# Kettlebell Glutes and Hamstrings Hinge, thrust, row, and calf work with one kettlebell. Built for glutes, hamstrings, and upper-back strength. - URL: https://formaroutines.com/routines/kettlebell-glutes-and-hamstrings/ - Duration: About 21 min - Admin slug: kettlebell-glutes-and-hamstrings ## Before you start Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care. ## Exercises ### 1. Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift 3 sets · 10 reps · 45s rest The hinge that teaches the whole session. Push the hips back rather than bending the knees. #### Steps - Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of your thighs. - Pull your shoulder blades back and brace your core to lock the spine in a neutral position. - Push your hips back and let the kettlebell travel down the front of your legs with a slight knee bend. - Lower the bell until you feel a deep stretch in the hamstrings, usually around mid-shin. - Drive your hips forward to stand back up, keeping the kettlebell close to your body the whole way. - Squeeze your glutes hard at the top and reset your brace before the next rep. #### Cues - Hips travel back. - Long spine. - Squeeze to stand. #### Common mistakes - Turning the lift into a squat by bending the knees instead of pushing the hips back. - Rounding the lower back as the kettlebell lowers, which loads the spine instead of the hamstrings. - Letting the kettlebell drift away from the body, which pulls the lifter forward and strains the back. - Hyperextending the lower back at lockout instead of standing tall with squeezed glutes. ### 2. Kettlebell Hip Thrust 3 sets · 12 reps · 45s rest The most direct glute exercise here. Stop the lift before the lower back takes over. #### Steps - Sit on the floor with your upper back against a sturdy bench and a kettlebell resting on your hips. - Plant your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, with your shins close to vertical at the top of the rep. - Brace your core and drive through your heels to lift your hips up toward the ceiling. - Squeeze your glutes hard at the top, with your torso and thighs forming a straight line. - Lower your hips slowly back toward the floor, keeping tension on the glutes the whole way down. - Tap the floor lightly with your hips and drive back up for the next rep without losing position. #### Cues - Ribs stay down. - Drive through heels. - Pause at the top. #### Common mistakes - Pushing the hips up by overarching the lower back instead of driving through the glutes. - Letting the knees cave inward at lockout, which shifts load off the glutes and onto the joints. - Stopping short of full hip extension, which leaves the strongest part of the rep on the table. - Resting the kettlebell on the stomach rather than the hip crease, which limits how high the hips can travel. ### 3. Kettlebell Assisted Bulgarian Split Squat 3 sets · 8 reps · 45s rest · both sides One leg at a time exposes side-to-side differences. Hold support until the balance settles. #### Steps - Stand a few feet in front of a bench and place the top of one foot back on the bench behind you. - Hold a light kettlebell at chest height with both hands cupping the horns in a goblet grip. - Brace your core and check that your front foot is far enough forward for the knee to bend cleanly. - Lower straight down by bending both legs until your back knee almost touches the floor. - Keep the kettlebell tight to your chest and your torso upright through the full descent. - Drive through the front heel to stand back up to the starting position and reset for the next rep. #### Cues - Front foot loaded. - Torso tall. - Down slow, up strong. #### Common mistakes - Placing the front foot too close to the bench, which forces the knee to push past the toes uncomfortably. - Letting the front knee cave in at the bottom, which strains the knee and shifts work off the glute. - Leaning forward over the front leg, loading the lower back instead of the working leg. - Pushing off the back foot for help, which removes the single-leg challenge from the rep. ### 4. Kettlebell Single Arm Row 3 sets · 10 reps · 40s rest · both sides Balances the hinge work with a pull. Resist the urge to twist toward the working side. #### Steps - Place one knee and same-side hand on a flat bench with the opposite foot planted on the floor. - Reach down and grip a kettlebell with the working hand, letting the arm hang straight from the shoulder. - Brace your core and keep your back flat and parallel to the floor. - Row the kettlebell up to your hip, leading with the elbow and keeping it close to your ribs. - Squeeze your shoulder blade in toward the spine at the top, then lower the bell slowly back down. - Finish all reps on one side before switching positions and repeating on the other arm. #### Cues - Long spine. - Lead with the elbow. - Hips stay square. #### Common mistakes - Twisting the torso open to throw the kettlebell up instead of pulling cleanly with the lat. - Letting the elbow flare wide, which loads the rear shoulder instead of the back. - Letting the shoulder shrug up at the top, swapping back work for trap involvement. - Cutting the bottom of the rep short and losing the long stretch on the lat. ### 5. Kettlebell Calf Raise 3 sets · 15 reps · 30s rest Finishes the chain at the ankles. Full range matters more than load. #### Steps - Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell at your side or in front at chest height. - Place the balls of your feet on a small step or platform with your heels hanging just off the edge. - Brace your core and keep your knees soft but straight throughout the entire rep. - Press up onto the balls of your feet by squeezing your calves and lifting your heels as high as possible. - Pause for a count at the top with the calves fully contracted and your weight balanced. - Lower your heels slowly below the platform over 2 to 3 seconds for a deep stretch, then drive back up. #### Cues - Rise tall. - Pause at the top. - Lower slowly. #### Common mistakes - Bouncing through the bottom of each rep, which uses tendon recoil instead of working the calf muscle. - Cutting the range short at the top, which leaves out the peak contraction where the calves grow. - Bending the knees mid-rep, which shifts work to the soleus only and reduces the gastrocnemius work. - Tipping forward at the hips for momentum instead of staying tall and pressing straight up.