Kettlebell Moves For Better Posture
Posture is an oft-overlooked aspect of fitness that affects how you feel, how you look, and even your performance in the gym. When it’s poor it can lead muscles and tendons to grow dehydrated and stiff, limiting range of motion and putting athletes at risk for injury. In addition, a hunched-over position can affect your breathing muscles, which play an important role in performance and recovery.
While not overly taxing, the moves in this posture workout provide hydration, blood, and oxygen to muscles and tendons. In turn, they preserve range of motion and combating the effects of aging and technology.
We found a simple workout that will improve your posture, and to perform you simply need a pair of Kettlebells. Work through the moves one after the next. Repeat two to three times. Do it three to four times a week for best results.
Arm Bar
Why you need it: This is one of the most effective exercises for promoting mobility and stability of the shoulders and spine. With the addition of a load to this position it not only forces you to stabilise, it ensures that the joint is properly aligned, allowing for movements that are often compromised as a result of sitting or overuse in sports.
How to do it: Start laying face-up on the ground and press the kettlebell straight up with your right hand. Bring your left hand overhead vertically and press your right foot into the ground in order to roll your body over. If this position is easy, you can straighten out your bent leg, emphasizing more rotation in the trunk. Rotate the kettlebell back and forth in the air 10 times. Repeat on the other side.
Step Back Lunge with Overhead Reach
Why you need it: We have connective tissue that runs all the way from the foot to the back of the neck. This stretches and increases range of motion through the hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder.
How to do it: Stand with right foot forward and left leg back. Slowly lower body, getting the left knee close to the ground, while simultaneously reaching up toward the ceiling and across body, having left arm come up and across the head. Repeat 10 times.
Plank with Row
Why you need it: This is an excellent exercise for challenging the trunk and improving its ability to counterbalance the effect of gravity. It also improves stability and function of the thoracic region, which gets compromised in our daily lives.
How to do it: Hold kettlebells (8 kg for beginners; 16 kg for advanced) in plank position. Push one kettlebell into the ground while lifting the other one off the ground, bringing hand toward armpit, not any higher. Work to limit any rotation of the hips. Repeat 5 times per side.
Farmer Carries
Why you need it: Farmer carries are a premier exercise when it comes to promoting proper body alignment, healthy posture, stability, and grip strength (a predictor of overall health).
How to do it: Pick up two heavy kettlebells (choose a weight you can carry for 30 seconds). Walk for 30 seconds to 1 minute and put the weights down.
Asymmetrical Loaded Kettlebell Split Squat
Why you need it: Our postural muscles and tissue need to be challenged in a three-dimensional way. This exercise challenges lateral and rotational stability while improving lower body strength—all critical for good posture.
How to do it: Hold a kettlebell and put opposite leg forward so you’re in a split stance. Lower one knee toward the ground slowly and come back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.