Oblique exercises

Kettlebell Windmill

Also known as: Moulin à vent au kettlebell · Ανεμόμυλος με κέτλμπελ · KB windmill

Primary
Obliques
Equipment
Kettlebell
Level
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Force
Pull
Suggested rest
1.5 min
 
One side at a time

How to do the Kettlebell Windmill

  1. Place a kettlebell in front of your lead foot and clean and press it overhead with your opposite arm. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrist as you do so, so that the palm faces forward. Press it overhead by extending the elbow.

  2. Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the locked out kettlebell. Bending at the hip to one side, sticking your butt out, slowly lean until you can touch the floor with your free hand. Keep your eyes on the kettlebell that you hold over your head at all times.

  3. Pause for a second after reaching the ground and reverse the motion back to the starting position.

Sets and reps

GoalSetsRepsRest
Muscle growth3–48–121.5 min
Muscular endurance2–315–201 min

When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 4 kg (10 lb) next session and work back up.

Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.

Muscles worked

Primary

Obliques

Secondary

Glutes, Hamstrings, Shoulders, Triceps

The obliques rotate and side-bend your trunk, and resist both. Side planks, Pallof presses, woodchops and carries cover every job.

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More obliques

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