Kneeling Kettlebell Halo: Open Your Shoulders Without Cheating
Kneel tall, hold the bell upside down by the horns and circle it around your head. Kneeling stops your hips and back from helping, so your shoulders do the work.
2 min read
Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them
How to do it
- 1
Kneel tall
Both knees on something soft, hips over your knees, glutes squeezed so your lower back does not arch.
- 2
Hold it upside down
Grip the bell by the horns, the two upright sides of the handle, bottom up, in front of your chest.
- 3
Circle close to your head
Take the bell around your head, behind it at the base of your skull, and back to the front. Keep it close.
- 4
Ribs stay down
As the bell goes behind you, keep your ribs down. Your shoulders make the room, not your back.
- 5
Switch direction
Do the same number of circles the other way.
- 6
The test
A smooth, close circle with your head still and your ribs down. When the circle gets wide or your back arches, stop.
Watch for
- Arching your lower back as the bell goes behind your head.
- Moving your head out of the way instead of moving the bell around it.
- A wide circle. Far from your head, the bell stops working your shoulders.