Trainers say this easy move will reverse the damage of sitting all day

Meet the expert: Taylor Beebe is a certified personal trainer in California.

In addition to putting you at risk for those health issues we just mentioned and more, sitting does a number on your muscles and joints.

‘When you sit all day, especially if you are in front of a computer screen, we are in hip flexion,’ explains Taylor Beebe, a certified personal trainer in California. ‘This can lead to the feeling of ‘tight’ hips, especially in the front of our body.’

If you’re hunched over a computer screen, you also raise the risk of your back and shoulders being rounded forward, she says.

‘In order to counterbalance that, we need an activity that puts us in a position for a neutral spine and hip extension,’ Beebe says.

Beebe says that kettlebell swings, which are when you swing a kettlebell from between your knees to about eye level, can help.

‘Kettlebell swings are a hip dominant movement that target the posterior chain-glutes, hamstrings, upper, and mid-back,’ Beebe says. ‘When done properly, they teach us to drive our feet through the floor to hit hip extension, in order to find a “stacked” position where shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, all in line.’ This helps to counteract that folded-up position you sit in all day.

The move is also known as a Russian kettlebell swing.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and squat down to pick up the kettlebell with both hands in an overhand grip. You’ll want to start with the bell in front of you, tilting it towards your body before you hike it back, Beebe says.

2. Look ahead, not down, and keep your spine aligned and your knees slightly bent throughout the movement.

3. Drive your pelvis forward to swing the kettlebell out and up to shoulder-height.

4. Allow the weight to drop back down, hingeing at the hips as it swings between your legs.

The top of the swing should look like a standing plank, Beebe says.

‘When we make sure our entire body is in one long line at the top, we are in full hip extension, which engages our posterior chain, allowing for extension,’ she says.

It depends. If you’re new to kettlebell swings, Beebe suggests doing five to 10 reps at a time as a ‘movement snack’ to get some movement into your body and your blood flowing. You can build up your reps from there.

If you’ve never done kettlebell swings in the past, it’s important to focus on your form. ‘Make sure you have a strong deadlift and plank—those are the two foundational movements that make up the kettlebell swing,’ Beebe says.

She also suggests using your breath to power the movement. ‘Inhale to pull it back, exhale as your feet push into the floor,’ Beebe says.

‘Root your feet into the ground as you drive your hips forward, allowing the bell to “float” at the top of the move’, she continues.

Whether you have a kettlebell at home or like to hit up your gym after work, adding some swings to the mix after your workday could help keep your joints feeling more comfortable over time.

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Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.