Kettlebell Squat Variations

The squat is an exercise that has been building quad and glute strength since long before weightlifting became a sport. Kettlebells have become more popular in the last decade, and with them have come a series of exciting squat variations. The series of squat variations described below engage major muscle groups in addition to the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. 

Variety is beneficial for progress; if you don’t regularly switch up your workout routine, your muscles get used to the exercises and you will stop seeing gains. Practicing squat variations, besides offering new stimulus to your muscles, can also prevent you from getting bored and losing motivation in the weight room.

As you dive into these six movements, keep the basic tenets of squat form in mind. Your core should always be engaged, your knees should track your toes, and you should breathe properly. Breathing for a squat involves inhaling to create intra-abdominal pressure and exhaling partially to exert higher force through the sticking point of the movement. 

For a high-impact leg day, consider incorporating four of the movements into a circuit and completing two to three rounds. Or if you prefer, simply incorporate one or two of the movements into your daily regimen.

Gorilla Kettlebell Curl

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a kettlebell in each hand. 
• Squat down as you simultaneously bring the kettlebells in front of you with palms facing out. 
• Curl the kettlebell with your right hand as you pulse up and down in the squat position. 
• Extend your right arm back to the starting position.
• Curl the kettlebell with your left hand as you pulse up and down in the squat position.
• Complete 8-10 reps for one set. 

Front Squat to Press 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell in rack position on your right side.
• Keep your left arm out as you move into a squat position.
• Once your legs create a 90-degree angle, hold for 1-2 seconds before driving back up to standing position. 
• Once you reach standing position, press the kettlebell overhead. The kettlebell should stack directly over the elbow, shoulder, and hip joints. Hold for 1-2 seconds before lowering the kettlebell back into rack position. 
• Repeat 8-10 times on each side to complete one set.

Goblet Squat 

• Hold a kettlebell by its horns directly in front of your chest. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lower into a squat position. Go as low as you can without tucking your tailbone under or rounding your upper back. Your knees should track your toes throughout the movement.
• At the lowest point of your movement, use your elbows to push your knees slightly out and hold for 1-2 seconds. 
• Return to starting position by driving through the heels and contracting your glutes at the top. 
• Perform 10-12 reps to complete one set. 

Squat Swing

• Start with the kettlebell in front of the feet. Hinge forward and grab hold of the kettlebell handle with both hands. The hips should be at or below shoulder level. Set your back by pulling the shoulders down and away from the ears. Tip the bell back as you sink your weight back into the hips and hamstrings.
• Hike the bell back between your legs, keeping shoulders over the toes. Hips should remain at or below shoulder level. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings. 
• Drive the feet into the floor as the bell comes forward, but instead of fully extending the hips, drop your butt down and come into a squat position, allowing the bell to float up to about chest level.  
• As the bell comes back down, bring your hips back up to meet it and come into the backswing of the next repetition. 
• Perform 10-12 reps to complete one set. 

Overhead Squat 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell in rack position on your right arm. 
• Press the kettlebell overhead with your right arm. The kettlebell should stack directly over the elbow, shoulder, and hip joints.
• Come down into a squat position, pushing the knees outward to allow your hips to open. Keep your left arm extended for balance. 
• Hold the bottom of your squat for 1-2 seconds. 
• Exhale as you return to standing position with the kettlebell overhead. 
• Perform 8-10 reps per side to complete one set. 

Kettlebell Pistol Squat 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands gripping the handle. 
• Lift your right leg off the floor and keep it extended as you move into a squat on your left leg. 
• Hold the bottom of the pistol squat for a couple of seconds, keeping your chest up as much as possible. Do your best to keep your right leg off the floor throughout the movement.
• Push into your left heel to return to starting position. 
• Perform 12-15 reps per side to complete one set.

Kettlebells are a fantastic way to add more variety to your workout, and we encourage you to be creative when using them. Think about separate movements you can combine to enhance your workout, similar to what you experienced by combining curls and squats into one movement with gorilla curls.

