If you’re winter padding is starting to get a tad bulky, you need a move that carries a full arsenal of benefits – and fast.
Besides building the kind of leg muscle you’d normally find in an Olympic velodrome, the single-leg kettlebell deadlift works your lower back and torso in the highest gear. This means better core stability – and did we mention the kettlebell is the arch-nemesis of fat? It uses dozens of muscles and burns hundreds of kilojoules, so you’ll leave the belly at home rather than hauling it onto the beach.
Going “ipsilateral” might sound more like a doomed invasion strategy than a one-sided workout, but trust us – this move is a shortcut to summer-readiness.
1 / GRIP ON
Start with two kettlebells, one in each hand, hanging casually by your sides. Engage your core to ensure you remain standing throughout the move. A face plant is never a good look, is it?
2 / KICK BACK
Keeping a slight bend in the knee of your left leg, lean forward, extending your right leg behind for balance. Keep your back straight.
3 / LEVEL OUT
Lower the kettlebells until your torso is parallel to the ground. Pause to admire the gym floorboards, then return to the starting position, tensing your glutes.
4 / KEEP IT UP
Perform 6-8 reps on each side, for 3-4 sets. Increase the weight weekly if this starts to feel too easy, which is a sign you’re stronger than last Monday, champ.
WHAT YOU’LL GAIN
Larger, more powerful glutes and hamstrings
Greater core stability and beach-ready abs
That coveted, T-shirt-filling V-shaped back
A move you can perform in the check-in queue
RELATED: this core workout will make your abs pop…
