The Dumbbell Swing by John Grimek (1959) Almost a half- entury ago the one an! two han!

swing lifts were "ery #o#ular among lifters an! bo!ybuil!ers alike$ es#e ially the one han! lift% &"er the years$ howe"er$ both of these lifts ha"e slum#e! into obli"ion so that to!ay there are "ery few who e"er #ra ti e them$ either as an e'er ise or for re or!-breaking #erforman es% (e ause of this the worl! re or! in both lifts still remains at that #oun!age that was lifte! many years ago% The one han! re or! is 199 #oun!s$ an! the two han! re or! is ))* #oun!s$ +ust )5 #oun!s more than the one han! swing% Sin e it is #ossible to lift more weight in the one han! swing as om#are! with the two han!e! lift$ we,ll !eal hiefly with the one han! "ariety here% (ut it is unfortunate that this lift !oesn,t attra t the interest of some of our more energeti lifters% -ot only for the #ur#ose of making re or!s$ but to in lu!e it in their training as a means of hel#ing them in their other .ui k lifts% /any a lifter has im#ro"e! on his other lifts sim#ly by in lu!ing the one han! swing in his training% 0t hel#s mus les to oor!inate better$ mo"e faster an! rea t with s#lit-se on! timing% 0n em#loying the one han! swing as a !e"elo#ing e'er ise$ it,s not ne essary to use hea"y weights$ although enough resistan e shoul! be em#loye! to make the mus les work% The mo"ement shoul! be !one at least 1 to 5 onse uti"e re#etitions% To be more effe ti"e$ the lift shoul! be re#eate! in 1 or more sets so as to !e"elo# not only the mus les that are in"ol"e! in making the lift$ but to im#ro"e your lifting form an! hel# to oor!inate your mus les better% Although this lift a ti"ates many of the mus les in the bo!y$ the grou# that gets the most "igorous work are the ere tor s#inae mus les$ those two able-like mus les that ha"e their beginning at the base of of the hea! an! run !own to the o y' region% These are the mus les that$ !ue to our ,refine! way of li"ing,$ seem to atro#hy more rea!ily than any other$ es#e ially in the lumbar region where the ause of many ba ka hes originates% The mus ular a tion of the one han! swing$ as well as the two han!e! "ariety$ not only !e"elo#s this region of the ba k but the mus les of the han!$ shoul!ers$ legs an! hi#s as well% 0n other wor!s$ it was an! still is a "ery goo! allroun! !e"elo#ing e'er ise% The one han! swing will kee# these #owerful ba k mus les su##le an! strong$ #arti ularly in the lower region where many annoying #ains o ur when this #art of the bo!y is allowe! to weaken% 2m#loying either of the swing lifts is one sure way of a"oi!ing ba k trouble before it starts$ an! either of the swing lifts are e' ellent for strengthening an! on!itioning the ba k% 3owe"er$ !on,t be misle! into belie"ing that you an swing twi e as mu h weight with both han!s together as you an with one han!% 4ou an,t$ an! no one has e"er !one it% This will e'#lain why the two han! swing was ne"er .uite as #o#ular among lifters as the one han! swing% 0 also belie"e that the one han! swing is easier to !o$ an! as 0 ha"e sai!$ more weight an be lifte! #ro#ortionately% This oul! be the reason why it was more #o#ular than the two han!e! "ariety % % % at least it was with me% /any of the ol!-timers use! to in lu!e this lift as #art of their regular training for maintaining #eak form on their other lifts% &thers un!ertook the #ra ti e to establish new re or!s% An! though the #erforman e of this lift is similar to the mo"ement use! in the one han! snat h$ a tually only a "ery small number of men oul! swing

