Month: April 2025

Let’s talk about the split squat. A humbling exercise that you may love to hate, and we definitely love to program. It’s that deceptively simple move that has you questioning your life choices halfway through the set. 

And you ask… but WHY?

Ok, maybe we’re being a little dramatic. We do know many people, including many of our members, who enjoy split squats. Just know I’m definitely NOT one of them! 

But, here’s why we’re team split squat at SSP (and yes, I still do them too!) — when it comes to functional strength, the split squat is the unsung hero. Unlike flashy gym moves that look cool on Instagram but don’t translate to real-world strength, split squats train your body the way it actually moves in everyday life (and sports, if you’re an athlete).

Here’s what split squats bring to the table:

✅ Single-leg strength and balance
✅ Improved core and hip stability
✅ Better joint health for knees and hips
✅ A stronger backside (yep, glutes on 🔥)
✅ Reduce risk of injury (aka keep you moving pain-free)

Having unilateral strength work (meaning, training one side of the body at time—single leg or single arm) is a must-have in your program from our perspective. 

Whether you’re picking up your kids, venturing on a hike, or chasing a PR — the split squat has your back (and glutes, quads, and hamstrings).

Our Pro Tip:
We’re very particular about how we set these up. We always start our split squats from the bottom — not the top. Why? Because it helps you find the perfect foot placement and keeps your base stable. Check out Coach Natalie here giving a great breakdown of the best positioning for your split squat. 

So if you’re a member, next time they pop up in your program… just know they’re there out of love. 😄

Best,
Coach Chris

The kettlebell swing is an incredible exercise when done well – it builds power, strength, and stability. But it can also be one of the more complex exercises to master, but once you do, that’s where the magic happens. 

Let me back up first though. If you are generally searching “kettlebell swing” on the world wide web, you are bound to come across A LOT of different stuff. At SSP, we do a form of kettlebell swing that’s most similarly linked to a variation called “hardstyle.” This means we are emphasizing hip power and full body tension during the movement. Not all styles are like that (but we’ll leave that for a different email!). 

That said, let’s walk through everything you need to know to start kettlebell swinging like a pro. 

Like I mentioned above, we emphasize utilizing explosive hip power in our kettlebell swings. What does that mean? The first step is to master the hip hinge correctly—essentially, driving your hips back and using the power of your glutes, hamstrings, and core to propel the kettlebell forward. As you swing the kettlebell, the power from your hips, as you hinge back and explode into extension (standing tall), will float the kettlebell forward. In fact, we want to think very little about using our arms–they’re just an instrument here to assist in the movement. The entire exercise is focused on engaging your posterior chain (the muscles along the back of your body) to develop strength and power in the hips and lower back.

How to Perform A Kettlebell Swing Like we do at SSP! 

1. Set up: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and place the kettlebell a few inches in front of you. Keep your chest tall, and engage your core.
2. Hip Hinge: Push your hips back while keeping a flat back (think of it as closing a car door with your hips). Your knees should be bent slightly, but your primary movement comes from your hips moving backward.
3. Swing the Kettlebell: Grab the kettlebell with both hands, tip it slightly on its side, and swing it back between your legs. Then, drive your hips forward to stand up powerfully, using the power of your hip drive to swing the kettlebell to chest level. The kettlebell should feel weightless at the top of the movement!
4. Controlled Descent: Let the kettlebell swing back down naturally, guiding it through your legs while maintaining that hip hinge motion. Your wrists should end by your inner thighs before standing up to swing again. Keep your back straight and your core tight throughout the movement. 

Take a look at this video we posted for a step-by-step! 

Remember, it takes practice, but the more you do it, the more you’ll be swinging like a pro in no time. A beautiful kettlebell swing is actually one of our favorite things to see in the gym as coaches. 🙂 

If you have any questions or want to work on your kettlebell swing more, feel free to reply back here! I’d love to help.