Kettlebell Workouts for Men

This workout is divided into two blocks. The first block is a warm-up designed to prevent injury and prepare your muscles for the upcoming workout. The second block is comprised of kettlebell exercises to strengthen your legs. 

Workout Instructions

This workout requires a medium-weight kettlebell. Choose a weight that is challenging, but not so heavy that you will risk straining a muscle.

The warm-up movements in the first block will be timed: one to two minutes per set unless otherwise stated. The warm-ups should be easy to complete and will get your blood flowing and heart rate up. For each of the five sets in the second block of movements, you will do eight reps. Unilateral exercises will require eight reps on each side.

BLOCK 1 - Warm Up

A. Hip Rockers: 60 seconds

Primary Areas Worked: Hip Flexors, Shoulders, Core, Hamstrings, Calves, Ankles

• Start in the quadruped position on your hands and knees; hands underneath the shoulders and knees underneath the hips (feel free to use a mat underneath the hands and knees).

• Rock your whole body back; go back as far as you can while keeping your back flat (don’t let the lower back round).

• Come back to the starting position.

B. Bear Crawl: 60 seconds

Primary Muscles: Core, Quads, Shoulders

• Start in a quadruped position on your hands and knees.

• Step your right hand in front of you, then step the left leg forward.

• Step your left hand in front of you, then step the right leg forward.

• Crawl in this pattern with the opposite leg trailing the lead hand.

C. Hip Swings: 30-60 seconds each leg

Primary Areas Worked: Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Glutes

• Find a tall object that you can face and hold onto while you balance on one foot.

• Swing the free leg out and away from the body, keeping the muscles loose.

• Allow the leg to drop and then swing across the body, pointing the toes up.

D. Jumping Jacks: 60 seconds

Primary Areas Worked: Full Body

• Stand upright with your hands at your sides.

• Jump the legs up and out as the arms lift over the shoulders.

• Jump the legs back in, bringing the arms to your sides.

BLOCK 2

A. Kettlebell Swing: 5 sets of 8 reps

Primary Areas Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Core, Lats, Erectors

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell on the floor about two feet in front of your feet.

• Hinge at the hips and grab the kettlebell handle with both hands. Engage your upper back and lats by pulling the shoulders down and away from your ears.

• Pull the kettlebell between your legs into the backswing, then push the bell back up by fully extending the hips and contracting the glutes and core, allowing the kettlebell to float up to chest level. The elbows should bend slightly at the top position; be sure the shoulders do not hunch up toward the ears.

• Guide the kettlebell back down along the same path, flexing at the hips once your arms hit your waistband.

B. Goblet Squat

Primary Muscles: Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads, Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders

• Stand with feet about hip width apart. Bring the kettlebell into the goblet position, grabbing hold of the handle on other side.

• Squat down while keeping the chest up and weight in the heels. An easy way to determine proper depth is to bring the elbows to the inside of the knees. The spine should stay neutral.

• Drive into the ground as to come back up to standing position, contracting the glutes and fully extending the hips.

C. Single Arm Deadlift

Primary Areas Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Upper & Lower Back, Forearms

• Stand with feet about hip width apart and a kettlebell between your feet.

• Hinge at the hips and grab the kettlebell handle with one hand. Engage your upper back and lats by pulling the shoulders down and away from your ears.

• Rise to an upright position, fully extending the hips by contracting the glutes.

• Reverse the motion to tap the kettlebell back down to the ground, keeping the spine neutral in the hinge position.

D. Figure 8 Lunge

Primary Areas Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads  

• Start in a standing position with a kettlebell in your right hand.

• Step back into a lunge with your right leg, simultaneously threading the kettlebell underneath your left leg and grabbing it with your left hand, then returning back to the starting position.  

• Step back into a lunge with your left leg, simultaneously threading the kettlebell underneath your right leg and grabbing with your right hand, then returning back to the starting position.

