The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week we highlight the Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Swing, an exercise that improves hip and core strength.

Who’s Doing It

• Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions QB

Muscular Benefits

• Increases explosive hip strength
• Improves core strength and stability
• Increases grip strength

Sports Performance Benefits

The Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Swing (or Vintage Swing) improves your ability to generate explosive power with your hips to propel an upper-body movement. Although the shoulder moves significantly during the exercise, it shouldn’t propel the dumbbell. This teaches your body to derive power from the lower body and core, which will add velocity to your throws and swings, and make you a better athlete.

Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Swing How-To

• Assume athletic stance holding dumbbell with one arm between legs and opposite arm on chest
• Bend at hips and knees to lower into quarter squat; keep chest up and back flat
• Drive up through hips and knees to propel dumbbell overhead; keep arm straight
• Slowly lower dumbbell to shoulder with elbow tight to side and palm facing in
• Lower dumbbell between legs and immediately repeat

Sets/Reps: 4×20 each arm

Coaching Points

• Keep arm straight and back flat
• Drive through hips and core to swing dumbbell overhead
• Do not use shoulder or arm to propel dumbbell

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