Are you looking to challenge and tone your legs and glutes? Kettlebells are a great way to do that! Not only will they give you an intense workout, but they can also help increase balance, stability, and core strength.
If you’re looking to give your lower body a serious workout, adding kettlebell exercises to your routine is the way to go. Kettlebells offer some of the best full-body conditioning available and can target all your major muscle groups, including your legs and glutes.
So if you’re looking to up your leg and glute game, check out these 10 killer kettlebell moves. From beginners to advanced exercisers, there’s something here for everyone!
This article discusses the benefits of kettlebell workouts for building the lower body along with the top 10 kettlebell exercises for building stronger legs and glutes.
Kettlebell Workout Benefits in Building Lower Body
Kettlebell exercises are an effective way to build and add muscle mass to your lower body. Kettlebells provide an ideal weight and range of motion combination that helps strengthen and tone your leg muscles without straining them.
When kettlebells are used for lower body exercises, they help increase muscular endurance and flexibility while developing balance and coordination—all beneficial in everyday movements. Let's look at other kettlebell workouts' benefits in building a lower body.
Increase Muscular Endurance
Kettlebells help increase your muscular endurance, providing a combination of weight and range of motion that is ideal for training under constant tension.
Your workouts will be more efficient because kettlebell exercises demand high levels of strength, power, mobility, and balance. This ensures you’re targeting upper and lower-body muscles with each exercise.
Improve Flexibility
With kettlebell exercises, you can also improve flexibility by moving through multiple planes of motion. This helps build balance and coordination, which are essential for everyday movements.
Build Stronger Legs
Kettlebell exercises target all the major muscle groups in your legs, including your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. By targeting these muscles with complex full-body movements, you’ll be able to increase strength in those areas faster than with traditional bodybuilding methods.
Boost Cardiovascular Health
Kettlebell exercises for the legs and glutes have grown in popularity due to their amazing benefits. Not only do they tone muscles in those areas while strengthening and stabilizing them, but kettlebell exercises can also help boost cardiovascular health.
As kettlebell moves involve working for multiple muscle groups at once, they cause your heart rate to rise relatively quickly, making it a great form of aerobic exercise that keeps you fit and healthy.
Top 10 Kettlebell Exercises to Add to Your Lower Body Routine
Are you looking to challenge and tone your legs and glutes? Kettlebells are a great way to do that! Not only will they give you an intense workout, but they can also help increase balance, stability, and core strength.
Here we'll walk you through 10 kettlebell moves that will rock your legs and glutes in no time. Let's get started!
1. Kettlebell Windmill
Adding these kettlebell exercises to your leg and glute routine is an excellent way to build strength while increasing flexibility. This exercise helps engage and strengthen the muscles of the glutes, quads, hamstrings, shoulder, back, and abdominals—your lower body will thank you!
How to Do It?
- Position your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart, with the toes turned outward to promote increased range of motion.
- Ensure you have a strong and firm grip on the kettlebell with your right hand and extend it over your head, facing forward.
- Reach your other arm down towards the left thigh; make sure that palm is also pointing straight ahead for optimal performance — together, your legs will look like two symmetrical arms of a windmill!
- To begin the exercise, hinge your hips and lower yourself down to the left side.
- Your left hand will remain facing forward as you move it close to your foot on that same side while keeping your right arm extended overhead.
- As you reach the lowest point of this movement (with both hands near either respective foot), ensure that you not only tilt towards one side but also slightly rotate inwards with a shift of weight into your right hip. When done correctly, this should be easily felt!
- Counter the momentum and keep your body lifted while maintaining a straight and powerful spine. Remain firm and hold the weight above your right shoulder.
- Return to where you started from, then repeat.
2. Goblet Good Morning
Adding kettlebell exercises like Goblet Good Morning to your lower body routine effectively targets your glutes and legs for strength training.
The Goblet Good Morning engages multiple muscles simultaneously, helping build strong legs and powerful glutes. It also helps in improving posture and enhances muscle mass.
How to Do It?
