Kettlebell Swings for Longevity | Shebah Carfagna & Nate Wilkins

The kettlebell swing is a cornerstone exercise for building strength, power, and cardiovascular fitness - all in one efficient, full-body movement. Proper technique is key: mastering the hip hinge, engaging the core, and selecting the right load are essential to protect the back and generate force through the glutes.

In this Move for Life episode of the Live Long Podcast, Peter Bowes is joined by trainers Nate Wilkins and Shebah Carfagna, co-founders of The Ageless Workout, to explore how this ‘super movement’ enhances stability, balance, and body awareness. They highlight why kettlebell swings are especially valuable for older adults, helping maintain quick, reactive strength for daily life.

The conversation also covers how to warm up dynamically, integrate swings into broader routines - alongside planks, circuits, or resistance training - and how group workouts can boost motivation and social connection.

You should consult a doctor or qualified fitness professional before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you have an existing health concerns or limited mobility.

This is the latest in our 20-part series, Move for Life. You should consult your healthcare providers before starting or modifying a fitness routine.

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Transcript

Peter Bowes: 0:25

Few exercises deliver as much return as the kettlebell swing, strength, endurance, power, and cardio in one fluid motion. Hello again. Welcome to the Live Long podcast and our Move for Life series with Nate Wilkins and Sheba Carfagna, where we celebrate simple moves with big longevity payoffs.

Shebah Carfagna: 1:01

So a kettlebell is different than a weight because it's shaped differently. It has a handle. You're swinging the weight differently than with a traditional weight that has two heads. That's the first thing. Second thing is you're engaging your whole body and moving so you're not braced against something like you would be in the gym where you're pushing weights and you're not against a bench with free weights. You have one piece, one weight that can weigh anywhere from 5 pounds to... I've seen them up to 120. And so that whole movement of the body is so important because it's forced against the body.

Nate Wilkins: 1:37

Some people call it the super movement, right. Because it engages so much of your body. Now let's let's be clear. You got to do it right. Some people use their arms and they, you know, they don't breathe as well. You have to do it right. So a swing. Some people suggest that you do start with two arms as opposed to one. Some like to do it with one arm, but the two arm swing is really what it is. And you engage your whole body in that.

Shebah Carfagna: 2:05

What you have to caution yourself is on your technique. And again we'll go back to technique technique, technique, technique. You know if you swing too high you're hyperextending the back. If you hinge at the at the hips and not bend the knees, you're hyperextending the back. You know, if you do kettlebell raises here, you know, you just have to be so careful and be mindful of the weight, your foot positioning. And what is the purpose of the exercise? Is it because you saw someone do it on YouTube? Or is it because you know you need to do this to run faster? People who are in their 50s or 60s 70s can also use kettlebells as well as a strength training, perhaps two and you squat. That adds a little bit different weight than a traditional weight, the way they're shaped. And you can do much more agility things with kettlebells.

Nate Wilkins: 2:51

Not only just getting, muscle engagement, but your cardiovascular system is engaged as well.

Peter Bowes: 2:59

And just in terms of as you started night doing it right, one of the first things I think about with a kettlebell swing is the position of my back and getting my back in the right position, and you can maybe elaborate on that before I start, before I do a single swing, I'm thinking about the posture of my body.

Nate Wilkins: 3:17

This is a total body functional movement apparatus. The way you position your back now, it's just like anything else. You know, when you bend over to pick up something, you have to bend your knee. So you bend your knees and you position your back the right way. Again, going back to what we talked about with the core, you have to engage your core navel to the spine. Use your your powerhouse to actually pick up the weight. And then begin to use your glutes to move the weight, as opposed to just your arms and your shoulders, your upper body. So it's a total movement that you have to make. It's not just one movement. That's where some people make so many mistakes, and then they throw their back out because they're trying to move the weight the wrong way. The other thing is that, again, going back to what Sheebah said, if you use if you pick up the wrong amount of weight before you can do it, that's another problem. So you have to measure all of that together.

Speaker4: 4:23

It is quite easy isn't it, to injure yourself if you're not doing it properly. And that's why you need to take advice.