Remember that proper form is more important than the amount of weight you use. Using full range of motion and stabilizing in each position with a lightweight will give you bigger benefits than partial ranges of motion and unsafe lifting with a heavyweight. Regular kettlebell lifting will improve strength, endurance, and can also accelerate weight loss. 

What Is A Pood?

No doubt that kettlebell is extremely convenient training modality and favorite tool for many at home or at the gym for a blasting workout session, but still they don't know what is a pood.

This question must be bothering you if you have been getting your workout from CrossFit. Then let me tell you that pood originated in Russia along with kettlebells and is a unit of measurement for kettlebells in Russia. Pood is a unit of equal to 40 funts (Russian Pound)

Now let's convert pood in kilograms and pounds. 

One pood is approximately 16.38 kilos and a kilogram is 2.2 pounds, so one pood is 36.11 pounds. Heavy ha!

Kettlebell Exercises for Arms

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Kettlebell Exercises for Arms

15-Minute Full Body Kettlebell Workout

15-Minute Full Body Kettlebell Workout

The Benefits Of Kettlebell Training For Women

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Researching the effect of weightlifting on men seems to be more straightforward than researching the effect of weightlifting on women since women’s bodies are subject to more monthly fluctuations due to menstruation and pregnancy. Coupled with the fact that lifting weights has only become popular among women recently, there is a much larger base of male-specific research for researchers to compare results and analyze the differences. With the number of women involved in lifting weights steadily rising in recent years, however, more studies are popping up discussing the effects of exercise protocols on women.

One such study done on women and exercise was done by a group of researchers at the University of Saskatchewan in 2015. The researchers shared a curiosity about how women’s bodies react to different types of exercise. The research group studied the efficacy rates of different activities included in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) using kettlebell and free-weights. They found that women who participated in HIIT training – one minute of all-out work followed by three minutes of rest – using kettlebells and free-weights for sixty minutes, three times a week, saw significant increases in their squat, overhead press, and deadlift strength, as well as their squat endurance. Additionally, anaerobic capacities of all participants increased across both HIIT and kettlebell training programs. Anaerobic power is what we use for our high energy and fast movements. While this is useful for speed, power, and building new muscle tissue, healthy anaerobic pathways are also essential for muscle recovery. The takeaway message of the research is that increasing anaerobic power capacity through lifting kettlebells is a good thing for your muscular health. Even if power and speed aren’t your goals, you’ll feel better during your workouts and recover much faster post-workout.

Besides increasing your anaerobic capacity, load-bearing exercise such as kettlebell lifting is especially important for women to avoid suffering the effects of osteoporosis. As women age and go through menopause, levels of estrogen decline, which results in loss of bone density, called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis leads to increased risk of fractures as you age, and fractures in the elderly have a thirty percent one-year mortality rate. You can combat these effects by increasing the number of high-impact exercises – such as those you can do with kettlebells – you do during childbearing years, which will increase bone density and fight the effects of osteoporosis. If you are already experiencing osteoporosis, it’s not too late to incorporate load-bearing exercises with kettlebells to slow the progression.

All women can benefit from incorporating kettlebell training into their fitness regimen. Fitness professionals are finding new and exciting ways to combine kettlebell exercises with traditional strength and cardiovascular exercise to maximize results. Instead of spending hours in the gym doing the same boring split-body routine, you can learn new movements that challenge your entire body and mind – which makes working out more fun! There’s a reason why kettlebells have been around for hundreds of years and are rising in popularity every year: they are one of the most effective tools for fitness. While there is definitely a learning curve to getting started with kettlebells, your body will quickly gain the strength and endurance to make the challenge worth it.

If you are looking for a high-quality kettlebell to help with strengthening your back, look no further than the experts at Kettlebell Kings. With a wide array of products to choose from and inexpensive shipping, you are sure to find what you need. If you are looking for more tips and exercises related to kettlebell training, call us today at 855-7KETTLE to speak with a professional or visit our blog at https://blog.kettlebellkings.com/.