- To do this exercise, hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of the chest
- Keeping your feet wide and ankles flexed, engage your core and press your hips back. Make sure you keep the kettlebell close to your chest.
- Your back should remain straight throughout this movement until your hips hit the wall behind you or until you are parallel with the ground.
- Then squeeze your glutes and drive up your heels until you stand straight again.
3. Deadlift
The kettlebell deadlift is a powerful exercise for building stronger legs and glutes. It combines an explosive hip thrust with an equally challenging lower-body pull. A kettlebell deadlift can help maximize leg strength and shape up those glutes like never before.
How to Do It?
- To complete the kettlebell deadlift, start your exercise by standing with the kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
- Its handle should be situated directly between your feet, lined up and facing outward so that both hands can comfortably grasp it.
- Get into a squat position, keeping the spine in a neutral position, and then take the kettlebell in both hands.
- Raise your body up, keeping your arms in an extended position. Make sure you keep your glutes and core engaged.
- Push through your heels to return to standing while simultaneously using your glutes and hamstrings during the lift.
- Bend your knees and lower the kettlebell back to the ground, keeping your arms extended throughout
- This exercise should be performed correctly to ensure that you engage all necessary muscles for this movement and avoid any potential injuries.
4. Romanian Kettlebell Deadlift
The Romanian Deadlift is an excellent kettlebell exercise for developing strong legs and glutes. It differs from a traditional deadlift in how you descend by hinging at your hip instead of your knees, making it better suited to target the hips and glutes.
This exercise targets your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, allowing you to build strength in these areas while also improving mobility due to its hip-hinging movement pattern. So if you're looking for an effective way to strengthen your legs and glutes, try kettlebell Romanian Deadlifts!
How to Do It?
- With a hip width stance, grasp the kettlebell with both hands using an overhand grip. Keep your spine upright throughout the exercise.
- Begin the exercise by pushing your hips back horizontally and hinging forward to create tension along your hamstrings
- Drive through the feet and focus on pushing away from the floor
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
5. Sumo Deadlift
The kettlebell Sumo Deadlift is a great exercise to help build stronger legs and glutes. This kettlebell exercise will target your hamstrings, quads, glutes, and lower back— leaving you feeling the burn!
Keeping your feet firmly planted on the floor during this exercise will help you build strength and flexibility throughout the lower body. Add this kettlebell exercise to your workout routine, and watch as you strengthen and tone your legs in no time!
How to Do It?
- Place the kettlebell between your legs, keeping your feet wider than hip distance apart.
- Keeping the kettlebell close to the body and back straight, hinge at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Squeeze your glutes and drive through your heels until you stand upright again.
- Make sure to keep your core tight and avoid any lower back rounding.
- Complete 10-12 reps for best results!
6. Glute Bridge
The kettlebell glute bridge is one of the most effective kettlebell exercises you can use to strengthen your legs and glutes. It is an efficient, full-body exercise that utilizes weights to build endurance and strength in the legs and core.
How to Do It?
- Lie on your back with bent knees and feet firmly on the floor.
- Place a kettlebell over your hips, engaging core muscles and glutes for stability. Brace yourself in this position to get ready for lift-off!
- Raise your hips as high as you can so that you feel the contraction in your lower back muscle, then slowly return down to complete one rep.
- For maximum effect, repeat 8 to 10 repetitions 2 or 3 times per set.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged throughout the exercise to activate all necessary muscles!
7. B-Stance Glute Bridge
B-stance glute bridges are kettlebell exercises designed to help strengthen the legs and glutes. This exercise works the hamstrings and glutes by engaging both posterior chain muscles during hip extension.
Additionally, it has added balance benefits, which will transfer to many physical activities beyond kettlebell exercises for the legs.
How to Do It?
- To complete the B-Stance Glute Bridge, place one foot just six inches away from your body to form a split stance.
- Lie on your back with bent knees and feet firmly on the floor.
- Place a kettlebell over your hips, engaging core muscles, glutes, and hips for stability.
- Brace yourself in this position to get ready for lift-off! Rise as high as you can so that you feel the contraction in your lower back muscle, then slowly return down to complete one rep.
