Best Kettlebell Leg Exercises (Tone Your Lower Body)

In my experience, the kettlebell goblet squat is an excellent exercise to simultaneously target both quads, aligning with my approach of efficient and holistic training.

Here’s what to do for the kettlebell goblet squat: 

• Hold a single kettlebell with a hand pushing against it on each side in front of your chest.
• With your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and let them flare out to the sides.
• From the low squat position, push your body back up again to a standing point.
• Repeat the movement slowly until failure.

Related: Crush Grip Goblet Squat: How-to Guide

Split Squat

If the goblet version of the squat is proven to not be challenging enough, then this split squat version might be a suitable alternative.

Here’s what to do:

• Get into the starting position, holding either a single kettlebell or one in each hand.
• Take a large step forward and bring the back knee as far to the ground as possible.
• Slowly push yourself back up again while keeping your feet in place.
• Repeat the down and up movements for maximum reps.

This is another great variation of kettlebell exercises, and you’ll need to make sure that you have at least six feet of lateral space to move.

Here’s what to do:

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your chest.
• Take a step to the left and squat down in the process.
• Hold the low squat for a second, and then push yourself back up again by bringing your right foot towards the left one.
• Repeat the process in the other direction to complete one rep and keep going until failure.

Side Lunge

This is a similar movement to the previous one, but it allows you to work on one leg at a time: 

• Get into a standing position with the kettlebell in both hands, holding it in front of you.
• Take a large step to the left and lower yourself into a squat.
• Hold the squat for a second and then push yourself back up again, bringing your left foot back beside the right one.
• Repeat it for maximum reps with the chosen weight, and then switch to the other leg.

“Regularly performing quad-strengthening exercises may help make it easier to extend your knee and flex your hip.”

- Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT

This is a stiff-legged deadlift where you use only one arm to hold onto the kettlebell.

Keep in mind that you want to alternate sides between sets: 

• Place a reasonably heavy kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
• Reach down with your right hand and make sure you keep your legs straight.
• Engage your core muscles and pull the kettlebell up until you’re in a standing position with the weight in front of your legs.
• Then, lower it back down again slowly and repeat for your total number of reps in each set.

One-Leg Deadlifts

This is one of those leg exercises that will take a bit of practice to get the balance right.

It’s a highly effective way to add more strain to one leg: 

• Place a kettlebell on the ground in front of your feet.
• Lift one foot off the ground, and with that knee slightly bent, tilt your body forward.
• Reach for the kettlebell and then pull it up until you’re back in a standing position.
• Then, lower it back down again and repeat the movement for your workout goal.

If you’ve ever been to a class for kettlebell training, then the kettlebell swing should be something you’re very familiar with.

Here’s how to do this kettlebell workout:

• Take a wide stance and place a kettlebell between your feet.
• With your knees slightly bent, reach both hands down and grab the handle.
• Pull the weight up in front of you with your arms straight until it’s at about head height, and push your hips forward.
• Let it swing back down between your legs, and then repeat the movement as many times as you can.
• Focus on proper form for this lower body exercise and make sure your spine remains neutral.

Learn More: Will Kettlebell Swings Burn Belly Fat

Windmill

Windmill is a tough exercise that will also challenge your core muscles along with your hamstrings.

Try it with a smaller weight to get used to the movement: 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lift one kettlebell up over your head and look up at it.
• Keep the arm stretched up and lower your body down towards the ground.
• Touch the ground with the other hand and keep looking up at the kettlebell.
• Then, pull your body back up again to the starting point; chances are that you won’t be able to do many of these challenging movements.

The kettlebell lunge overhead press involves a lot of body parts moving, so try this out a few times with a lighter weight to get used to it.

 Here’s what to do: 

• Hold the kettlebell in the rack position with one hand.
• Take a forward lunge step and lower your back knee to the ground.
• Once your forward knee is at a right angle, push yourself up and, at the same time, stretch your arm out to lift the kettlebell over your head.
• You should end up with both feet beside each other and repeat the movement on the other side.

Thrusters

This is a similar exercise to the previous one, but it implements the overhead push with a squat.

Here’s what you do:

• Grab hold of a kettlebell and hold it in a rack position close to your shoulder.
• Get your body into a racked squat position, and then push yourself up.
• At the same time, start stretching out your arm and lifting the kettlebell up over your head.
• From here, slowly lower the kettlebell and get back into a squat.
• Repeat the movement for your target reps, and make sure the last few are sore.

This is an advanced squat movement that will require very strong leg muscles.

I would recommend a smaller weight to get started so that you can get used to holding your balance.

Here’s what you do:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of your chest.
• Lift one foot off the ground, bend the knees, and raise it forward.
• Slowly squat down on one leg as far as you can.
• Push yourself back up on one leg until you reach the starting point again.
• Continue the movement for your target reps, and then switch to the opposite leg.

Sumo Squat

The sumo squat is one of the easier lower-body exercises that also activates your posterior chain and core.

This is what you need for the setup:

• Take a wide stance and hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of your body.
• Let the weight hang down and slowly lower your buttocks.
• Your knees will flare out, and try to get your buttocks as low as possible.
• Push your body back up until your knees are straight again.

“With the sumo squat, you get the same benefits as the traditional squat, but you’ll increase activation of the inner thighs and hamstrings.”

- Tara Laferrara, CPT.