If you’re a beginner, I recommend adding these five kettlebell abs exercises to your main routine. To build a strong core foundation, you need a set of exercises that help you develop core functional strength and target the entire core muscles. So, think of these moves as your bread-and-butter kettlebell exercises.
By adding them to your exercise regime using kettlebells, you can lift more weights, run faster, and move with better posture and power, all while strengthening the muscles responsible for helping you move correctly and safely.
These are five of the best kettlebell ab exercises for beginners and anyone looking to build a stronger core. We’ve also rounded up the 5 best kettlebell exercises for beginners if you prefer to hit muscle groups all over the place during your next workout.
Can you get abs with kettlebells?
Free weights are much more versatile than barbells, giving you more flexibility within your training regimen. Kettlebells are typically harder to grip and control than dumbbells, making them brilliant at building stability, core control, muscle power, and coordination.
Because free weights are versatile, you can train your core muscles more creatively. As we discuss in the article 7 Best Kettlebell Ab Exercises to Strengthen Your Core Muscles (experts, head here for more abs technique inspiration), core muscles don’t just include your abs.
No, the hip flexors, glutes, and diaphragm are all core muscles, along with deep stabilizers like the transverse abdominis and internal obliques. All the muscles that wrap around the trunk, drive movement, and support the spine are part of the core network.
But that doesn’t equate to popping your abs. You can do the hard work to grow your ab muscles, but ab definition is a product of a low body fat percentage. If fat loss is the goal, check out these 5 reasons why you can’t see your abs even though you work out.
The 5 best kettlebell abs exercises for beginners
The following exercises allow you to double load or use single weights to work on balance and stability – a key part of unilateral training and an easy way to isolate and strengthen weaker muscle groups. Learn how to hold a kettlebell correctly and check out these five moves.
1. Half Turkish clothes
Unlike Turkish get-ups, the half-get-up is the perfect connecting exercise for beginners to develop movement pattern. In this variation, you won’t get up, hence the name.
The movement still requires stability and core engagement, recruiting muscles such as the shoulders, triceps, back, hip flexors, obliques and abs.
- Start on your back, gripping your weight with your right hand
- Engage your core and extend your right arm overhead in line with your shoulder
- Bend your right knee and plant your right foot on the ground. Extend your left leg away from you and keep your left arm beside your body
- Tighten your upper body muscles and tuck your chin
- Sit up and rest your left elbow on the floor next to your body
- Keep the weight above your head and arm locked. Watch your weight at all times
- Push up again and switch from left elbow to left hand on the ground, arm now extended
- Press down with your right foot, then lift your hips toward the ceiling. Break
- Reverse each step back. Switch sides.
2. Kettlebell twists and turns
Twists are a great way to train your oblique muscles and help strengthen and stabilize your lower back, setting you up for big lifts like deadlifts or back squats. Here’s how to do Russian twists in more detail.
Avoid arching your back or leaning back too much, and try not to swing your legs. If you struggle with back pain, it’s worth checking with your doctor before adding twists to your regular exercise routine. You can also try the move with both feet planted on the floor.
- Sit on an exercise mat
- Engage your core as you lean back slightly, lifting your legs off the floor so that you are in a V-shaped position with knees bent
- Support your core and grab a kettlebell near the center of your chest
- Begin by rotating your torso from side to side, touching the kettlebell close to your hips each time. Keep your legs still the entire time and track the weight with your eyes.
3. Kettlebell farmer’s grip
Unlike the farmer’s walk, the kettlebell farmer’s grip requires you to stand still, which may be more accessible for beginners. But it still challenges core stability and balance, developing grip strength and muscles in the shoulders, chest, core, traps, and arms. Start with light weights before adding heavier loads. You can learn more about the farmer’s estate here.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and two weights placed on either side of your feet
- Bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat position with your chest proud, spine neutral, and your weight evenly distributed across your feet
- Grab both kettlebells, engage your core and roll your shoulders back and forth
- Keep your chest proud, look forward and push off the ground to stand up. Jack.
Avoid any excessive leaning to one side, backward or forward. Keep your shoulders pulled back to avoid hunching and straining your back muscles. You can start with one weight to isolate the sides or two for a heavier load.
4. Kettlebell halo
Great for shoulder mobility and strengthening the shoulders and upper back, kettlebell halos also require lower back and core stability to safely spin a weight overhead.
- Start in a semi-kneeling position with right foot planted forward and knee bent
- Grab a kettlebell with both hands and engage your core
- Start swinging the kettlebell around your head
- Keep your spine high and avoid arching your back. Complete reps in one direction, then switch.
5. Abs with kettlebells
Challenge shoulder stability and core strength by loading your abs with a kettlebell or two. Start with knees bent and feet planted low and progress to extending the legs out in front of you.
Sit-ups are a core torch known to strengthen your abs, but this variation also targets your lower back, hip flexors, arms and shoulders.
- Start on your back with knees bent and feet planted low or legs extended out in front
- Hold a kettlebell in both hands or a kettlebell in each hand and arms extended across your chest
- Engage your core, then sit back, keeping your arms extended overhead
- Gently push your head up into your arms
- Slowly lower your back to the floor with control.
You can add these moves to your existing ab program or combine them into your own five-move ab workout. If you’re going to do this, aim for 8-12 reps per side, per exercise, and repeat for 3-5 rounds. For the farmer’s grip, try to hold your grip for 30-60 seconds.
More from Tom’s Guide
Here are other ways to engage your mind and core muscles.
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