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Kettlebell exercises

Kettlebell Deadlift: Learn the Hip Hinge Before You Swing

Bell between your feet, push your hips back, grip it and stand up tall. The slow hinge every swing is built on.

2 min read

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

How to do it

  1. 1

    Bell between your feet

    Feet about hip-width, bell on the floor between your arches. It sits under your middle, not out in front of your toes.

  2. 2

    Hips back, not down

    Push your hips back until your hands reach the handle with a flat back. Your shins stay close to upright; the knees bend only as much as they need to.

  3. 3

    Tighten before you lift

    Grip the handle and pull your shoulders down, away from your ears. Feel the backs of your legs load up. The bell should feel lighter before it leaves the floor.

  4. 4

    Stand up through the floor

    Push your feet into the ground and bring your hips forward until you stand tall. Squeeze your glutes at the top and stop there; no leaning back.

  5. 5

    Put it down the same way

    Hips back first, the bell travelling close to your legs, flat back until it touches the floor.

  6. 6

    The test

    The bell moves straight up and down close to your legs, and your lower back never rounds. When it does, the set is over.

Watch for

  • Squatting it. Your knees push forward and your hips drop, so your thighs lift the bell and your hips learn nothing.
  • Rounding your back to reach the handle. The lift starts from your lower back instead of your hips.
  • Leaning back at the top. Standing tall is the finish; arching past it only loads your lower back.

Questions

Is the kettlebell deadlift good for beginners?

Yes. It teaches the hip hinge slowly, with no speed to manage, and it is the movement every kettlebell swing is built on.

Kettlebell deadlift or swing?

The deadlift is the same hinge done slowly. When you can lift with a flat back and finish tall with your glutes, move on to the swing: the same movement, fast.

How heavy should a kettlebell deadlift be?

Heavy enough that you have to tighten before it moves, light enough that your back stays flat on all 8 reps. It is often heavier than your swing bell.