Shebah Carfagna: 4:28

I would say so, especially with kettlebells. Kettlebells, generally speaking, is an advanced piece of equipment. So if you're new at this, I would start with some weights and then advance to a kettlebell. Watch some YouTube. You know, whatever you need to do because it is a very advanced thing. You know, if you're swinging them through your legs or swinging them through your legs, or you're going into a lunge and a power move where you lift the kettlebell up and you swing it from a bicep into a lunge. It's very much a power move. Can it be done without a kettlebell? Yes, but kettlebell, by virtue of the fact that it swings and moves as opposed to a weight you hold the weight here. Weight's not going to move. A kettlebells, a swing so it can teeter either way. You just have to be sure that you understand what you're doing and why.

Peter Bowes: 5:16

Talking of the why, the explosive power that it helps us train again can be so valuable in everyday life when we maybe have to make an explosive power movement because you're trying to avoid something, or you're walking down a pavement and something suddenly happens and you need that stability. And yes, maybe the ability to move quickly and a good kettlebell swing progressed over time can help you with that.

Shebah Carfagna: 5:42

That's a great point because kettlebells also involve proprioception. Where is your body in space as you move that kettlebell and that and your vestibular senses? How does that all work? Because if you do come off a curb, how do you catch yourself if you're practicing kettlebell swings? All right. And I'd love to see you practice some you Peter to the side and to the other side for those lateral movements. Then when you go to fall over you don't fall as quickly. But it aids also in your balance. You know, we talked about balance exercises and balance challenging and having those kettlebells or having kettlebells where they move different directions at the same time. We haven't done those in a long time either. We have one kettlebells going up and one's going back, and that whole mind body connection of cognition. How do you move in two directions?

Nate Wilkins: 6:33

Stability is what I'm hearing out of this conversation. The other piece to that Shebah, as we talk about it and, you know, Peter was asking about his back and what have you, but it's also the hips. It helps to train the hips and the hip hip flexors and the way we move. So it's it's multiple things that happen and maybe that's the reason why Peter likes this one, is that it allows you to do so many things. And when when Peter was talking about these, this power moves that you have to make or to stop suddenly. I mean, that's that's where some sometimes older adults run into problems. As an example, trying to step down or step back away from something. They they don't have that kind of movement. So this helps to train that.

Speaker4: 7:24

And again, a cautionary word a kettlebell swing isn't something you want to do first in your day. You want to have a warm body. You want to have a prepared body to even start with a kettlebell swing, right?

Shebah Carfagna: 7:38

A dynamic warm up is always advised before you begin kettlebell swings. And I wouldn't make kettlebells your only part of your workout. I would integrate those kettlebell exercises in with the planks. That's going to make an intense workout.

Peter Bowes: 7:52

And just summarizing kettlebells are fun to do in a group, aren't they? With other people around you.

Nate Wilkins: 7:57

Particularly from a pro aging and longevity standpoint? Kettlebells good for a group, but this type of work is good for a group in terms of isolation and loneliness. If you can get, particularly if you can get a friend to come and work out with you, you're more apt to put those shoes on and put the clothes on and go work. And if you got a kettlebell workout that is that is stimulating and challenging, by all means, it can encourage everybody to be at their best.

Shebah Carfagna: 8:29

And we use kettlebells in circuit training. So if you have a large group, which is what we specialize in as group fitness, small group fitness and large group fitness, if you have core stations, you know, if you integrate that. But also it creates camaraderie between two people. So if you have if you pair individuals up, then they can be with their partner or someone they don't know. And it's a really exciting experience to watch someone while you alternate and do the exercises.

Peter Bowes: 8:57

So the kettlebell swing fires up your entire body, building strength in your hips, glutes, and core while improving cardiovascular health. It's efficient, effective, and a cornerstone move for lifelong fitness and energy. The Live Long podcast is a Healthspan Media production. I'm Peter Bowes, you can contact me through our website, livelongpodcast.com. Where you'll also find show notes for this episode.

DISCLAIMER: 9:22

This podcast is for informational, educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should first consult your doctor.