Kettlebell Workout Routines for the Back

If you want a stronger back, a kettlebell routine can be just what the trainer ordered. Kettlebell guru Pavel Tsatsouline notes that low back dysfunction can actually trace to what he calls “gluteal amnesia” -- weakness in the glutes -- which can be addressed by numerous butt-specific exercises involving this cannonball-shaped free weight, as well as by back-primary workouts. Still, check with your health care provider before beginning a kettlebell program if you have chronic back issues.

  1. Program Design

    • If you are getting started with kettlebells, work with a bell weighing 15 to 20 pounds if you are female and 20 to 30 pounds if you are male, advises kettlebell training expert Lorna Kleidman. She recommends exercises that tap the main back muscle groups -- the spinal erectors, lats and traps. “The spinal erectors are part of the core, acting as stabilizers of the trunk, whether the bell is in motion or being held,” she notes. Exercises such as swings and snatches improve power in the posterior chain, including the lats and the traps, she adds. To address these muscle groups, perform your back-specific workout three to four times per week. Increase the weight or decrease your rest as these moves become easier, Kleidman suggests.

    Double and Single-Arm Swings

    • Your posterior chain -- the muscles along the entire back of your body -- benefit from kettlebell swings. After a warm-up consisting of jogging in place and easy moves such as kettlebell halos, perform double swings. Begin by holding the kettlebell by the horns with both hands. Connect your wrists to your inner thighs and swing the bell to about chin height using thrusts of your midsection rather than your arms. Repeat 20 times using both hands, followed by 15 reps with one hand -- called the single-hook grasp -- and then 15 times with the other. Rest for up to 30 seconds between each exercise. Proceed to the other exercises in your back routine and then repeat the entire circuit three times.

    Swing Snatch

    • If you thought your swings provided tons of cardio mixed in with a posterior-chain muscle challenge, wait until you try the swing snatch. Start with the bell held single-hook style and lowered nearly to the floor. Then, pull the weight up to a catch above your head with a mini-squat just before you push the bell up. Repeat 20 times on each side.

    Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

    • Your back, glutes and hamstrings, as well as shoulders, derive benefits from the single-leg Romanian deadlift, which also provides a terrific brush-up on balance. From a standing position with the bell held single hook, bend forward balanced on the leg opposite the kettlebell, extending your same-side leg straight back until your body is horizontal to the floor and the arm holding the bell lowers pointing to the floor. Complete 15 reps on each side.

    Alternating Plank Row

    • A mat makes traction for your toes easier than the bare floor for this exercise. Position yourself in a plank position, each hand grasping the handle of a kettlebell. Row the kettlebell up to your midsection, alternating hands and completing 12 reps. Rest for up to two minutes before repeating your full back circuit.