Kettlebell Exercises for Back
Exercise: Bent Over Rows
Exercise Advice: Take a shoulder width stance, bend over and maintain a flex in your knees. Position the kettlebells just below knee level with a neutral grip. Bring both kettlebells up to the top position while trying to keep your elbows in tight to your sides during the upward movement. Slowly lower the kettlebells down to the starting position and repeat.
Exercise: Bent Over Rows Alternating
Exercise Advice: Take a shoulder width stance, bend over and maintain a flex in your knees. Position the kettlebells just below knee level with a neutral grip. Bring one kettlebell up to the top position while trying to keep your elbow in tight to your side during the upward movement. Slowly lower the kettlebell down to the starting position and repeat with the other arm.
Exercise: Bent Over Rows With One Arm
Exercise Advice: Take a shoulder width stance, bend over and maintain a flex in your knees. Position the kettlebell on the ground with a neutral grip. Bring the kettlebell up to the top position while trying to keep your elbow in tight to your side during the upward movement.
Exercise: Deadlifts With Two Kettlebells
Muscles Targeted: The kettlebell deadlift targets several major muscle groups throughout the body including the legs, butt, hips, core, arms, shoulders and almost every muscle in the back. It is one of the most effective total body exercises you can use to add size and strength to your physique.
Exercise Instructions: Position your feet outside of the two kettlebells with a little wider than a shoulder width stance. As you bend down, push your hips back, while keeping your butt out and your back straight until your shoulder are over the kettlebells. Your shoulder blades, the kettlebells and the mid-point of your feet should form a straight line. Keep your back and neck neutral, not bowed or hyper-extended. Keep your head up and look straight ahead. Grip the two kettlebells with a firm overhand grip. Begin the deadlift by using the big muscles of your back as you lift the kettlebells up. Once the kettlebells are past your knees, push your hips forward and extend your body until it is fully erect. At the top of the movement, push your chest out. Do not lean back or hyper-extend your knees. Keep your back and neck neutral. To lower the kettlebells back down to the ground, push your hips back and slowly start to lower the weight while keeping your back flat, your chest out, shoulders back and your butt out. With a proper deadlift, the kettlebells will travel up and down in a straight line. Keep them close to your body while slightly brushing your thighs as you raise and lower them. Keep the kettlebells under control at all times.
Things To Avoid: Rounding your back and shoulders while moving your neck around are the biggest mistakes you can make when performing the kettlebell deadlift. Doing it incorrectly can compress the discs in the spine and the neck. Pay close attention to your form and do not look up or down when executing the deadlift (look straight ahead). Maintain a flat back and spine when raising and lowering the kettlebells with this exercise. Proper form is much more important than the amount of weight you use when doing the deadlift. Start with very light kettlebells and make sure you get the technique down correctly before increasing the weight. Keep the kettlebells close to your body throughout the entire range of motion. When lowering the kettlebells back down to the ground, do not let them bounce or hit the floor hard.
Reps and Sets: Beginners should start off with light kettlebells and perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 strict reps. The deadlift is all about technique so make sure you adhere to proper form at all times. Once you become comfortable with the deadlift, increase the weight of the kettlebells and lower the repetitions to 6-8 per set to help build optimal muscle mass along with increasing strength gains. It’s important to take a proper rest period in between sets of 90-120 seconds and perform the kettlebell deadlift once per week as part of your back workout. Hit it hard and then make sure to rest so you can fully recover and grow from your workout.
Exercise: Deadlifts
Exercise Advice: Take a shoulder width stance. Hold one kettlebell with both hands with an overhand grip (palms facing in). Squat down and position the kettlebell on the ground between your feet. From this squat position, extend up while driving with your legs while keeping your back flat to the top position (avoid arching your back or rounding your shoulders). Slowly lower the kettlebell down to the starting position and repeat.
Exercise: Renegade Rows
Exercise Advice: Place two kettlebells on the ground about shoulder width apart and grasp them using both hands. Position yourself in a pushup position with your back flat and arms fully extended. Make sure the kettlebells are large enough that the base will support your weight without tipping over (be careful). Bring one kettlebell up to the top position while trying to keep your elbow in tight to your side during the upward movement. Slowly lower the kettlebell down to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm.
