How to do a Kettlebell Windmill
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Kettlebell Windmill
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
This is a unilateral exercise that primarily targets the core. By holding the weight in a single hand, you can more easily identify and address imbalances between sides. This is a great exercise for developing core strength and stability.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart, grab ahold of the kettlebell handle with one hand.
- Bend your elbow to raise the kettlebell up to shoulder height allowing your forearm to rotate to place the kettlebell on the back of your wrist.
- Press the kettlebell overhead so that your arm is extended and palm facing forward.
- Press your hips backward while rotating your torso so that you can reach down to your foot with the opposite hand keeping the kettlebell overtop of your shoulder.
- Return to a standing position and lower the kettlebell to the starting position.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Kettlebell Windmill 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 Windmill
1. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 316 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
2. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 305 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
3. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 286 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
4. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 241 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
5. Dumbbell Side Bend
38.8 mSCORESWAPPED 211 TIMESDumbbell Side Bend is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the obliques. The use of a dumbbell adds resistance to the movement, helping to build muscle mass and strength in your sides. This is a simple exercise that aids in improving core stability and can be easily incorporated into any abdominal workout routine.
6. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 193 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
7. Leg Pull-In
94.9 mSCORESWAPPED 183 TIMESLeg Pull in is a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already engaging your core. Additionally your core helps to pull your legs in towards your chest.
8. Sit Up
93.8 mSCORESWAPPED 167 TIMESSit Up is one of the most common exercises out there. It’s a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. Sit Ups are very similar to Crunches, however, rather than raising just your shoulder blades off the ground, you raise your entire upper body. This gives you a bit more range of motion than Crunches, however you’ll start to lose some tension in your core at the top of the movement.
9. Kettlebell Sit Up and Press
38.9 mSCORESWAPPED 162 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation of a sit up combined with an overhead press. This exercise primarily targets your core and shoulders. This is a great exercise for developing core strength with a bit of shoulders thrown in too.
10. Scissor Kick
94.2 mSCORESWAPPED 146 TIMESScissor Kicks are a bodyweight, core exercise that involve raising your feet off the ground, and kicking your legs up and down. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already working your core. By continually alternating which leg is raised, you’re constantly forced to keep your core engaged for stability as well as to keep each leg raised.