Forearm Soreness and Kettlebell Swings

by Frank Yemi
Kettlebell swing is a full-body compound exercise.

Kettlebell swing is a full-body compound exercise.

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Incorporating kettlebell swings in your workout routine will help you build strength and incinerate body fat. However, the problem with the cannonball-shaped weight is that many do the exercise with an improper form. The center of mass on a kettlebell extends beyond your hands, which is ideal for a swinging motion. The downside of that is it can swing onto your forearms -- when performed incorrectly -- and this can lead to soreness. Having the right technique will help eliminate most of the risk factors associated with the kettlebell swing.

Swinging Without the Muscle Aches

The kettlebell swing is an effective workout but it can have a painful learning curve. The heavy impact of the weight striking your forearm causes soreness, bruising and pain on your wrist. You can focus on improving your technique and avoid hitting your lower arm by wearing a forearm shield. The shield has padding to absorb the impact of the kettlebell on your forearm. You can purchase a forearm shield in any sports store or fitness center. It is not to be mistaken with the forearm shield used for kickboxing, which is much thicker and larger.

Swing For The Fences: Perfecting Form

Performing the kettlebell swing with two arms gives you a higher degree of control. With an overhand grip, grab hold of a kettlebell with both hands and position your feet slight wider than shoulder-width apart. Drive your hips backward, squat down and extend your arms so that your shoulders are positioned over the kettlebell.

Drive your hips forward and extend your legs and upper body to raise the kettlebell upward. Keep your arms fully extended throughout the swing and let the kettlebell come back down between your legs. Continue this motion until the kettlebell is swinging to a height above your head. Stop the exercise by allowing the kettlebell to swing forward without extending your hips and knees. When the swing slows down, place the kettlebell on the floor.

Building Forearms of Steel

Your forearms and wrist are supporting muscles in the exercise. If the muscles are not developed enough to withstand the weight of the swing, you will experience muscle soreness -- even if you swing with perfect form. Strengthen your wrist flexors by performing wrist curls and squeezing hand grips. Target your forearm muscles with hammer curls and barbell reverse curls. These two exercises target your brachioradialis muscle in your upper-outer forearms. This muscle is one of the stabilizers for the kettlebell swing.

Terminating Forearm Soreness

A warm up, such as a five-minute moderate jog can improve your forearm muscle endurance and flexibility. Absent a warm-up session, your muscles and joints are stiff and tight when you begin your exercise, which increases your likelihood of sore muscles. Less is more when it comes to growing your muscles. Give your muscles time to recover and develop between workout sessions. Do strength-training exercises no more than three times a week on non-consecutive days. Overtraining is a common cause of sore muscles.

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