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 路 10 reps 路 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 路 12 reps 路 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 路 8 reps 路 45s rest 路 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 路 10 reps 路 40s rest 路 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 路 15 reps 路 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.