Lower Body Exercises for Men Using Kettlebell

Lower body exercises are specifically designed to workout most of the muscle groups in your lower body. A strong lower body is important for performing everyday functions and leading a healthy life in general.

Kettlebell exercise can make for an interesting variation if you are bored of your regular workout. Kettlebell workouts will fire up your legs and glutes quickly, helping to strengthen them.

Check out these five lower body exercises that use kettlebells:

Lower Body Exercises Using Kettlebell

1. Racked Reverse Lunge

This version of the lunge affects your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core. Since the bell is always on one side in the racked position, your body will always want to lean to that side. Your core is what keeps you standing straight.

Here's how you can do this lower body exercise:

Stand with your feet as far apart as your shoulders.
Keep your right shoulder from rolling forward as you hold the kettlebell with your right hand. This is the initial position.
Lift your right foot and take a step back for about 2 feet, landing on the ball of your foot and keeping your heel off the ground.
Bend both knees until your left thigh and right shin are almost parallel to the floor.
Your torso should lean slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded.
Your left knee should be over your left foot, and your buttocks and core should be engaged.
To get back to where you started, push through the heel of your left foot. This is one repetition.
With the kettlebell in your right hand, keep going for 8–12 reps, then switch hands and do 8–12 reps on the other leg.

2. Single Leg Deadlift

This is a hip hinge move, and the goal is to keep your shin parallel to the floor. If you try to stay balanced, you'll have to use your glutes, hamstrings, and core. It can be a little difficult to get good at single-leg deadlifts. You can touch a wall for balance if you need more stability while you get used to the move.

Here's how you can do this lower body exercise:

Stand up straight with your feet together and a kettlebell in your right hand. This is the initial position.
Move your weight to your left leg while keeping your back flat and your left knee slightly bent, hinge forward at the hips, with your butt pushed back, and raise your right leg straight behind your body as you lower the weight toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your left hamstring.
Try to keep your core tight while you push through your left heel to stand up straight.
Pull the weight back up to the starting position, squeezing your butt at the top.
Bring your right leg back down to meet your left, but don't put any weight on your right foot—just let your toes lightly tap the floor. This is one repetition.
Do 8–12 reps with your left leg before switching your legs and moving the weight to the other hand, and do 8–12 more reps.

3. Lateral Lunge

This lower body exercise works out your quads, your glutes, and your hamstrings. This one will work out your inner thighs as well, helping to tone them.

Check out how to do this lower body exercise:

Stand with your feet about where your hips are, and hold a kettlebell by its handle at your chest with both hands. This is the initial position.
Step a long way to the right. To lower into a lateral lunge, bend your right knee, hinge forward at the hips, and sit your bottom back.
Keep your back flat and your core tight, and make sure that your knee doesn't go past your toes.
To get back to where you started, push through your right heel. This is one rep.
Do 8–12 reps with your right leg, then do the same with your left leg.

4. Sumo Squat

This lower body exercise works your glutes more effectively because your feet are wider apart. Your quads will also feel the difference while performing this exercise.

Check out how to do this lower body exercise:

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes turned out and your hands by your side.
Hold the kettlebell by its handle, keeping both hands at your chest. This is the initial position.
Engaging your core, keeping your chest lifted and back flat, shift your weight into your heels, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
Drive through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes at the top to complete one rep.
Perform 8–12 reps.

5. Kettlebell Swing

An explosive move, this lower body exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings. Make sure you’re getting your power from your hips and glutes to do a kettlebell swing safely. Remember that you shouldn’t be doing a front raise with the bell.

Check out how to do this lower body exercise:

Stand with your feet some distance (more than hip width apart) while holding your kettlebell with your hands in front of your body.
Hinge forward at your hips with a soft bend in your knees, push your butt back, and grab the handle with both hands.
Push the bell high up in your groin area (your wrists should touch high in your inner thigh) and thrust your hips forward aggressively, looking straight ahead, squeeze your core, glutes, and quads, raise the kettlebell as high as you can.
Once the bell reaches about chest height, hinge forward at your hips and push your butt back again, allowing the bell to drop on its own as you do. Follow the movement with your eyes, head, and neck follow so that you don't strain your neck. This is 1 rep.
Perform 8-12 reps.