- For maximum effect, repeat 8 to 10 repetitions 2 or 3 times per set.
8. One Arm Overhead Squat
The kettlebell one-arm overhead squat is an incredibly effective kettlebell exercise for building strength and definition in your legs and glutes. It also increases your stability on a whole new level as you balance the kettlebell with just one hand above your head.
How to Do It?
- Begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart with your toes pointed outward. Hold the dumbbell in one of your hands and extend it upwards until it is above your head.
- Keeping your core engaged and chest opened, slowly bend at the hips and knees while keeping the kettlebell straight up in the air until you squat.
- From there, drive through your heels to engage those glute muscles as you stand up to full extension.
- Finally, bring the kettlebell back over your head as you repeat this powerful exercise for a more toned and strong lower body.
9. Kettlebell Wall Sit
The kettlebell wall sit is the simplest exercise for your legs, but don’t be fooled—it’s just as effective! The wall sit exercise will require you to use your glutes and the strength of your legs to stay in the squat position against the wall.
How to Do It?
- To perform this exercise, you will need to stand with your back against a wall and hold a kettlebell at your chest.
- Then, slowly bend your knees to slide into a squat position until your legs are 90 degrees.
- Keep pressing your back firmly against the wall while engaging your core muscles during this motion.
- This motion will help train and strengthen all of the muscles in the legs, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thighs, and calves, and give you stronger glutes.
- You can hold this position for 10-30 seconds to reap all the benefits of kettlebell exercises for your legs.
10. Kettlebell Tactical Lunge
Kettlebell tactical lunges are a fantastic exercise to build stronger legs and glutes. The kettlebell tactical lunge is a move that will challenge your lower body and core strength.
It’s an effective way to target and build up muscles in the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves through a dynamic combination of squats and calf raises with a kettlebell. You may also add the whey protein supplement into your routine to speed up muscle growth.
How to Do It?
- To begin, grasp a kettlebell in your right hand and stand tall.
- Then strongly lunge backward with your right foot while passing the weight between your legs to exchange hands.
- Once you've firmly regained an upright stance, bring both feet together again before repeating on the opposite side for maximum results!
- Alternate sides for as many repetitions as desired.
- Doing three sets of this kettlebell tactical lunge each day for at least eight repetitions per set to build more muscular legs and glutes quickly—incorporating this exercise into your routine can have tremendous health benefits.
FAQs
1. What are the benefits of using kettlebells?Kettlebells offer a range of benefits, including increased power and strength, improved mobility and coordination, better balance and stability, and enhanced calorie-burning potential. They can also target specific muscle groups for toning and sculpting.
2. Is it safe for me to use kettlebells?Yes! As long as you practice proper form and technique with your exercises, kettlebell training is considered a safe exercise. Start slow with lighter weights before moving on to heavier ones.
Additionally, you may want to consider working with a certified personal trainer or fitness instructor who can ensure that you’re using the kettlebell correctly.
3. What are some good exercises for beginners?For those just starting with kettlebells, we recommend beginning with two to three sets of 10 - 15 reps with a lightweight (12-15 lb.). Some great beginner exercises include goblet squats, one-arm swings, and deadlifts.
As you progress and become more comfortable with your form and technique, you can add in more challenging moves such as sumo squats, squat & press combos, snatches, and cleans.
4. Are there any advanced exercises I should try?Once you’ve mastered the basics of kettlebell training and are looking to take your workouts to the next level, try incorporating higher-intensity moves into your routine.
Examples include kettlebell burpees, renegade rows, Turkish get-ups, and double clean & jerks. Not only will these exercises challenge you physically, but they’ll also help build strength and endurance.
Conclusion
Kettlebell exercises for the legs and glutes are a great way to build strength, power, and definition. They incorporate dynamic movements that will challenge your stability, coordination, and balance—all while giving you stronger legs and glutes.
With some patience and consistency in performing these exercises regularly—like the wall sit, one-arm overhead squat, and kettlebell tactical lunge—you can see results in no time. So what are you waiting for? Start building those legs and glutes today with these powerful kettlebell workouts!
