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Exercises

Kettlebell exercises for women: swings, deadlifts, lunges and presses

Published October 29, 2026

The best kettlebell exercises for women are the kettlebell deadlift and swing for glutes and hamstrings, the split squat, step-up and lateral lunge for legs, the hip thrust for glutes, the row and overhead press for your back and shoulders, and the Turkish get-up for the whole body. Most women start with an 8 kg (18 lb) bell for presses and rows and a 12 kg (26 lb) bell for swings and deadlifts. Do 3 or 4 of these per session, 2 or 3 days a week, for 2 to 4 sets each, and move up a bell size once every set reaches the top of its rep range with a rep or two to spare.

  1. Kettlebell Swing Glutes, Hamstrings
  2. Kettlebell Deadlift Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
  3. Kettlebell Split Squat Quads, Glutes
  4. Kettlebell Hip Thrust Glutes
  5. Kettlebell Row Lats, Upper Back
  6. Kettlebell Overhead Press Shoulders
  7. Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up Shoulders, Abs

Hinges for glutes and hamstrings

A kettlebell hangs close to your legs, which makes it the easiest tool to learn the hip hinge with. Start with the deadlift, move to the sumo stance for more inner thigh, and only add the swing once the slow version feels natural. The hip thrust lets you take your glutes closer to failure than the hinges do.

Glutes and hamstrings, hinge

Kettlebell Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back

This is the first kettlebell lift to learn: hold the bell in one hand and lower it beside your leg by pushing your hips back, not by bending your spine. Every swing and clean is built on it, and holding the bell on one side makes your trunk work to stay square.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, the bell in one hand at your side and that arm straight.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees a little, letting the bell travel down beside your leg until it nearly reaches the floor, back flat.
  3. Keep your shoulders level and your chest facing forward as the bell lowers.
  4. Stand up by driving through your feet and squeezing your glutes. Finish the set, then switch hands. With two bells, hold one at each side.

Cues

  • Hips back, chest up
  • Bell close to your leg
  • Stand tall at the top

Common mistakes

  • Squatting straight down so the knees do all the work: lead with the hips.
  • Letting your back round to reach lower: stop the bell where your back is still flat.

Swap for: Kettlebell Good Morning, Kettlebell Swing, Kettlebell Row

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Glutes and inner thighs, hinge

Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings

A wide stance with toes turned out brings your inner thighs into the lift and lets you stay more upright. It is the version to use when a narrow-stance deadlift bothers your lower back or you want more glute and adductor work.

How to do it

  1. Stand wide with toes turned out and a kettlebell between your feet.
  2. Push your knees out and sit your hips down to grip the handle with a flat back.
  3. Stand up by pushing the floor apart.

Cues

  • Knees out
  • Chest up

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving as you stand: push them out over the toes.

Swap for: Sumo Squat, Trap Bar Deadlift

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Glutes and hamstrings, explosive hinge

Kettlebell Swing

Glutes, Hamstrings

The swing turns the deadlift into a fast, repeated hip snap, so it builds the back of your legs and raises your heart rate in the same set. Sets of 15 to 20 make it the best conditioning move a single bell offers.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips, the bell set about a foot in front of you.
  2. Hinge down, grip the handle with both hands, and hike the bell back between your thighs.
  3. Snap your hips forward to stand tall, letting the bell float up to about shoulder height on straight arms.
  4. Let it fall back between your legs as you hinge again, and go straight into the next rep.

Cues

  • Hips snap, arms just hold on
  • Stand tall at the top
  • Bell passes high between the thighs

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the swing by bending the knees deeply: push your hips back and keep the shins nearly vertical.
  • Lifting the bell with your shoulders: if your arms are working, the hips are not driving it.

Swap for: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Kettlebell Deadlift, Superman

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Glutes, hip extension

Kettlebell Hip Thrust

Glutes

With your upper back on a bench or couch and the bell on your hips, the glutes do almost all the work at their shortest position. It is the most direct way to grow your glutes when you only own kettlebells.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your upper back on the edge of a bench or a stable couch and your feet flat about hip-width apart.
  2. Hold the kettlebell by the horns on your hip crease, with a folded towel underneath if the metal bothers you.
  3. Push the floor away with your heels until your hips line up with your knees and shoulders.
  4. Squeeze at the top, lower under control, and repeat.

