T Nation

KB Swing/Activation of Specific Hamstrings

Powerlifting
#1

When I kb swing I have to use a wide stance. I feel like the wide stance activates semimembranosis and semitendonosis more than biceps femoris. See, my problem is I want to activate biceps femoris in its hip extension function because I want to run fast. I wish there was a way to do explosive KB swings with a narrow stance.

Does the wide stance effect the biceps femoris or medial muscles of the posterior chain more?

Should I view the explosive KB swing as a purely glute activation exercise for my purpose of running fast and use other exercises specific to hip extension instead of the KB swing?

what would happen if I held a dumbell in each hand using a narrow stance and did a hip hinge similar to the KB swing? Do you think that would work for hitting biceps femoris?

sorry this isn’t really a powerlifting post. Running is a single leg movement and most of you guys don’t believe in single leg stuff. You guys are all about RFP though and that parallels sprinting.

#2

I feel like my glutes work a little harder when i do single arm swings, switching hand to hand.

Do some single leg box jumps.

I’ve gotten more out of throwing kettlebells than simply swinging them. Funner too.

#3

Jesus fucking Christ.

#4

[quote]black_angus1 wrote:
Jesus fucking Christ.[/quote]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

#5

I want to answer your question but you lost me at semimembroski

#6

[quote]darkhorse1-1 wrote:
When I kb swing I have to use a wide stance. I feel like the wide stance activates semimembranosis and semitendonosis more than biceps femoris. See, my problem is I want to activate biceps femoris in its hip extension function because I want to run fast. I wish there was a way to do explosive KB swings with a narrow stance.

Does the wide stance effect the biceps femoris or medial muscles of the posterior chain more?

Should I view the explosive KB swing as a purely glute activation exercise for my purpose of running fast and use other exercises specific to hip extension instead of the KB swing?

what would happen if I held a dumbell in each hand using a narrow stance and did a hip hinge similar to the KB swing? Do you think that would work for hitting biceps femoris?

sorry this isn’t really a powerlifting post. Running is a single leg movement and most of you guys don’t believe in single leg stuff. You guys are all about RFP though and that parallels sprinting.[/quote]

You are thinking about this way too much. Work many different stances and foot positiions. Get strong everywhere. Bicep femoris activation is highest in a deadlift. Semi-tendonosis is a hip internal rotator, so, any position where you are forcing yourself into internal rotation at the hip (i.e. point your toes forward and over exaggerate forcing your hips back) will hammer that.

There is nothing wrong with single leg work. Single leg squats and DLs are great for prehab/rehab. They are just not at all transferable to the competition, powerlifts.

#7

try holding two dumbbells and see. i prefer to do that. find it a bit easier on my lower back, actually. if you want to run fast then practice running. fast, preferably.