Best Kettlebell Exercises

The kettlebell or ” Russian weight ” is a type of weight of Russian origin. Also known as a “bell,” this weight is use in military training. Nowadays, we use kettlebells more often in all activities, such as circuits and functional training. In addition, kettlebells have become an essential among cross-training equipment.

It is increasingly common to see these weights in gyms, training rooms, and home training equipment. It is due to the great versatility that these weights offer and the number of different exercises we can do with them. It is a rounded weight with a handle. We can find kettlebells from 2 kg onwards.

Best Exercises to do with Kettlebell

The variety of exercises that is done with a kettlebell is wide. That is why we have selected some of what we consider to be the best kettlebell exercises or our favorites.

Russian twist

The Russian twist or twists is very effective for working the oblique abdomen, the transversus abdominis, and the stabilizing muscles. To do this exercise, start from a sitting position, with your back slightly tilted back and your legs in the air, somewhat bent. Then, to carry out the exercise, we take the kettlebell with both arms and rotate the trunk, carrying the weight from one side to the other while maintaining balance.

It is also common to see this exercise performed with other weights, such as medicine balls, discs, or a dumbbell.

Squat

Squats or squats are one of the best exercises and one that should not be missing in almost any training session. This exercise mainly works the quadriceps, but we also get activation in other muscles such as the glutes or the hamstring muscles. We can intensify the practice using weight as ballast thanks to the kettlebell. You can open the angle of the feet to work the sumo squat and the inside of the leg.

If you like this exercise, you can try our squat challenge, using a kettlebell as a weight. You can drop the kettlebell between your legs or “hug” it. If you want to intensify the exercise, you can include a swing, raising the weight as you go up, thus achieving added upper body work.

Abdominal Plank with Kettlebell

Abdominal planks are one of the best isometric exercises. In addition, we are talking about a complete exercise. Despite being associated with abdominal work, planks are an exercise that activates several muscle chains and works the entire body practically.

How do we implement the kettlebell into a plank? We use two equal kettlebells to perform this exercise. It adds an instability component to the practice, which “forces” the body to have a higher activation to compensate for the instability. And it is that the iron with kettle has an added advantage; it forces us to place the arms in another way, more similar to the components of the push-up, so that we will achieve a much more excellent work of the arms and the shoulder girdle.

Would you dare try our 30-day plank challenge with the kettlebell?

Push-ups

Push-ups or push-ups are excellent exercises that allow us to work the upper body. In addition, considering the previous activity. It is possible to link them since you work in the same way (two kettlebells). You can combine the abdominal plank with push-ups. Another way to work this exercise asymmetrically is with one hand on the dumbbell handle and the other hand on the ground (and then switch).

In addition to these exercises. The kettlebell allows you to perform almost all the arm exercises you would do with a dumbbell. So it is a great tool to keep in mind and have at home to train.