anywhere near )55 #oun!s% &n the other han!$ .uite a few lifters ha"e su ee!e! in making o"er )55 #oun!s in the one han! snat h$ whi h !oes in!i ate that the one han! swing is more !iffi ult an! mu h tougher to lift hea"y #oun!ages% 6erha#s this is be ause a !umbbell is use! in !oing the swing lift$ while a barbell is use! in #erforming the one han! snat h% Anyone with some lifting e'#erien e knows that !umbbells are always har!er to lift than a barbell$ an! this oul! be the answer% As a matter of interest the re or! in this lift$ the one han! swing$ is hel! by Jean 7ran ios$ a 7ren hman$ who weighe! only a little more than his re or!% (ut the Swiss lifter$ /auri e Deria8$ one of the members of the famous Deria8 family$ also lifte! nearly as mu h% (oth of these men were #owerful looking an! ha! strong looking legs that suggeste! #ower% Strong legs are essential for this lift% There !oesn,t seem to be any logi al e'#lanation as to why the re or!s of this lift in all lasses ha"e remaine! unbroken all these years% The re or!s in #ra ti ally all the other re ogni8e! lifts ha"e been broken an! rebroken time an! again$ but the re or!s in the one han! swing lift$ in all !i"isions$ ha"e remaine! the same for many years% &ne reason is ob"ious% There isn,t any interest in it% &r another #ossible e'#lanation is that e"eryone seems to make "ery ra#i! #rogress in the early stages of su h training$ but as the weigh gets #rogressi"ely hea"ier they fail to fi' it o"erhea! #ro#erly be ause they ha"e negle te! a .uiring goo! form% Therefore$ it,s rather im#erati"e that whoe"er seeks to reate new re or!s in this lift must stri"e for goo! form$ +ust as it is ne essary to !e"elo# orre t form on all the other .ui k lifts if high-le"el #oun!ages are to be lifte!% Trying to in rease #oun!age without !e"elo#ing a orre t form an! s#ee! first will ause anyone to rea h his limit faster% This oul! #ro"e "ery !is ouraging$ an! then interest is lost% 0n attem#ting to re"i"e this lift some years ago 0 began training on it for my e'hibition in 9on!on% At that time 0 was !oing well on the lift an! felt rather ertain of sur#assing the #resent re or!s by many #oun!s$ with ho#es of lima'ing my e'hibition with a new worl! re or!% 0n #ra ti e 0 often su ee!e! with o"er )15 an! was onfi!ent with su esses of )15 or )*5% (ut for my e'hibition 0 was #lanning my attem#ts in su h a way as to try )55$ #ro"i!ing$ of ourse$ that 0 a hie"e! su esses with all my #re"ious attem#ts% 2"erything was #rogressing along ni ely until about two weeks before 0 #lanne! on lea"ing for 2nglan!% 0 suffere! a rather #e uliar right elbow in+ury whi h ma!e it in reasingly !iffi ult for me to han!le anywhere near the weights 0 was using% Still ho#eful$ 0 !e i!e! to ta kle the lift with my left han!% After se"eral workouts 0 was on"in e! that although i oul! easily break the e'isting re or! for the left han! swing the time 0 s#ent in training for it woul! not +ustify the effort$ nor woul! the #oun!age #ro"e im#ressi"e% 0 oul! not !e"elo# the same easy form 0 ha! while using my right arm% -o the weight began to feel lumsy an! awkwar! an! my timing an! oor!ination !i! not syn hroni8e with my effort% 0 grew !is ourage! an! ga"e u# the i!ea of attem#ting a re or!% An! so the *5-year ol! re or! is still a re or!% (ut 0 think some ambitious lifter will ome along who will take an interest in the lift an! #ush u# the #oun!age where it shoul! be % % % loser to )55 than where it now stan!s% The same thing will ha##en in all the other !i"isions$ but e"en if they !on,t su ee! in making new re or!s$ they will still gain from the benefi ial e'er ise this mo"ement im#arts% :hile #ra ti ing the lift one thing 0 noti e! was that my gri# seeme! to be a little stronger% 3owe"er$ so were my ba k$ legs an! hi#s stronger an! better oor!inate!% At that time 0 wasn,t !oing mu h lifting but 0 oul! still e.ual my #re"ious best% This resulte! be ause the one han! swing kee#s the mus les keye! to s#lit-se on! timing

with #lenty of s#ee! hel! in reser"e% Some of the other lifts may not hel# the lifter on his &lym#i lifts an! may e"en hin!er his #rogress$ but not so with the swing lifts% They a tually hel# to in rease s#ee!$ im#ro"e timing an! result in better mus ular oor!ination$ an! that,s im#ortant to any lifter or athlete% Anyone who is intereste! in training on the one han! swing is always an'ious to know what is onsi!ere! a goo! #oun!age to swing% As a matter of fa t$ ele"ating bo!y weight was always onsi!ere! a terrifi feat$ es#e ially for the hea"ies% /any of the lighter lifters su ee!e! with o"er bo!y weight$ but not the hea"ies as an be seen by the hea"yweight re or! of 199 #oun!s% (ut if one !e"elo#s goo! form$ timing an! s#ee!$ he is boun! to !o mu h better than many of the ol!-timers !i! who lifte! more with brute strength rather than s ien e% &n e goo! form is !e"elo#e!$ in reasing #oun!age is not too !iffi ult -- u# to a ertain #oint at least% (ob 3offman in his book :eightlifting o"ers the sub+e t of the one han! swing .uite thoroughly$ an! those of you who ha"e this book an! are intereste! in #erforming this lift shoul! rea! the ha#ter on it% 0f you !on,t ha"e this book 0 urge you to get it$ if not only for the lift that is being !is usse! here$ but for a!!itional information it ontains on all the other re ogni8e! lifts in use to!ay% 7or those of you who are intereste! in getting to work right away on the one han! swing 0 shall o"er briefly the #erforman e here so that it an be in lu!e! in the ne't workout% 0 must a!mit$ howe"er$ that while the style e'#laine! here is e' ellent$ there will be slight !e"iations whi h will "ary with ea h in!i"i!ual% (ut that,s not im#ortant$ e' e#t to a!o#t the style or form whi h you an fin! suits you best$ an! then #ra ti e it until you ha"e #erfe te! it% An! e"en if you !on,t make any new re or!s you will still benefit from the fine e'er ise this lift #ro"i!es% The &ne 3an! Swing$ A (rief 2'#lanation A !umbbell shoul! be use! for this lift an! one en! is o"erloa!e! by 15 to )5 #oun!s% This is im#ortant to #ro"i!e im#etus for the as en!ing bell an! relie"e the strain on the wrist% The !umbbell is #la e! between the feet$ whi h shoul! be omfortably s#a e! to assure goo! footing% The lifting arm shoul! be ke#t straight throughout the lift% :ith the !umbbell between the legs you rea h !own an! #i k the !umbbell u# to about knee height without making any attem#t to swing it o"erhea!% This is a #reliminary swing to get greater im#etus$ be ause from this #osition the weight is again !ro##e! between the legs (without tou hing the floor) an! then from this #osition swung u#war!s$ oor!inating your strength from your ba k$ legs$ shoul!er an! hi#s% 7urther assistan e an be ha! from #ushing the non-lifting han! u#on the orres#on!ing thigh% (ut now$ as the weight rea hes the #osition slightly abo"e shoul!er height$ you must !i# of lower your bo!y un!er the as en!ing weight% This may be !one either by s.uatting or s#litting$ whi he"er you #refer an! an e'e ute the best% 0t is im#ortant to !i# un!er the as en!ing weight at +ust the right time to get it o"erhea! an! fi'e! into #osition before oming u# to a stan!ing #osition to om#lete the lift% 0f re#etitions are to be !one you sim#ly lower the !umbbell again between your legs without tou hing the floor$ an! swing it o"erhea! again% &nly a few re#etitions will be nee!e! to show you how "igorous this e'er ise is% There is no !oubt that it will kee# your mus les$ es#e ially your ba k$ strong an! fle'ible an!$ whether you are bent on breaking re or!s or sim#ly trying to kee# fit$ either of the swing e'er ises will benefit you%