Cues

  • Shins vertical at the top
  • Hold the bell steady on the hips
  • Lower slowly

Common mistakes

  • Overarching your back at lockout: stop where your torso is level and squeeze harder instead.
  • Setting your feet too close so the quads take over: walk them out until the shins are upright at the top.

Swap for: Band Hip Thrust, Kettlebell Glute Bridge, Single-Leg Glute Bridge

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Legs, one side at a time

A single bell rarely gets heavy enough for two-leg squats once you are past the first months. Working one leg at a time doubles the load each leg handles, so a 12 or 16 kg bell keeps building your thighs and glutes for a long time.

Quads and glutes, split stance

Kettlebell Split Squat

Quads, Glutes

Both feet stay planted, so you can focus on depth and balance before you ever step. A single 12 kg bell goes a long way here, which makes it the main leg builder for anyone training with one or two bells.

How to do it

  1. Take a long step forward so your back heel is up and your front shin stays close to vertical when you drop down.
  2. Hold a bell in each hand at your sides, or one bell at your chest.
  3. Lower your back knee straight toward the floor until your front thigh is about parallel.
  4. Push through your whole front foot to stand, finish every rep on one leg, then switch.

Cues

  • Back knee straight down, not forward
  • Front heel stays heavy
  • Lean slightly forward for more glutes

Common mistakes

  • Standing too narrow: if your front heel lifts, step your feet further apart.
  • Pushing off the back foot: it is there for balance only.

Swap for: Bulgarian Split Squat, Kettlebell Step-Up, Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

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Quads and glutes, single leg

Kettlebell Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Driving up onto a knee-high step works the front leg's glutes and thighs through a long range, and the motion carries over to stairs and hikes. There is no deep lowering under load, so it suits knees that dislike deep lunges.

How to do it

  1. Face a sturdy step, box or bench at about knee height, with a kettlebell hanging at each side or one at your chest.
  2. Plant one whole foot on the step.
  3. Lean forward slightly and push through that heel until you stand fully on top, without springing off the floor foot.
  4. Lower the trailing foot back down slowly and repeat all reps on the same leg.

Cues

  • Whole foot on top
  • No push from the floor leg
  • Lower slowly

Common mistakes

  • Springing off the floor foot: lift its toes so it cannot push.
  • Using a chair that tips or slides: put it against a wall or use a stair.

Swap for: Reverse Lunge, Skater Squat, Step-Up

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Quads, glutes and inner thighs, side to side

Kettlebell Lateral Lunge

Quads, Glutes

Most leg training moves forward and back. Stepping to the side trains your inner thighs and the outside of your hips, and stretches your groin at the bottom of each rep.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with your feet together and a kettlebell in each hand, arms straight at your sides.
  2. Step wide to one side and push your hips back as that knee bends, keeping the other leg straight.
  3. Sink until the bells hang on either side of your bent knee, with that heel flat.
  4. Drive back to standing, then repeat on the same side or alternate.

Cues

  • Arms hang straight
  • Hips back as you land
  • Heel down

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your back to lower the bells: sink with your hips and keep your chest up.
  • Turning the toes of the straight leg forward: point them slightly up and out so the stretch stays in the inner thigh.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Cossack Squat, Sumo Squat

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Back and shoulders

Rows and presses balance all the hip work and are where most women see their arms and upper back change shape. Both use one arm at a time, so a light bell is enough to start.

Upper back and lats, pull

Kettlebell Row

Lats, Upper Back

Rows build the upper back that holds your shoulders back and gives your back visible shape. Hinged over with a bell in each hand, you also hold a hip hinge for the whole set, which trains your lower back and hamstrings.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, a kettlebell in each hand.
  2. Hinge until your torso is close to parallel with the floor, arms hanging straight under your shoulders.
  3. Pull one bell toward your hip, keeping your elbow tucked in tight, while the other arm stays long.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight and your shoulder blade slides forward, then row the other side. With only one bell, do all your reps on one side, then switch.

Cues

  • Elbow toward your hip
  • Stretch at the bottom
  • Shoulders square

Common mistakes

  • Turning your chest toward the ceiling to finish the rep: keep both shoulders facing the floor.
  • Short reps that stop with the elbow bent: reach all the way down before each pull.

