20 kettlebell exercises | Beginners & Advanced

20 Kettlebell Exercises: How-To, Muscles Used, Benefits

Kettlebell training offers a mix of strength, endurance, skill, and mobility through 20 detailed exercises. Each movement targets unique primary and secondary muscles, comes with distinct benefits, and draws from the long tradition of kettlebell use in Russia. Enjoy our comprehensive guide to 20 beginner kettlebell exercises and advanced kettlebell exercises.

Kettlebell Origins

Kettlebells trace their origin to 18th-century Russia, known there as "girya". Originally used as market weights, they soon found use in physical culture, strongman competitions, and later as a cornerstone of Russian military fitness programs. Their unique design enables both ballistic (explosive) and grind (strength) exercises, making them a versatile tool for full-body training.

20 Kettlebell Exercises:

1. Kettlebell Swing (Two-Handed)

How to Perform: Stand feet shoulder-width apart, grip kettlebell with both hands, hinge at hips, swing kettlebell between legs, snap hips forward, let kettlebell float to chest height, and control the downswing.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings
• Secondary Muscles: Core, shoulders, lats

Benefits: Builds explosive power, endurance, hip hinge mechanics, and burns fat.

2. Goblet Squat

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell to chest, feet shoulder-width, squat down keeping chest upright, hips to knee height, and stand back up.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Quads, glutes
• Secondary Muscles: Hamstrings, core

Benefits: Leg strength, core stability, postural alignment.

3. Kettlebell High Pull

How to Perform: Similar start to the swing, use hip drive, pull kettlebell upward with elbows leading, letting it float to chest height.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Upper back, delts
• Secondary Muscles: Traps, core, biceps

Benefits: Explosive power, upper body pulling strength.

4. Suitcase Deadlift

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell at side, feet hip-width, hinge at hips, keep shoulders level as you stand up and lower down.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Hamstrings, glutes
• Secondary Muscles: Obliques, grip, back

Benefits: Unilateral strength, grip, anti-rotational core.

5. Plank Drag

How to Perform:In a plank position, reach across with one hand, drag kettlebell from one side to the other while maintaining core and hip stability.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Obliques, abs
• Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, chest, glutes

Benefits: Core activation, anti-rotation, shoulder stability.

Useful Beginner Kettlebell Exercises Video

6. Figure of 8

How to Perform: Pass kettlebell in figure-of-eight motion between legs, keeping a stable athletic stance.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Core, grip
• Secondary Muscles: Lats, glutes, hamstrings

Benefits: Agility, coordination, full-body engagement.

7. Single Arm Swing

How to Perform: Swing kettlebell one-handed, keeping hips square, drive with glutes, alternate hands or complete set on each arm.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings
• Secondary Muscles: Core, shoulders, obliques
  

Benefits: Anti-rotation, grip, power.

8. Racked Squat

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell in rack position on shoulder, squat down and drive up, keep core engaged and torso upright.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Quads, glutes
• Secondary Muscles: Obliques, upper back

Benefits: Asymmetrical leg and core strength, postural control.

9. Clean and Press

How to Perform: Clean kettlebell from ground to rack, pause, then press overhead. Return with control.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Shoulders, legs
• Secondary Muscles: Core, triceps, back

Benefits: Power, full-body coordination, overhead strength.

10. Squat Curl

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell in goblet grip, squat deeply, perform biceps curl at bottom, rise back up.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Quads, biceps
• Secondary Muscles: Glutes, forearms

Benefits: Leg and arm engagement, isometric strength.

11. Windmill

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell overhead, feet wider than shoulder width, rotate and lower opposite hand toward the floor with straight legs.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Obliques, glutes
• Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, hamstrings

Benefits: Core and shoulder stability, mobility.

12. Sit & Press

How to Perform: Lie on back with knees bent, hold kettlebell to chest, perform a sit-up and press kettlebell overhead at the top.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Abs, shoulders
• Secondary Muscles: Triceps, chest

Benefits: Core and overhead strength combination.

13. Turkish Get-Up

How to Perform: From lying, hold kettlebell overhead, sequentially rise to standing using free hand and leg, then reverse down.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Shoulders, core
• Secondary Muscles: Glutes, triceps, adductors

Benefits: Mobility, coordination, functional total-body strength.

14. Racked Reverse Lunge

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell rack style, step back into lunge, keep core braced and chest upright.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Quads, glutes
• Secondary Muscles: Obliques, hamstrings

Benefits: Balance, unilateral lower-body strength.

Useful Advanced Kettlebell Exercises Video

15. Kettlebell Snatch

How to Perform: Swing kettlebell from between legs to overhead in a single motion, punch through at top, lower with control.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Glutes, shoulders
• Secondary Muscles: Core, hamstrings, back

Benefits: Power, cardio, overhead endurance.

