I added one tweak to my kettlebell swings and built more balance, power and stability

You’ve probably already come across the 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge, the 100 swings-a-day challenge and even the one-arm kettlebell swing challenge. And honestly? There’s a reason people keep coming back to swings.

They’re brilliant for building grip strength, firing up the posterior chain - your glutes, hamstrings, lats, core and spinal stabilisers - and getting your heart rate soaring at the same time. Few exercises tick quite as many boxes.

The problem is, as a fitness writer who’s always looking for ways to make training more effective (and varied), regular kettlebell swings can start to feel a bit repetitive. Hinge. Swing. Repeat. Even single-arm swings are still essentially the same movement pattern - just with one hand instead of two. That’s where split squat swings come in.

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I first spotted the exercise on celebrity strength coach Michael Baah’s Instagram stories and immediately wanted to try it. After all, who wouldn’t want a kettlebell swing variation that also challenges balance, stability and the legs at the same time?

“It’s basically the ultimate combo,” says Baah. “I’ve taken two of the most hated exercises in the fitness world and smashed them together. Sounds terrible, works brilliantly.” Here’s why I’ve become a fan of the split squat swing.

How to do split squat swings

• To set up the move, hold a kettlebell in your right hand (Baah recommends starting lighter than you think) and place your right foot behind you on an elevated surface such as a bench.
• Keep your left foot planted firmly on the floor and lower into a split squat until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the ground. Your back knee should hover just above the floor.
• As you drive up to standing, explosively squeeze your glute and thrust your hips forward to swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height. Pause briefly, then lower back into the split squat as the kettlebell swings between your legs again.
• That’s one rep.

“Build up to eight to 10 reps and increase the weight slowly,” says Baah. “The key here is quality over quantity. Every rep should feel fast, explosive and controlled.”

According to Baah, the move develops the kind of explosive power that transfers well to sprinting, jumping and changing direction - making it useful for both sport and everyday strength.

Benefits of split squat swings

I love a lunge. In fact, I’m basically the queen of lunges - just ask my HYROX partner, Oris. It’s the one station where he gets a break, and we still come out on top.

So by combining a split squat with a kettlebell swing, you still get all the lower-body benefits of a split squat alongside the heart-rate-boosting cardio hit of a swing - but without the impact.

Split squats are also among the best exercises for runners because they build strength, stability, and control through the hips, knees, and ankles while challenging balance and core strength.

They’re also brilliant for exposing muscular imbalances before they turn into injuries, so add a unilateral kettlebell swing into the mix, and suddenly your core has to work overtime to stop you being pulled off balance.

“Crucially, you’re training anti-rotation and anti-extension strength,” says Baah. “That means learning to resist twisting or arching your back under load, which is exactly what keeps you strong, stable and powerful when you move fast or lift heavy.”

“They’re also preparing your body for real-life movement patterns,” he adds. “Think about it, most of the time you’re not standing perfectly still with both feet planted evenly on the floor.”

It completely changes the feel of the kettlebell swing, too. The movement becomes far more athletic and explosive, especially through the posterior chain.

And because you’re balancing in a split stance while controlling the swing, all those smaller stabilising muscles around the knees, ankles and hips get dragged into the action too. Honestly? It’s multitasking at its finest. Swing and lunge? You betcha.

My experience with split squat swings

Rarely have my quads, hamstrings and glutes burned this much during a kettlebell swing - and rarely have I had to brace my core so hard to stop myself from twisting or losing balance.

“If your glutes are burning, you’re doing it perfectly,” laughs Baah. “You’ll notice your glutes working harder than ever before, and your core will feel tighter and stronger too.”

That’s the difference with the split squat swing. The single-arm, split-stance position forces your core to work overtime to resist rotation. The kettlebell constantly wants to pull you sideways - your job is to fight it.

“It turns the movement from a full-body power exercise into a single-sided stability challenge,” says Baah. “It stops you cheating, forces your core and hips to work much harder to stop you falling over and lights up muscles that standard swings barely touch.”

And honestly? It’s every bit as chaotic as it looks. Your split squat stance has to stay solid because your legs are doing most of the heavy lifting, while the explosive hinge still needs to stay powerful and controlled. If your balance, mobility or core strength are off, this move exposes it pretty quickly.

But that’s also what makes it so effective.

You’re not just building stronger legs - you’re training balance, coordination, power and core stability all at once. It feels far more athletic than regular swings and carries over better to real-life movement, too.

Five tips for mastering split squat swings

1. Snap the hips, don’t lift the bell

“The key is to let your lower body create the force while your upper body guides the movement,” says Baah. “Snap your hips forward rather than trying to lift the kettlebell with your arms.”

2. Treat your arm like a rope

“Your arm is just a rope holding the weight,” says Baah. “Don’t pull with your arm or shoulder. All the power should come from driving your hips forward and squeezing your glutes hard at the top.”

3. Start with the kickstand version

“Keep your rear toe lightly touching the floor first,” advises Baah. “Only lift the foot fully once you feel stable and confident. And if you feel pain in your lower back, stop and check your form immediately.”

4. Keep your front foot planted

Make sure your heel and midfoot stay firmly connected to the floor throughout the movement. “Don’t let your weight shift onto your toes,” says Baah. “And keep your knee tracking over your toes rather than collapsing inward.”

5. Do them early in your workout

This move works best when you’re fresh. “It’s brilliant for priming the nervous system before a run or strength session,” says Baah. “It switches on your posture muscles, sharpens coordination and prepares you to move explosively.” Doing the exercise earlier in your workout also helps keep your reps sharp and controlled before fatigue kicks in.

Normal kettlebell swings are great - but I’m genuinely loving this variation and now include it in my workouts at least twice a week. As Baah puts it: “A normal swing is like driving with four wheels on the road. The split squat version is like popping a wheelie - same engine, but way more skill required.”