees slightly.
3. 03Powerfully reverse the motion by extending at the hips, knees, and ankles to propel yourself upward, swinging the dumbell over your head.
4. 04As you land, absorb the impact through your legs and draw the dumbbell to your torso before the next repetition.

Form cues

• —Brace your core before the first rep and keep it braced.
• —Lead with the elbows and finish by squeezing the target muscle.
• —Control the lowering phase — that is where most of the growth stimulus lives.

Common mistakes

• —Using momentum instead of the target muscle.
• —Cutting the range of motion short to add load.
• —Adding weight before the movement pattern is clean.