Exercise guide · Legs & Glutes

Kettlebell Deadlift

The kettlebell deadlift teaches a loaded hip hinge using a kettlebell positioned between the feet. It trains the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trunk while keeping the load close to the body.

Targets: Glutes
Equipment: Kettlebell
Type: Compound

Step by step

How to do the Kettlebell Deadlift

Place a kettlebell on the floor between the feet and stand with the feet about hip width apart.
Push the hips back, soften the knees, and grip the handle with both hands while keeping the chest long and spine neutral.
Brace the abdomen and press the floor away, extending the knees and hips together until you are standing tall.
Finish with the hips and knees straight, shoulders relaxed, and the kettlebell hanging close to the thighs.
Push the hips back first to lower the kettlebell between the feet under control, then reset before the next repetition.

Form cues

Hips back first
Bell stays close
Brace before lifting
Stand tall, do not lean back

Common mistakes

Squatting straight down instead of hinging at the hips
Rounding the lower back to reach the handle
Letting the kettlebell drift away from the body
Jerking the bell from the floor or hyperextending at the top

Muscles worked

Primary

Glutes

Secondary

Hamstrings, Quads, Lower back and Forearms

Safety: Choose a load that allows a neutral spine and controlled lowering. Keep the kettlebell on a stable surface, avoid lifting through sharp back, hip, knee, or hamstring pain, and stop if control is lost.

Alternatives

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