Kettlebell Blog Post - Squats

For my first post of the Hardstyle Series for Kettlebell Kings, we focused on the essential kettlebell movements for the deadlift. I also showed you on the subtle nuances that often get overlooked, and how you can progress after you have mastered the movement. You need to master the deadlift in order to understand how to properly perform hip hinges. Without correctly hinging at the hips, you will not be in a healthy position to work on building a stronger posterior chain, which is necessary to master the hardstyle swing.

The next step towards accomplishing this goal is to strengthen the legs and core by performing kettlebell squats. You can find the full post here.

Box Squat

As children, we naturally perform the box squat without even thinking about it. Kids have not developed the bad habits that adults pick up when they sit in chairs all day long, and it is worth remembering that humans have the innate ability to lower ourselves through a squatting motion. You may find it helpful to think of this exercise as returning to your roots.

It is normal to experience difficulty when performing this exercise, and the box squat is a great challenge to add to your workout. To perform this exercise, find a tall box or surface that allows your hips to be parallel with the floor when you sit on it. I recommend positioning the box so that one side is in-between your legs. This prevents you from sitting too-far back on the object and keeps you from performing the exercise with a hunched back and lowered chest.

What’s next

If you are joining us for the first time, we share exclusive kettlebell workout knowledge from our dedicated athletes, lifting champions, and experts. These workouts are designed to maximize your results, and they take only a fraction of the time that traditional workouts do. The secret to kettlebell workouts is that proper technique engages several muscle groups at the same time, so you get an intense workout without having to isolate muscle groups.

Kettlebell workouts are also great for limiting your risk of injury and building endurance. The best part is these workouts can be automatically sent to your inbox every week! All you have to do is subscribe to our posts by entering your email address in the right-hand column. We will provide you with unique content and great workouts to try at home or in the gym.

Doug’s Bio

Doug founded Rise Above Performance Training® to provide athletes with an exercise program that boosts performance while reducing the likelihood of injuries. His uses a personal approach with each client through progressive programming. This helps you unlock the inner-potential of your competitive nature by incorporating the kettlebell into daily workouts. Since 2001, he has trained with a variety of people and helped them understand how kettlebells are used for strength training, conditioning, and rehabilitation. Some of his clients have included active police officers, firefighters, career military personnel, and professional athletes. Doug’s passion for assisting all athletes in their personal fitness goals has been with him his entire life. He is willing to work with dedicated young athletes who are motivated to improve their workouts.

You can receive his monthly newsletter by visiting his website. When you sign up, you’ll receive two eBooks for free and have access to exclusive training articles and videos.

About KettlebellKings.com

Kettlebell Kings is a leading kettlebell equipment and kettlebell content creator in the United States. We are proud to offer five branded lines of kettlebells, and we work closely with individual workout enthusiasts and national gym chains to advance kettlebell equipment and kettlebell knowledge.

Located in Austin, Texas, our team is committed to providing superior products and unrivaled customer service. There is a reason why so many people have chosen KettlebellKings.com as their preferred kettlebell provider. Our customer-first approach and premium-quality equipment have helped us build a reputation as one of the leaders in the industry.

Kettlebell Kings is the first equipment provider to offer free shipping online and we sponsor the largest kettlebell competitions in the country. You can view our equipment, kettlebell how-to's, and get expert advice at https://www.kettlebellkings.com and https://blog.kettlebellkings.com/. For more information, call us at 855-7KETTLE to learn more.

Why You Need to Start Incorporating Kettlebells into Your Workout Today

Starting a new workout regimen is always exciting and energizing. The learning curve provides a mental adventure that sparks interest and determination in accomplishing new health and wellness goals. Incorporating strength-building tools will help you get better results and feel more confident about the time you put in at the gym. The resurgent popularity of kettlebells has driven many people to incorporate them into their routines to spark their strength and cardio workouts.

