In an actual abyss of transient physical fitness trends, kettlebells have demonstrated their enduring presence.
Alongside being an excellent tool for engaging your entire physique, kettlebells are also quite perfect for training your abdominal muscles. “Due to the fact that a kettlebell’s center of gravity is approximately six to eight inches below its handle, your body must exert extra effort to maintain balance and stability during kettlebell exercises,” explains Karolina Duncan, a certified personal trainer and wellness coach based in New York City.
Practically any movement performed with a kettlebell is certain to engage your entire core — encompassing your abdominal muscles, according to Duncan. However, if you truly desire to enhance strength in your midsection, give this 20-minute, circuit-style kettlebell abs workout, designed and endorsed by Duncan herself, a try.
This kettlebell abs workout integrates a fusion of exercises that engage the entire body and target the abs, guaranteeing not only a significant increase in heart rate but also soreness throughout your entire midsection the following day. Furthermore, there is no “correct” method to execute this kettlebell core workout. You can add the kettlebell exercises for your abs to the end of a cardio-focused workout, or you can perform the kettlebell abs workout as a standalone routine when you are pressed for time.
20-Minute Kettlebell Abs Workout
How it operates: Complete 1 round of the designated number of repetitions for each exercise. Once you finish the final kettlebell exercise for abs, return to the initial movement and repeat. Aim to complete as many rounds of the circuit as possible within a 20-minute timeframe, maintaining proper form. Take rest as necessary, but keep the momentum going.
You’ll require: two kettlebells, one of light weight (about 10 pounds) and one of moderate weight (about 20 pounds)
Kettlebell Swing
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The kettlebell oscillation, which operates virtually your entire physique and your cardiovascular system, necessitates a robust and steady core. “Maintain a prolonged and upright spine during the motion,” says Duncan. The greater you oscillate the weight, the more demanding the kettlebell activity is for your abdominal muscles.
A. Position yourself with feet shoulder-width apart, with the heavier kettlebell on the ground approximately a foot in front of feet. Squat down to seize the handle with both hands, shoulders pulled back and chest lifted, tilting the handle towards shins.
B. Lift up the kettlebell and swing it back between legs, shifting hips backward.
C. Next, forcefully propel hips forward to swing the kettlebell forward and permit the momentum to carry the kettlebell up until it’s in front of the body at shoulder level. (Activate glutes, quads, and core throughout the oscillation.) That constitutes one repetition.
Perform 12 repetitions.
Backward Step Bend with Kettlebell Transfer
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Besides working your lower extremities, this kettlebell exercise for abdominal muscles presents a challenge to your side abdominal muscles and the muscles that provide support to your spinal column in your lower back, according to Duncan.
A. Stand with both feet together, grasping the more weighty kettlebell in your left hand at your side.
B. Take a step backward with your left foot, assuming a reverse lunge position until your left knee briefly brushes against the ground. Simultaneously, pass the kettlebell beneath your front leg into your right hand as your knee descends towards the floor.
C. Push yourself back up out of the lunge, successfully completing the kettlebell transfer, to return to a standing position with the kettlebell now held in your right hand. This counts as one repetition. Repeat the exercise, alternating sides.
Perform 6 repetitions for each leg.
Kneeling Half-Kettlebell Chop
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Maintaining balance while in a half-kneeling stance is already quite challenging, Duncan claims.
Add an overloaded ‘chop’ activity on top of that, and your core must exert itself to maintain stability in your hips and lower back. While performing this kettlebell abdominal exercise, “ensure you’re not merely rotating from one side to the other in this position,” she advises. Keep your hips as steady and aligned as possible while your arms execute the chopping movement.
A. Take a position with your left knee touching the floor (left toes tucked) and your right foot planted in front, with your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Grasp the lighter kettlebell with both hands and hold it low beside your left hip.
B. While keeping both arms slightly bent, engaging your core, and maintaining stable hips, lift the kettlebell up and across your body diagonally until it is raised above your right shoulder. Reverse the movement to bring the kettlebell back down beside your left hip. This completes one repetition.
Perform 12 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat.
Single-Arm Kettlebell Overhead Sit-Up
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“Since you will be doing full sit-ups while holding a kettlebell on one side, this exercise effectively engages your entire core,” explains Duncan. However, the side of your core that is holding the kettlebell will have to exert extra effort to complete this kettlebell abs workout movement.
A. Lie on your back with your legs extended and feet positioned shoulder-width apart. Hold the lighter kettlebell in your right hand and press it into the air above your chest, fully extending your right arm.
B. While keeping the kettlebell steady overhead, tighten your core and sit all the way up.
Right triceps should be adjacent to right auditory organ. Gradually — and with restraint — descend back to the initial posture. That constitutes a single repetition.
Perform 10 repetitions. Alternate sides; repeat.
Kettlebell Windmill
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In addition to appearing stylish, kettlebell windmills “enhance both stability and mobility in your abdominal muscles, hips, and upper arms,” suggests Duncan.
This kettlebell exercise for abdominal muscles targets your entire core — particularly your oblique muscles — and aids in advancing to the renowned and challenging Turkish get-up. Maintain visual attention on the kettlebell and ensure that the arm gripping it remains fully extended. Execute the movement at a gradual pace while emphasizing control and precision.
A. Take a stance with feet twice as wide as the width of your hips, with your feet slightly angled outward. Hold the lighter kettlebell in your left hand. Elevate the kettlebell above your head until your bicep is next to your ear and your arm is completely extended.
B. Transfer your weight onto your left heel and direct your gaze towards the kettlebell. Keep your legs and the arm holding the kettlebell straight, and engage your core. Begin moving your left hip outward while simultaneously lowering your right hand down your right leg towards your knee and the floor.
C. Continue this movement until you have reached your maximum extension, ensuring that you maintain comfort and strength. To return to the starting position, reverse the motion while keeping the kettlebell fully extended overhead. This completes one repetition.
Perform 10 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat the sequence.
Plank with Kettlebell Drag
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What superior way to conclude this kettlebell abs workout than with a variation on the timeless plank? “This maneuver is an anti-rotation exercise, indicating that your core has to operate to prevent your body from rotating as you pull the kettlebell from one side to another,” states Duncan.
A. Commence in a raised plank position with the hefty kettlebell on the floor behind the right hand. While maintaining the chest and hips as steady and balanced as feasible, extend the left hand beneath the torso to seize the kettlebell on the right side.
B. Sustaining an engaged core, tug the kettlebell beneath the torso and over to the left side. Position the kettlebell behind the position of the left hand. Return the left hand to the floor. That constitutes one repetition. Iterate, alternating sides.
Execute 10 repetitions on each side.
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