Top 5 Kettlebell Exercises For Beginners
Kettlebell training is vast and varied and there are hundreds of different exercises to choose from. As a result, many people who are new to kettlebell training find it intimidating and don’t know where to start. This article will help ease you in to the world of kettlebell training by listing five of the best kettlebell exercises for beginners.
Kettlebell Deadlift
The Kettlebell Deadlift is similar to the barbell and dumbbell version of the exercise but due to the dynamic nature of kettlebells, it brings more muscles into play. To perform the Kettlebell Deadlift, follow the instructions below:
- Place the kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than a shoulder width apart and your toes pointed out slightly.
- Bend your knees and your waist and then place your hands on the kettlebell handle, making sure that you keep your back straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist and then lift the kettlebell off the ground, making sure that you drive through your heels and keep your back straight. As you lift, tighten your glutes, quads and core muscles.
- Relax your glutes, quads and core muscles, bend your knees and your waist and lower the kettlebell back down to the ground in the starting position.
- Repeat steps 4-5 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
Kettlebell Front Squat
The Kettlebell Front Squat is one of the best lower body movements you can perform with a kettlebell and helps to develop explosive pushing power in your legs. To perform the Kettlebell Front Squat, follow the instructions below:
- Place the kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than a shoulder width apart and your toes pointed out slightly.
- Bend your knees and your waist and then place your hands on the lower side part of the kettlebell handle, making sure that you keep your back straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist, keep your back straight, lift the kettlebell off the ground and curl your arms toward your body so that the kettlebell is held against your chest and your elbows are in.
- Look up slightly, bend your knees and lower your body down toward the ground, stopping when your butt is parallel with your knees and making sure that you keep your back straight.
- Straighten your knees and raise your body back up, making sure that you drive through your heels and keep your back straight. As your raise your body back up, tighten your glutes, quads and core muscles.
- Repeat steps 5-6 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
- After your final rep, carefully place the kettlebell back on the ground.
Kettlebell One Arm Clean
The Kettlebell One Arm Clean is a fantastic full body exercise and once you master it, it will provide you with a solid foundation for other kettlebell moves. To perform the Kettlebell One Arm Clean, follow the instructions below:
- Place the kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than a shoulder width apart and your toes pointed out slightly.
- Bend your knees and your waist, raise your left arm out to the side, clench your left fist and loosely grip the kettlebell with your right hand, making sure that your thumb is pointing toward your body and your back is straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist, keep your back straight, lift the kettlebell off the ground and curl your right arm toward your body so that the kettlebell is parallel with your right shoulder. As you lift the kettlebell, tighten all your muscles and make sure you keep your left arm held out to the side and keep your left fist clenched.
- Relax all your muscles except for those in your left arm, bend your knees and your waist and lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position, making sure that you keep your back straight, your left arm held out to the side and your left fist clenched.
- Repeat steps 4-5 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
- Bend your knees and your waist, raise your right arm out to the side, clench your right fist and loosely grip the kettlebell with your left hand, making sure that your thumb is pointing toward your body and your back is straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist, keep your back straight, lift the kettlebell off the ground and curl your left arm toward your body so that the kettlebell is parallel with your left shoulder. As you lift the kettlebell, tighten all your muscles and make sure you keep your right arm held out to the side and keep your right fist clenched.
- Relax all your muscles except for those in your right arm, bend your knees and your waist and lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position, making sure that you keep your back straight, your right arm held out to the side and your right fist clenched.
- Repeat steps 8-9 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
Kettlebell One Arm Press
The Kettlebell One Arm Press is an extension of the Kettlebell One Arm Clean and a brilliant exercise for building core stability and upper body strength. To perform the Kettlebell One Arm press, follow the instructions below:
- Place the kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than a shoulder width apart and your toes pointed out slightly.
- Bend your knees and your waist, raise your left arm out to the side, clench your left fist and loosely grip the kettlebell with your right hand, making sure that your thumb is pointing toward your body and your back is straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist, keep your back straight, lift the kettlebell off the ground and curl your right arm toward your body so that the kettlebell is parallel with your right shoulder. As you lift the kettlebell, tighten all your muscles and make sure you keep your left arm held out to the side and keep your left fist clenched.
- Straighten your right arm and press the kettlebell up above your head, making sure that you keep your back straight, your muscles tight, your left arm held out to the side and your left fist clenched.
- Relax the muscles in your right arm and shoulder while keeping all your other muscles tight, bend your right arm and lower the kettlebell back down so that it is parallel with your right shoulder, making sure that you keep your back straight, your left arm held out to the side and your left fist clenched.
- Relax all your muscles except for those in your left arm, bend your knees and your waist and lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position, making sure that you keep your back straight, your left arm held out to the side and your left fist clenched.
- Repeat steps 4-7 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
- Bend your knees and your waist, raise your right arm out to the side, clench your right fist and loosely grip the kettlebell with your left hand, making sure that your thumb is pointing toward your body and your back is straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist, keep your back straight, lift the kettlebell off the ground and curl your left arm toward your body so that the kettlebell is parallel with your left shoulder. As you lift the kettlebell, tighten all your muscles and make sure you keep your right arm held out to the side and keep your right fist clenched.
- Straighten your left arm and press the kettlebell up above your head, making sure that you keep your back straight, your muscles tight, your right arm held out to the side and your right fist clenched.
- Relax the muscles in your left arm and shoulder while keeping all your other muscles tight, bend your left arm and lower the kettlebell back down so that it is parallel with your left shoulder, making sure that you keep your back straight, your right arm held out to the side and your right fist clenched.
- Relax all your muscles except for those in your right arm, bend your knees and your waist and lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position, making sure that you keep your back straight, your right arm held out to the side and your right fist clenched.
- Repeat steps 10-13 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
Kettlebell Swing
The Kettlebell Swing works all the muscles in your body and is brilliant beginner kettlebell exercise. To perform the Kettlebell Swing, follow the instructions below:
- Place the kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than a shoulder width apart and your toes pointed out slightly.
- Bend your knees and your waist and then place your hands on the kettlebell handle, making sure that you keep your back straight.
- Keep your body in the same position, lift the kettlebell off the ground and swing it back through your legs, making sure that you keep your arms and your back straight.
- Straighten your knees and your waist, swing the kettlebell forward through your legs and upward until it’s parallel with your chest, making sure that you keep your arms and back straight. As you swing the kettlebell upward, tighten your glutes, quads and core muscles.
- Bend your knees and your waist, swing the kettlebell downward and back through your legs, making sure that you keep your arms and your back straight.
- Repeat steps 5-6 until your muscles start to tire but make sure you stop before complete failure to avoid injuries.
- After your final rep, carefully place the kettlebell back on the ground.
Summary
With these five kettlebell exercises, you can master the basics, strengthen your entire body and start enjoying all the benefits kettlebells have to provide. So start practicing them today, perfect your form and take the first steps on your kettlebell training journey.
Best Kettlebell Exercises For Beginners