Let’s first define what a kettlebell is and its most common uses for fitness. A kettlebell is a cast steel or iron weight with a grip handle that is used for a variety of exercises and movements, including a combination of strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular training. Kettlebells are designed to fit your grip and balance the weight you are working with, using gravity to build muscle strength and increase endurance. The weight is off-center, unlike traditional weights found in the gym, allowing the user to target multiple muscle groups and areas of the body within a single exercise.

The benefits of using a kettlebell during your workout are countless. You will find after consistent use in just a few sessions that your balance, endurance, strength, and coordination are improved.

Unlike most traditional exercise machines, kettlebells do not isolate particular muscles but rather require whole-body movements that will give you a much more productive workout. By incorporating these useful tools in your workout, you will build strength in your tendons and ligaments, which can prevent injury.

So, you are interested in incorporating kettlebells into your workout regimen. Let’s talk about how you should go about choosing a kettlebell based on your fitness and comfort level. First, note that it is always important to consult a trainer if you are unsure of proper technique to avoid being injured during your routine.

There are basically two types of kettlebell movements: ballistic and grinds. Ballistic movements are quick movements like lifts, swings, and tosses. Grinds refer more to slow movements like overhead presses, bent presses, squats, and deadlifts. Each type of movement has different results, so depending on your goals, you may select a different type of kettlebell based your needs. Of course, one can combine both types of movements to create a hybrid workout as well, in which case having a variety of kettlebells with fluctuating weights is the most beneficial setup.

Ballistic movements and lifts require heavier kettlebells because there is not quite as much control necessary as with slower movements. Exercises like windmills, get ups, and overhead presses demand slow-paced, controlled movement in order to get the best results, so one would use a more lightweight kettlebell for these types of routines. It is advisable to start off with two kettlebells, one light weight and one heavy weight. These weights will vary based on your size, physique, fitness, and comfort levels; however, having a slight variety will give you some options to shake up your routine.

For the man who is just starting out using weights or who is at maximum able to bench press 200 pounds, it is advisable to begin with a 35 pound kettlebell. If you are able to bench press more than 200 pounds, then you could start with a 44 pound kettlebell. After a few months of training with this size kettlebell, you should be able to move to a heavier weight as you build strength. A 53 pound kettlebell is in your future!

Typically, women who are new to training with kettlebells are advised to start with an 18 pound kettlebell. With regular reps and consistent workouts, you will be able to increase the amount of weight you use in the gym or at home. Now, if you’re a seasoned gym user who has used weights in the past, then you could start off with a 26 pound kettlebell. After just a few short months, you will notice your strength increasing substantially and will be able to grow with the size of your kettlebells to begin including heavier weights and denser workouts.

In any case, purchasing a full set of kettlebells will give you a wide variety of weights that will fit your needs from start to finish, no matter your workout routine. You can then match your growing strength with a new weight that will keep you progressing in your fitness goals. Having options to choose from will give you the resources you need to design whatever workout matches your current goals.

The best parts about kettlebells are their small size, mobility, and physical benefits. Some of us need the gym to keep us on track, and others can make their own living room into their workout zone. With these useful fitness tools, you can easily transport them to any space you wish to squeeze in a solid workout. Just like with any fitness routine, with consistency, determination, and practice, it won’t be long before you start seeing results. In a world where we are constantly busy with work and other demands, having a simple-to-use and transportable fitness tool gives us a big advantage when it comes to staying fit.

If you are interested in incorporating kettlebells into your workouts, then turn to the kettlebell experts at Kettlebell Kings. Our high-quality kettlebells are guaranteed for a lifetime, and we have the right weight for you, whether you are a veteran or top-level competitor, or are looking to incorporate kettlebells into your workout for the first time. Check out our selection at www.kettlebellkings.com, or call us at 855-7KETTLE today.

How Kettlebell Workouts Can Improve Your Posture by Kettlebell Kings

In today’s society, it is easy to fall victim to poor posture, whether it’s from sitting at a desk all day or a sedentary lifestyle on the weekends. The good news is that slumped shoulders and a curved or hunched back can be improved through regular exercise with a kettlebell. Kettlebell training can help strengthen the muscles that are causing you to slump over in your chair. There are several muscle groups in the body that effect posture and by working these areas through kettlebell movements and you can improve your posture in a short amount of time each week. Kettlebell workouts can help!