T32 &-2 3A-D S:0-G from ;:eightlifting; by (ob 3offman (1919) The !umbbell$ whi h at the ommen ement of the lift must be at right angles to the lifter,s front$ shall$ ke#t in that #osition throughout$ be taken to arm,s length o"erhea!% The lift may be #erforme! in one mo"ement$ or in a series of mo"ements$ but in the latter instan e there shall be no #ause between any of these mo"ements$ nor shall any #art of the bell be brought into onta t with the floor after it has been lifter therefrom% 0n ;fi'ing; the bell the trunk an! legs may be bent to any e'tent$ an! the bell may be brought into onta t with the forearm< but to lo k the arm out by #ushing shall be ause for !is.ualifi ation% /etho! of 6erforman e The best #erformers in this style of lifting loa! the !umbbell so that the ba k en! is loa!e! with as mu h as )5 #oun!s more than the front% :hen hea"y #oun!ages are use! it is wise to use a leather gauntlet to #rote t the forearm an! wrist% 0n assuming the starting #osition$ stan! with the feet about 1= in hes a#art an! the bell at right angles to the bo!y% >ee#ing the ba k flat$ the butto ks low$ ben! the knees so that the bar an be gras#e! with the lifting han! lose to the front !is % The non-lifting han!$ as in the one-han! snat h an! one-han! lean$ is #la e! +ust abo"e the knee of the leg on its si!e of the bo!y$ with the fingers an! thumb turne! inwar!% The bell is lifte! until the trunk is ere t$ the arm remaining straight throughout$ the weight e.ually !istribute! on both feet$ the knees lo ke! an! the lifting shoul!er raise! as high as #ossible% :hen the shoul!er has rea he! its highest #osition$ kee#ing the ba k flat$ the butto ks low$ reben! the knees almost tou hing the floor with the lowere! bell% As the bo!y has been raise! to the ere t #osition the non-lifting han! has been hel! against the si!e of the thigh% 0t is now #la e! in its former #osition% :hen the bell has rea he! its lowest #osition$ simultaneously straightening the legs an! the ba k$ #ulling har! with the arm$ swinging the bell u#war! an! ba kwar!$ #ressing with the non-lifting han!$ toss the bell to arm,s length o"erhea!% As the bell rea hes the highest #osition to whi h you an #ull it$ s#lit shar#ly forwar! with the leg on the lifting si!e% (Those lifters who habitually ste# forwar! with the left leg in leaning$ snat hing$ an! +erking$ will be able to #erform more re!itably with the left han! than with the right%) The hea"y en! of the bell will ome into onta t with the forearms an! rest there% Some #ra ti e will be ne essary to oor!inate these mo"ements% 0t,s best to #ra ti e re#etition swinging with a mo!erate weight first without mo"ing the feet to a ustom all the mus les to work in unison% :hen the bell has been fi'e! at arm,s length$ the forwar! foot is brought ba k$ the feet hel! in line an! the ount taken% Some lifters will #refer to !ro# into the full s.uat #osition in fi'ing the bell o"erhea! -- a #osition similar to the low #osition in bent #ressing$ one han! snat hing an! +erking% ?auses for Dis.ualifi ation 7ailure to swing the bell lean to arm,s length o"erhea!$ lo king the elbow by #ressing

or #ushing$ motion not ontinuous where more than one mo"ement is ma!e$ #ermitting the bell to tou h the floor while the lift is in #rogress%