4 kettlebell hamstring exercises

Where to start

How to train your hamstrings with a kettlebell

Most kettlebell hamstring work is a hip hinge: your hips push back with a long back, your hamstrings load up, then your hips drive you tall. The four exercises here run from a slow deadlift to fast, explosive swings.

Learn the kettlebell deadlift before you swing. For slower hamstring work with a single bell, the Romanian deadlift and the single-leg Romanian deadlift work the same way with a kettlebell as the dumbbell versions in Handler's library.

Kettlebells train the hip side of the hamstrings: hinges, where the hamstrings help pull your hips through. For the knee side, curling your heel toward your bottom, you need a curl: a sliding hamstring curl on the floor, or a leg curl machine.

1. 01
   Kettlebell DeadliftKettlebell · Beginner

   Start here. The bell sits between your feet; hips back, then stand up tall.

2. 02
   Kettlebell SwingKettlebell · Intermediate

   The classic. A hip snap floats the bell to chest height; your arms don't lift it.

3. 03
   Kettlebell Swing PowerKettlebell · Intermediate

   Short, hard sets of swings. Park the bell between sets before your grip fades.

4. 04
   Single-Arm Kettlebell SwingKettlebell · Advanced

   One hand on the bell, so your trunk works to keep your shoulders square. Once two-handed swings are solid.