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10 Kettlebell Workouts To Build Your Glutes

by | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog | 0 comments

With kettlebells, basically every move is all about the hips, so it’s no shocker that they’re a great tool for boosting the glutes. “Due to the versatility of the handle and how the weight is distributed, kettlebells add another dimension to weight lifting: the need to counterbalance, which improves stability and balance, particularly in the glutes,” says Lisa Reed, CSCS, a Hardstyle Kettlebell Certified instructor and owner of Lisa Reed Fitness.

In fact, you might get more for your butt-building buck with kettlebells than conventional lifts. “The kettlebell can be hiked back to load the glutes with as much resistance as a deadlift, plus you can rep consecutively without interruption because of the kettlebell’s nature,” says Paul Pivarnik, a personal trainer and Russian Kettlebell certified instructor at New York Health & Racquet Club. “That’s the recipe for shredding the glutes!”

These workouts, designed by Pivarnik and Reed, use kettlebells along with traditional lifts and plyometric moves for the most, ahem, well-rounded glute strengthening results.

Workout 1

Warmup

Do 30 seconds of:

  • Crocodile breathing (lie face down, hands under forehead, inhale through nose into belly; exhale even slower)
  • Quadruped rocking (on hands and knees, fold back on your haunches then rock forward into arms)
  • Quadruped hip cars, each side (on hands and knees, slowly lift one foot up, fully extending glute, then circle the leg slowly from the hip, alternating directions)
  • Segmental cat cow (on hands and knees, slowly arch back from lower back, middle, upper, then switch the curve just as slowly)
  • Quadruped shoulder cars, each side (on hands and knees, raise one arm straight out in front of you, then slowly circle it all the way around; switch directions)

Workout

(Aim to use very heavy weight; If you hit the top reps easily, go heavier.)

  • 5-8 KB deadlifts

  • 10 Cable pull-throughs

  • 10 Bridges

  • 10 Split squat, per side (loaded if desired)

  • x3-5

Workout 2

Warmup

Do 30 seconds of:

  • Crocodile breathing

  • Quadruped rocking

  • Quadruped hip cars, each side

  • Segmental cat cow

  • Quadruped shoulder cars, each side

Workout

  • 10 KB dead swings (pause the KB on the ground between reps)

  • 10 Hinge jumps

  • 5 Single-leg bridge, each side

  • 5 Step-ups, each side (loaded if desired)

  • x3-5

Workout 3

Warmup

Do 30 seconds of:

  • Crocodile breathing

  • Quadruped rocking

  • Quadruped hip cars, each side

  • Segmental cat cow

  • Quadruped shoulder cars, each side

Workout

  • 10 KB swings

  • 8 Split-squat jump, per side

  • 10 barbell hip thrusters

  • 8 Bulgarian split squat (foot elevated), each side (loaded if desired)

  • x3-5

Workout 4

Warmup

Do 30 seconds of:

  • Crocodile breathing

  • Quadruped rocking

  • Quadruped hip cars, each side

  • Segmental cat cow

  • Quadruped shoulder cars, each side

Workout

  • 10 Double KB swing

  • 8 Split squat jump switch, per side

  • KB farmer’s carry until grip isn’t firm

  • 8 Single-leg Romanian deadlifts, per side

  • x3-5

Workout 5

Warmup

Do 30 seconds of:

  • Crocodile breathing

  • Quadruped rocking

  • Quadruped hip cars, each side

  • Segmental cat cow

  • Quadruped shoulder cars, each side

Workout

  • 8 KB double swing

  • 8 KB double clean

  • 8 KB front squat

  • 8 Farmer’s carry (steps)

  • x3-5

  • 1-minute Plank

Workout 6

Warmup

  • Do 10 reps of each exercise in the workout at a lighter weight.side

Workout

Do 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest

  • Single-arm KB swings, right

  • Single-arm KB swings, left

  • KB goblet squats

  • KB lunges

  • x3

Workout 7

Warmup

  • Do 10 reps of each exercise in the workout at a lighter weight.side

Workout

  • 5 KB swings

  • 5 KB goblet squats with 2-second hold

  • 5 racked single-arm KB lateral lunges, each side (hold weight in opposite hand of moving leg)

  • x5

Workout 8

Warmup

  • Do 10 reps of each exercise in the workout at a lighter weight.side

Workout

  • 5 Double Clean & Press

  • 12 Double KB curtsy squats

  • 8 Double KB Russian deadlifts

  • x3

Workout 9

Warmup

  • Do 10 reps of each exercise in the workout at a lighter weight.side

Workout

  • 5 Single-arm KB clean and squat, each side

  • 5 Single-leg KB Russian deadlifts, each side

  • 10 KB pass-through legs walking lunges, each leg

  • x3

Workout 10

Warmup

  • Do 10 reps of each exercise in the workout at a lighter weight.side

Workout

  • Ladder down from 10 reps (to 9, 8, 7…)

  • KB swings

  • KB goblet squats