Fix #1 – Strengthening Weak Glutes

Your glutes consist of three different muscle groups, the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Apart from being important for padding, these muscles also stabilize your pelvis, and if they are weak, it leads to poor posture while sitting or standing. When sitting, weak glutes cause an over activity in the hamstrings that creates a backwards tilt of the pelvis. When you have a slight pelvis tilt, the back and shoulders follow by slumping forward. Over time, this will leave you hunched over and in jeopardy of developing chronic back pain.

There are many kettlebell exercises that strengthen the glutes, however, one of the most effective exercises is the kettlebell swing. Incorporating even 15 minute increments of kettlebell swings into your daily routine can reverse the effects of poor posture by strengthening the muscles. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart with an overhand grip position on the kettlebell with both hands. Bending at the hips with back straight, let the kettlebell fall slightly behind your legs, then squeezing your gluteal muscles and using your hips, swing the kettlebell up and away from your body.  As the kettlebell descends, keep tension in your glutes to control the downward swing. End the movement by bending at your hips as the kettlebell swings back to its original position behind your legs.

Fix #2 – Straightening a Rounded Back

When your glutes are weak and cause a pelvic tilt while sitting, the muscle groups in your lower back compensate by creating a curvature or rounding. To counteract this rounding, it’s important to focus on strengthening the muscles that run along your spine. Without strength training of these muscle groups, chronic lower back pain (from a forward pelvic tilt resulting in curvature) or upper back pain (from a backward pelvic tilt causing rounding) can result.

To help correct this pelvic tilt and strengthen lower and upper back muscles, the kettlebell deadlift can be executed a few times a week. To begin, start with your feet shoulder width apart with an overhand grip on the kettlebell using both hands. Begin the movement by pulling your glutes backward and keeping your back straight as you bend forward at the hips. Your mid and lower back with have to stabilize you throughout the movement, as you push your hips toward the back of the room. Come up to an upright position the same way, keeping slight tension in your back, glutes and hamstrings and finishing by standing tall with shoulders back.

Fix #3 – Pulling Your Shoulders Back

Rolled over and hunched shoulders are more likely a cause of muscle weakness than a lack of flexibility, however both should be addressed. When the glutes aren’t engaged and the pelvis tilts causing curvature of the spine, the shoulders also move into a forward position. To address this issue and avoid upper back pain, it’s important to strengthen the muscles of your shoulders so that they are in the appropriate position while sitting and standing.

One of the best kettlebell exercises for the shoulders is the kettlebell military press. This can be done using two kettlebells and both hands or just utilizing one kettlebell. For the beginner, it is suggested that you stick with a solo kettlebell, warming up with 8-10 reps of 3 sets to engage the shoulder muscles. Begin by cleaning a kettlebell to your shoulder with your palm and wrist facing forward. Press the kettlebell up and out until it is locked out above your head. With control, lower the kettlebell back to your shoulder and repeat. Be sure to engage the muscles of your glutes, core and latissimus dorsi (located in your upper back).

Kettlebell exercises are effective because the majority of these routines train your entire body. When you are executing the kettlebell swing specifically, you are not only engaging the glutes but the abs, core, back, shoulders and hamstrings. All of these muscles work together, become stronger and increase in flexibility over time. This creates better posture and decreases your likelihood of dealing with chronic pain. For those of us with office jobs, who are forced to sit a desk for long periods of time, these workouts can greatly improve your posture and reduce pain.

If you are looking for a kettlebell to use during your workouts, the experts at Kettlebell Kings can help. We are the foremost experts in the industry and are more than happy to assist you in finding the kettlebell weight and size that works best for your end goals. Call us at 855-7KETTLE today or visit our blog at blog.kettlebellkings.com to find out more about our products and free kettlebell workouts you can do at home.