Swap for: Kettlebell Gorilla Row, Kettlebell Rear Delt Row, Kettlebell Deadlift

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Shoulders and triceps, vertical press

Kettlebell Overhead Press

Shoulders

Pressing a bell from the rack position trains your shoulders and the backs of your arms one side at a time, and your trunk braces so you do not lean. Most women start with 6 or 8 kg and progress for months.

How to do it

  1. Hold the bell in the rack at your shoulder, resting on the back of your forearm, palm facing in, elbow tucked to your ribs.
  2. Brace your trunk and let your free arm hang by your side.
  3. Press straight up, rotating your palm to face forward as the bell passes your head, until your arm locks out beside your ear.
  4. Lower under control back to the rack. Finish all reps, then switch arms.

Cues

  • Wrist straight, knuckles to the ceiling
  • Ribs down, don't lean back
  • Lock out beside your ear, not in front of it

Common mistakes

  • Bending the wrist back under the bell: grip the handle deep in the palm, not in the fingers.
  • Dipping your legs to start the press: that is a push press. Keep your knees locked and count only strict reps.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Landmine Press

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Full-body moves

These three train several joints at once and raise your heart rate. The thruster fits circuits, while the get-up and windmill are slow, controlled lifts for the shoulders and the sides of your trunk.

Legs and shoulders, squat to press

Kettlebell Thruster

Quads, Shoulders

A front squat that flows into an overhead press works more muscle per rep than anything else on this page. It belongs in short circuits where you want hard work in little time.

How to do it

  1. Clean a bell into each rack, elbows tucked, feet a little wider than your hips.
  2. Squat until your thighs are at least level with the floor, keeping your elbows up.
  3. Drive up out of the squat and let the momentum carry straight into a press to lockout.
  4. Lower the bells to the rack as you drop into the next squat.

Cues

  • Elbows up through the squat
  • Legs start the press, arms finish it
  • Lock out before the next squat

Common mistakes

  • Cutting the squat short to make the press easier: full depth, then press.
  • Pausing at the top and losing the rhythm: the bells go up and come straight down into the next rep.

Swap for: Kettlebell Clean & Press, Kettlebell Overhead Press, Goblet Squat

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Shoulders and trunk, full body

Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up

Shoulders, Abs

Getting from the floor to standing with a bell held overhead trains shoulder stability, trunk strength and hip mobility in one slow lift. Two or three reps per side are enough to make it a real exercise.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with a kettlebell pressed up in one hand, the same-side knee bent.
  2. Roll onto the opposite elbow, then the hand, keeping the bell locked out above you.
  3. Lift your hips, sweep the straight leg back to a kneel, and stand up.
  4. Reverse each step back down to the floor.

Cues

  • Eyes on the bell
  • Arm locked
  • One step at a time

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the steps and losing the vertical arm.
  • Using a heavy bell before the sequence is smooth.

Swap for: Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry, Kettlebell Windmill

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Obliques and shoulders, side bend

Kettlebell Windmill

Abs, Shoulders

Holding the bell overhead while you hinge down to the side trains the obliques and the shoulder together, and stretches your hamstrings. It works the waist without crunching.

How to do it

  1. Hold the bell overhead in one hand, feet wider than your hips and turned away from that arm.
  2. Look at the bell and push your hip out toward the side holding it.
  3. Slide your free hand down the inside of your leg toward the floor.
  4. Stand back up using your sides and glutes, arm vertical the whole time.

Cues

  • Hip out
  • Arm vertical
  • Eyes up

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat instead of hinging sideways.
  • Letting the overhead arm wave around.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Bend, Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

One or two kettlebells at home, new to lifting

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells, Flat Bench

You own one or two bells, around 8 to 12 kg, and want a simple routine you can do in your living room twice a week.

Two full-body sessions that each hit a hinge, a single-leg move, a pull and a push give every muscle group 4 to 6 sets a week, enough to build strength in the first months. Single-leg and one-arm moves make a light bell feel heavier. Day A has 11 working sets and Day B has 11, about 35 minutes each.

