Kneeling Throw

One issue I've run into teaching the kettlebell or dumbbell swing is that people often want to bend over at the waist, and swing out from the arms. To really perform a jump, a swing, or a throw, you want to explode from the hips, snapping them forward. If you lead with the arms you're losing a lot of potential power.

To overcome that, I've had a little bit of success with kneeling med-ball throws.

How do you do them? Kneel down, preferably on a mat or other soft surface. Hold a small-to-medium sized med ball in both hands, cupped under for an underhand throw. Come to an errect kneeling position - thighs straight up, hips in line with the shoulders. The ball should be in front of your legs or slightly between them. Sit back and down fast, then explode back to the starting position. As you come up, swing your arms up and throw the ball up and forward.

This works better with a partner to catch the ball and roll it or toss it back to you. You can also throw against a wall; be careful of the rebounds.

Why do I want to do this?
Sitting back and then coming up helps you practice the "hip snap" you want for a throw, jump, or swing. Kneeling means you can't really bend over forward and arm and shoulder the throw, either. It's a good way to practice throws indoors, too, because you can't get quite the same distance and height as you could standing.