How to do a Kettlebell Halo
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Kettlebell Halo
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Kettlebell Halo is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. The exercise involves raising a kettlebell, and circling your head with it. This is a great exercise for improving shoulder mobility in both the short and long term, and can be a great warm up exercise for anything that requires a lot of shoulder mobility. Because the kettlebell isn’t always inline with your center of mass, it requires some core stabilization.
- Stand upright while holding the bottom of a kettlebell just in front of your chin. Bring the kettlebell clockwise around your head keeping the kettlebell close until you return to the starting position. Immediately circle the kettlebell counterclockwise around your head and repeat for the allotted repetitions.
Common Form Mistakes
Around Your Head
There’s a tendency, especially as you become fatigued, to only circle your face with the weight. This will make the exercise less effective. Make sure you’re allowing the weight to travel all the way behind your head.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Kettlebell Halo standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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- beginner8reps15lbs1 Rep Max20lbs
- intermediate8reps17.5lbs22.5lbs
- advanced8reps20lbs25lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Kettlebell Halo
1. Kettlebell Upright Row
75.4 mSCORESWAPPED 228 TIMESKettlebell Upright Row is a variation on the more standard Upright Row. This compound exercise primarily targets your shoulders. The benefit to using a Kettlebell is the ability to pull the handle in opposite directions at the top of the movement. This can help improve muscle activation compared to other variations.
2. Dumbbell Front Raise
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 140 TIMESDumbbell Front Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise, and can work well to isolate the shoulders to build strength and muscle mass. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
99.5 mSCORESWAPPED 84 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for slightly more instability than with equipment like barbells. This can help you recruit and develop stabilizing muscles around the shoulders. In addition, by using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
4. Dumbbell Shoulder Raise
97.8 mSCORESWAPPED 82 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise and can work well for building muscle mass and strengthening the shoulders. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
5. Dumbbell Halo To Oblique Crunch
23 mSCORESWAPPED 78 TIMESDumbbell Halo To Oblique Crunch is a combination of a core and shoulder exercise. It primarily targets the obliques and shoulders. By performing a halo movement with the dumbbell around your head, you engage your shoulders and upper body. Transitioning into an oblique crunch emphasizes the sides of your core, making this an excellent exercise for building functional strength and stability.
6. Kettlebell Overhead Press
46.2 mSCORESWAPPED 76 TIMESKettlebell Overhead Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. By performing the exercise one hand at a time, you add some instability to the movement, and will need to recruit your core for stability.
- Intermediate
- Shoulders
- Kettlebells
7. Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
94.7 mSCORESWAPPED 72 TIMESDumbbell Rear Delt Raise is a variation of Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to other shoulder raises, this is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. By hinging your hips back, and leaning forward slightly, you can further emphasize your rear deltoids (back of the shoulder).
8. Dumbbell Standing Front Press
64.1 mSCORESWAPPED 67 TIMESDumbbell Standing Front Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Similar to other Shoulder Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your shoulders. The standing position helps improve overall balance and functional strength by engaging your core and stabilizing muscles more than a seated version. Using dumbbells ensures that each side of the body works equally, preventing compensating for any strength imbalances between sides.
9. Cable Face Pull
96 mSCORESWAPPED 61 TIMESCable Face Pull is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders, more specifically your posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). By using a cable machine, you have more control over where the resistance is coming from, and can easily make adjustments by either moving towards or away from the cable machine, or by adjusting the height of the pulley.
- Intermediate
- Shoulders
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
10. Dumbbell Cuban Shoulder Rotations
43.6 mSCORESWAPPED 57 TIMESDumbbell Cuban Shoulder Rotation is a shoulder exercise that involves holding a dumbbell just above your head with your elbows out to each side, and then rotating your forearms forwards. It’s a great exercise for gaining strength and improving mobility in your shoulders, especially your rotator cuff.