Day A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Deadlift1 warm-up set firstPer arm. 3 × 8–12 3 90 s
Kettlebell Split SquatPer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell Row 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell Hip Thrust 2 × 12–15 2 1 min

Open Day A in the session builder

Day B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 3 90 s
Kettlebell Step-UpPer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell Overhead PressPer arm. 3 × 6–10 2 90 s
Kettlebell Turkish Get-UpPer side. 2 × 1–3 3 1 min

Open Day B in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day A early in the week and Day B two or three days later, for example Monday and Thursday. Practice the deadlift with a lighter object before you swing.
How to progress
Use double progression: when every set reaches the top of the rep range with 2 reps in reserve, add reps on the next harder variation or move to the next bell size. Single-leg work can climb to 15 reps before you need a heavier bell.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Glute and leg focus, three days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets37 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells, Flat Bench

You have a few bells, or a gym rack of them, and your main goal is stronger, fuller glutes and legs with the upper body kept in balance.

Glutes and thighs get about 26 hard sets a week across three sessions, so each one stays short and fresh, while rows get 6 sets and presses 3 to keep the upper body in balance. Each day has 12 to 13 working sets and takes about 45 minutes.

Day 1: Hinge
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift2 warm-up sets first 4 × 8–12 2 2 min
Kettlebell Hip Thrust 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Kettlebell Row 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell WindmillPer side. 2 × 5–8 3 1 min

Open Day 1: Hinge in the session builder

Day 2: Single leg
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Split Squat1 warm-up set firstPer leg. 4 × 8–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell Lateral LungePer leg. 3 × 8–10 2 90 s
Kettlebell Overhead PressPer arm. 3 × 6–10 2 90 s
Kettlebell Swing 3 × 15–20 3 1 min

Open Day 2: Single leg in the session builder

Day 3: Glutes
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Deadlift1 warm-up set firstPer arm. 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell Step-UpPer leg. 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Kettlebell Hip Thrust 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Kettlebell Row 3 × 10–12 2 1 min

Open Day 3: Glutes in the session builder

How to run it
Train Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or any three days with a rest day between at least two of them. Lower-body work comes first each day while you are fresh.
How to progress
Hip thrusts and split squats go up first: add reps until you reach the top of the range at 1 rep in reserve, then use the next bell. Swings progress by moving from 15 to 20 reps per set before going heavier.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Losing weight, 25-minute sessions

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets42 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells

You want to lose fat and keep your muscle, and you have 25 minutes three times a week.

Pairing a lower-body and an upper-body move lets one side rest while the other works, so you fit 14 hard sets into 25 minutes with your heart rate up the whole time. Keeping 2 to 3 reps in reserve stops the pace from wrecking your form.

Circuit
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
A1 Kettlebell Swing 4 × 15–20 2 1 min
A2 Kettlebell Overhead PressPer arm. 4 × 6–10 2 1 min
B1 Kettlebell Thruster 3 × 8–12 3 1 min
B2 Kettlebell Row 3 × 10–12 2 1 min
How to run it
Run it three times a week with a rest day after each, for example Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Move straight from the first exercise in a pair to the second, then rest before the next round.
How to progress
Keep the bell the same and add reps until every round hits the top of the range at 2 reps in reserve, then move up a bell size on that exercise. If the session runs long, cut rest before you cut sets.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is a good kettlebell weight for a woman?

Most women start with 8 kg (18 lb) for presses, rows and get-ups and 12 kg (26 lb) for deadlifts, swings and leg work. Lower-body lifts outgrow a light bell within weeks, so the 12 is the better buy if you can only get one.

What are the five best kettlebell exercises?

The deadlift, swing, split squat, row and overhead press. Together they train your hips, legs, back and shoulders, and every other kettlebell lift builds on them.

Is a kettlebell workout good for women?

Yes. Kettlebells build the same muscle and strength as dumbbells, and swings and circuits add conditioning. One or two bells take up little space, so it is one of the easiest ways to strength train at home.

How many days a week should you do kettlebell training?

Two or three. Two full-body sessions are enough to get stronger as a beginner. Three suits you if you want more glute and leg work or shorter circuits. Leave a day between sessions that include heavy swings.

Can kettlebells help you lose weight?

They help you keep and build muscle while you eat less, and swing circuits burn a good amount of energy. The fat itself comes off through the overall calorie deficit, not from where you train.