Hip Swing | How To Do The Bulgarian Training Bag Swing - Cube Dweller Fitness

Hip Swing | How To Do The Bulgarian Training Bag Swing

Fitness Tips from Hip Hop - Hip Swing

Master the hip swing and you’re ready to roll. The hip swing is the basis for the Bulgarian Training Bag swing. With it you can reduce neck, shoulder, and lower-back pain as well as build an incredible backside. The move is one of the three core movements to learning how to get ripped and ready with The Bulgarian Training Bag and is covered in the upcoming free eBook, The Bag Basics. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter and be the first to get a copy.

The swing is all about the hips. Let’s venture into Hip-Hop, Pubmed research, and coaching video on how to do the Bulgarian Training Bag Swing. Let’s get started.

So let me see your hip swing!

Hip Hop Throws Down Solid Fitness Advice

I’ve said we can learn from anywhere – how’s this for a stretch? I’ve turned to Hip Hop for fitness advice. Let’s take a look at these lyrics from Savage.


Stop, woah, back it up, now let me see your hips SWING
Stop, woah, back it up, now let me see your hips SWING

Now drop it looooow and let me see your hips SWING
Down to the floooor now let me see your hips SWING
Down to the floooor now let me see your hips SWING

Okay, okay. I get it. He wasn’t talkin’ about the Bulgarian Training Bag Swing. But let’s just say he was …

#1: Stop, Woah … Think About the Hip Swing

When performing the hip swing it is essential that you take time to stop. Stop, woah don’t bend with your back. Stop, woah the Bulgarian Training Bag swing needs to be about hinging at your hips. Think. Stop, woah think about the hip-hinge.

#2: Back it up … Start With Your Butt

To begin the Bulgarian Training Bag Swing the movement is initiated by following along … back it up. Back it up by pushing your butt directly back. Hinge at the hips and push your butt back, back it up.

#3: Now Let Me See Your Hips Swing … Hip Snap

I’ve written before about the importance of the hip-snap when doing the kettlebell swing. The Bulgarian Training Bag swing emphasizes the same movement. It is all about the hip swing, so let me see your hip swing.

From the back position, where you’ve backed it up and let the training bag swing back, it is time to extend forward. Do so by driving your hips forward and unfolding at your hip-hinge; let me see your hips swing. Drive all the way forward until you are fully extended.


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PubMed Says the Hip Swing is Solid

Okay so Hip Hop is down with the hip swing. But you know what I think of crap science; it is …. crap. I’m not about to start oozing crap science. So let’s dig into published medical research and see what we can find about the hip swing.

While there were several studies worth reading, there were two that stuck out. While they weren’t based on using a training bag, they used a kettlebell and there is a lot over overlap. The studies focused on two key things: developing the strength and conditioning to rapidly apply force and reducing pain. Both good things, so let’s dig a bit deeper.

#1: Hip Swing Wins for Impulse Power

If you haven’t taken heed and learned to love the squat, … you should. (Was that too strong?) Seriously, the squat should be a core staple in your exercise diet, much like protein is all too important for your nutrition intake. But focus even more on making the squat … functional. To apply squat in real life what we really want to have is explosive power. Power to change directions like while performing that 270-out at the end of a buttered-pretzel on a snowboard. Power to jump over walls like in my upcoming Colorado Tough Mudder. Power to … you get the idea.

Well what if you stacked up three exercises against each other to see which developed most functional power? Stack these up for comparison:

  • Back Squat
  • Jump Squat
  • Swing

The researchers concluded that the swing won[1]. The swing produced higher impulse power; impulse power the kind we need in our real-life adventures. They state that the swing could be a great addition help develop the ability to rapidly apply force.

Nice win, hip swing.

#2: Hip Swing to Avoid Neck, Shoulder, and Low-Back Pain

As a Cube Dweller I have my share of neck, shoulder, and even low back pain. It comes with territory. Sit all day – bad. Sit and stare at a screen – bad. Get stressed about deadlines – bad. Life as a cube dweller has consequences and more often than not those consequences show up in pain. Pain in the neck, shoulders, and low back.

So what are we suffering Cube Dwellers supposed to do? Do the Hip Swing.

Check out this study. While it was focused on the kettlebell training, the Bulgarian Training Bag swing uses the same types of motion. This is especially true for the swing, one of the three core movements covered in my free eBook: The Bag Basics. Did you sign-up for my newsletter, yet?

The study was published last May and is from Denmark[2]. It concluded working out with kettlebells resulted in the following:

  1. Decrease in neck/shoulder pain intensity by 2.1 points
  2. Decrease in low back pain intensity by 1.4 points.
  3. Increase muscle strength of the trunk extensors

In their words …

Worksite intervention using kettlebell training reduces pain in the neck/shoulders and low back and improves muscle strength of the low back among adults from occupations with a high prevalence of reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms

Yup, that’s us – Cube Dwellers of the world. We have “occupations with a high prevalence of reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms”. So take action and do the Bulgarian Training Bag Swing – let me see your hip swing.

Hip Swing … Bulgarian Training Bag Swing Tutorial

Hip Hop throws it down and backs it up. Pubmed says it is solid. So how do your really do the Bulgarian Training Bag Swing? This video is one of the videos included in The Bag Basics the free ebook that sets the stage for the Cube Dweller Fitness Bulgarian Training Bag program. This one walks your through the details beyond: stop, woah, back it up, let me see your hips swing.

Check it out.

Ready to Let Me See Your Hips Swing?

Are you ready? Sign up now, because I am putting the finishing touches on both the free ebook, the videos, and the complete training program.

Get rid of your cube dwelling induced pains and get ripped and ready for all life has to offer. Do it now with the hip swing, the Bulgarian Training Bag Swing.

Works Cited

  1. MECHANICAL DEMANDS OF KETTLEBELL SWING EXERCISE., Lake JP, Lauder MA., J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Dec 28
  2. Kettlebell training for musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health: a randomized controlled trial. – Jay K, Frisch D, Hansen K, Zebis MK, Andersen CH, Mortensen OS, Andersen LL., Scand J Work Environ Health. 2011 May;37(3):196-203. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3136. Epub 2010 Nov 25.
  3. Trademark: The original training bag is called the Bulgarian Bag and is created, patented, and trademarked by Coach Ivan Ivanov from Suples International

About 

Troy is the founder of Cube.Dweller.Fitness. He's an innovation catalyst in several areas of life including business, marketing, and process improvement. Outside of work he's actively involved in fitness, health, and living vibrantly in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

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