How To Do & Muscles Worked

kettlebell windmills

Windmills are a mobility exercise that work on flexibility, stability, and control. They require good hamstring flexibility and spine mobility. Adding a kettlebell increases the resistance for an added challenge.

  • DIFFICULTY
  • Easy
  • Moderate
  • Challenging

Which Muscles Are Worked?

Diagram of primary and secondary muscles worked from Kettlebell windmills

Primary Muscles

Shoulders Glutes Hamstrings

Secondary Muscles

Traps Upper Back Lower Back Abs

Exercise Type

Kettlebell icon

How to do kettlebell windmills Properly

Step by Step Guide

Begin standing with the feet out wide (wider than hip width apart) and toes turned out. Hold one kettlebell in your hand overhead with the arm straight. The other arm can be resting at your side.

Look upward at the kettlebell to focus on keeping the arm straight and the kettlebell as still as possible throughout the duration of the exercise.

Put weight into the heel of the same side leg as the kettlebell. Then push the hips out toward that same side as you reach with the free hand toward it’s same side foot (or the floor next to it). Your torso will now be almost perpendicular to the ground depending on how mobile you are. Keep both legs straight and the kettlebell directly overhead still.

Once you feel a stretch in the hamstrings, reverse the motion as you return the torso upright and weight equal between both legs.

Repeat for the desired repetitions on both sides.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is being shaky and unstable with the arm that is pressing the kettlebell. Use light enough load that you can go slow and keep that arm as still as possible. This exercise is all about building up stability in the shoulder region.

Animation

Animation of how to do Kettlebell windmills