16. Deck Squat

How to Perform:  Hold kettlebell to chest, squat down, roll onto back, bridge hips, then roll up and return to standing.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Quads, abs
• Secondary Muscles: Glutes, back

Benefits: Mobility, explosive power, functional strength.

17. Bottom-Up Press

How to Perform: Hold kettlebell upside down, press overhead, maintain grip and wrist alignment.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Shoulders, forearms
• Secondary Muscles: Upper back, core

Benefits: Grip, stability, unilateral control.

18. Lateral Swing

How to Perform: Stand with feet wider than hips, swing kettlebell side-to-side across body.
Primary Muscles: Glutes, obliques

Muscles Used:

• Secondary Muscles: Hamstrings, lats
• Benefits: Lateral power, rotational stability.

19. Single Arm Row

How to Perform: Stagger stance, hinge at hips, row kettlebell to side in line with ribs, keep back straight.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Lats, rhomboids
• Secondary Muscles: Biceps, rear delts/core

Benefits: Upper-back pulling, postural strength.

20. Overhead Press

How to Perform: From rack, press kettlebell overhead, rotate palm forward, lock out and lower under control.

Muscles Used:

• Primary Muscles: Deltoids
• Secondary Muscles: Triceps, upper chest, core

Benefits: Shoulder strength, lockout control, stability.

Primary and Secondary Muscles per Exercise

Benefits and progressions  for beginner kettlebell Exercises Vs advanced lifters.

Beginner kettlebell lifters and advanced lifters both benefit from kettlebell training, but their progressions, focus, and potential risks are quite different. Here’s how the journey should look at each stage.

Benefits for Beginners

1. Fundamental Movement Patterns: Beginners develop essential hip hinge, squat, push, pull, and carry mechanics, which are important for injury prevention and translating strength to everyday activities.
2. Rapid Gains in Coordination and Motor Learning: The dynamic, multi-planar nature of kettlebell training enhances proprioception (body awareness), balance, and stabilizer muscle recruitment.
3. Joint Health and Core Activation: Many kettlebell exercises strengthen the core and stabilizers, improving posture and joint protection early on.
4. Cardiovascular Conditioning: Foundational exercises like swings provide a cardio stimulus comparable to HIIT, promoting fat loss and basic endurance even at moderate weights.
5. Simplicity and Efficiency: One kettlebell and a little space is enough for full-body training; complexity is low, and routines are quick to learn and execute.

Progressions for Beginners

• Learn Foundational Moves: Start with two-handed swings, goblet squats, deadlifts, and Turkish get-ups.
• Master Form and Consistency: Prioritize strict, safe technique over adding load or complexity. A focus on reps, not weight, is key.
• Incremental Overload: Increase reps and sets before moving up in weight. Follow the 10% rule—raise kettlebell weight by about 5-10% only after current loads feel moderate and reps are consistent.
• Adding Volume: Extend set duration, reduce rest, or add sets before boosting loads.

Benefits for Advanced Lifters

1. Enhanced Strength and Power: Heavier kettlebells and explosive moves (snatch, double cleans, complex flows) drive further gains in maximal strength and power output.
2. Unilateral & Complex Skills: Advanced lifters can incorporate double kettlebell work, offset loading, and unilateral moves for deeper core and stabilizer stress, filling weakness gaps.
3. Greater Mobility and Athleticism: Complex progressions (e.g., windmills, overhead squats, Turkish get-ups) improve total-body control and joint mobility.
4. Conditioning & Endurance Challenges: Complexes, ladders, and EMOM-style training build superior cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
5. Specialization and Customization: Workouts can be increasingly fine-tuned toward performance, hypertrophy, or athletic goals as technique and capacity improve.

Progressions for Advanced Lifters

• Double Kettlebell Variations: Add a second kettlebell for presses, squats, and cleans to double the load or create asymmetry.
• Complexes and Flows: Combine exercises (e.g., clean, front squat, press, snatch) into sequences for metabolic conditioning and skill.
• Increase Load and Density: Use heavier bells or reduce rest for the same volume. Perform more reps or volume in less time (density training).
• Single-Leg/Arm Work: Introduce single-leg deadlifts, rotational moves, bottoms-up presses for challenge and balance.
• Advanced Rep Schemes: Employ ladders, pyramids, or EMOMs (every minute on the minute) for expertise-level difficulty.

Concluding Thoughts about Kettlebell Exercises 

Beginners should master basic skills, consistency, and progress slowly for a strong foundation; advanced trainees can wield heavier weights, more complex combinations, and novel movement patterns to continue improving strength, endurance, and athletic performance—with a sustained focus on form, adaptation, and injury prevention. 

Kettlebell training remains a bridge from traditional Russian strength roots to modern fitness—delivering powerful, efficient, and functional workouts through these 20 foundation-to-advanced moves.