Get Stronger With These 5 Kettlebell Exercises

If you want to get stronger but don’t have a lot of equipment (and even if you do), training with a kettlebell can be a great option!

Here are 5 of my go-to kettlebell exercises that will help you get stronger, and more durable. ⁣ ⁣⁣

#1) Seated Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Presses⁣ ⁣

This exercise requires a lot of lumbo-pelvic stability and is extremely anti-extension in nature. The bottoms-up kettlebell presses also improve upper body strength, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and grip.

Coaching Tips:

Sit on the ground, and fully extend your knees. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.⁣

Grab onto two kettlebells by the horns, and so they are in a bottoms-up position.⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

Now press the kettlebells overhead. Do not move the weights overhead by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulders, or leaning to the side. ⁣

In the top position, your arms should resemble close to a straight line, and your biceps should be in close proximity to your ears. ⁣

Pause for a count and gain control.⁣

Now “row” the kettlebells back down to the starting position.

Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.⁣

In the bottom position, your elbows should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso. ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, hips should remain in a stacked position, and legs fully extended. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from side to side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do out what works and feels best for you. I prefer to exhale just after I’ve initiated the pressing movement, and will inhale/reset as my arms are returning to the starting position.⁣

⁣#2) Single Leg Isometric Glute Bridge + Leg Lowering, And Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Hold⁣

This exercise strengthens the glutes, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular stability, and grip.⁣ ⁣

Coaching Tips:

Set yourself up as you would when you are performing regular glute bridges.⁣

Place your shin in a relatively vertical position.⁣

Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position, and perform a bottoms-up press. Make sure your shoulder blade remains in a protracted position for the duration for the exercise (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).⁣ ⁣

Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).⁣

Now extend your hips by pressing through the back portion of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back. Your body should form a straight(ish) line from your knee to shoulders. For the duration of the exercise, keep your body in this position.⁣ ⁣

Extend your other leg so it is in a vertical position. If you cannot fully extend your knee, or if you are unable to maintain proper form, you can keep your knee bent at a 90 degree angle.⁣ ⁣

Now slowly lower your leg to a range that allows you to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, return your leg back to the starting position.⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to drop. Aside from the moving leg, your body should remain in a fixed position.⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes (on the planted side).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣ ⁣ ⁣

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#3) Tall Kneeling Alternating Kettlebell Presses + Lateral Band Resistance⁣ ⁣⁣

This exercise strengthens the shoulders, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the non-moving side), and lumbo-pelvic stability.

The addition of the band, which is applying some tension laterally, increases the amount of lumbo-pelvic stability that is needed to keep the torso and hips square. You will not need to use much band resistance for this to be both challenging and effective.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a tall kneeling position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

Now press one kettlebell overhead. Do not move the weight overhead by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribs, excessively shrugging your shoulder, or leaning to the side.⁣ ⁣⁣

In the top position, your arm should resemble close to a straight line, and your biceps should be in close proximity to your ear.

Pause for a count and gain control.⁣ ⁣

Now “row” the kettlebell back down to the starting position. In fact, your ability to control the movement of your shoulder blade plays a big role in your ability to perform this exercise.⁣ ⁣ ⁣

In the bottom position, your elbow should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso. This also applies to the non-pressing side.⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from knee to knee.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes. ⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. I prefer to exhale just after I’ve initiated the pressing movement, and will inhale/reset as my arm is returning to the starting position.⁣⁣

#4) Reverse Nordic Curls + Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Hold

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps. I added in a unilateral bottoms-up kettlebell hold. This added “layer” makes the exercise more challenging. Start off performing the exercise using bodyweight only.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a tall kneeling stance. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to knees. While I prefer to keep my feet plantarflexed, do what works and feels best for you.

Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

Now, while keeping your body in a straight line from your head to knees, use your quads to control the movement as you lower your body down to your full range. Use a range that allows you to maintain proper form.

Once you’ve hit the bottom position, use your quads to bring your body back to the top/starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to knees. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from knee to knee.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#5) Feet Elevated Kettlebell Transfers

This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side).

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position, and elevate your feet on a bench or box. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to heels.

Your shoulders should be above your hands.⁣

Place a kettlebell (or dumbbell) on one side of your body, and so it’s directly below your shoulder.⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

Now pass the kettlebell to the opposite side of your body. Repeat using the opposite arm.⁣

In terms of your shoulder/shoulder blade on the planted side, do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.⁣