7 best kettlebell ab exercises for strengthening your core muscles

If you want to build stronger abs and target core muscles throughout your body, add these 7 kettlebell ab exercises to your training plan. Kettlebells are a great strength and conditioning tool for working major muscle groups, but they are also great for core training.

I encourage my clients to train with kettlebells whenever possible. Barbells allow you to pack the most weight, but these free weights have many benefits and allow you to isolate muscle groups. They’re harder to control and hold than dumbbells, so it takes some getting used to, but it’s worth it.

These are seven of the best kettlebell exercises for building abs and a stronger core. Practicing with these allows you to target more core muscles, improve muscle mass, and develop power. If you’re a beginner, also check out the 5 Best Kettlebell Exercises for Beginners and read on for more.

Benefits of Kettlebells for Abs

The trunk muscles are diverse and run through the front and back of the body, wrapping around the torso and extending from the ribs to the pelvis. This network also includes the glutes, diaphragm, and hip flexors. Together, your core muscles work hard to stabilize your torso, support a variety of movements such as flexion, extension and rotation, and protect your lower back from injury.

With kettlebells, single or double loads make balance and stability difficult, and one side of the body is prone to separation. It also strengthens weak muscles and increases core activation, coordination and power.

There are numerous studies supporting the perceived benefits of kettlebells.research by journal of human dynamics I’ve found kettlebells to be a great addition to a functional resistance program to build neuromuscular strength and recruit different muscles.

Time and time again I have seen people reduce their bell efficiency by adopting an uncomfortable and unsafe grip. Therefore, before moving on to the kettlebell exercises below, it is recommended that you learn the correct way to hold a kettlebell here.

7 Best Kettlebell Ab Exercises to Strengthen Core Muscles

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1. Kettlebell Turkish Up-up

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

This movement requires muscle stability, control, and full-body work, including shoulders, triceps, back, hip flexors, obliques, abs, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. mobilize the Here’s how to do a Turkish getup.

Lie on your back and grab your weight with your right hand in an underhand grip.
Tighten your core and extend your right arm overhead in line with your shoulder.
Bend your right knee and place your right foot on the ground.Move your left leg away from your body and place your left arm beside your body
Contract the muscles of the upper body and pull the chin
Sit and place your left elbow on the floor next to your body
Push the weights up overhead and keep your arms locked out.Always check your weight
Press up again and transition from your left elbow to your left hand on the ground, straightening your arm.
Press your right heel and lift your hips up
Swing your left leg back and place your left knee under your hip in a half-knee position.
Raise your left arm to straighten your torso
With your right arm locked overhead, push your front foot out and stand with your left leg hip-width apart.
Pause, return your left leg to a reverse lunge, and place your knee on the ground
Reverse each step back down. Switch sides.

2. Kettlebells of the World

Woman holding kettlebells in front of her hands swinging in front of her body during sit-ups

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

ATW tests your core control, strengthens your postural muscles, and trains your upper body, including your shoulders, forearms and wrists. It also improves coordination, balance and stability and helps transfer skills to more technical lifts and complexes that require flow.

Stand with one hand on the kettlebell on one side of the handle
Strengthen your core, pull your shoulders back, and lengthen your spine
Tuck your pelvis in slightly, keep your knees slightly bent, and send the kettlebell around your body in a circular motion with your straight arms.
When the kettlebell passes in front of you, catch it with your other hand and pass it behind your body.
Try to move at a controlled, fluid pace without leaning over or touching your body. change direction throughout.

3. Kettlebell Farmer’s Walk

A man walks with two kettlebells on a farmer's walk

(Image credit: Getty Images/Unknown)

This move is included in our roundup of all the best exercises we have. Because it’s a great full-body workout that trains and targets many muscles, including legs, glutes, hips, shoulders, and forearms. Here’s how to do a farmer’s walk.

Do not lean back or lean to one side. You can use 1 or 2 weights depending on your ability.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place two kettlebells on either side of your feet.
Bend your knees and squat, keeping your chest up and distributing your weight evenly across your legs.
Grasp both kettlebells, tighten your core and drop your shoulders back
Stand facing forward, push off the ground, and start walking.

4. Kettlebell overhead sit-up

Man doing sit-ups with a kettlebell overhead

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Your arms and shoulders also work hard to stabilize the overhead weight while activating your lower back, abs, and hip flexors. You can have one or two kettlebells depending on your ability.

Start by lying on your back and stretching your legs out in front of you
Hold the kettlebell in your left hand using an underhand grip
Extend your left arm behind your head
After working your core, do sit-ups with your arms extended overhead in line with your shoulders.
Slowly lower yourself to the ground with control. Switch sides.
You can also practice holding a heavy kettlebell with both hands (see above).

5. Alternate Kettlebell Swings

how to do kettlebell swing

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The swing strengthens the muscles along the posterior chain, including the back, glutes and hamstrings, while the American Kettlebell Swing swings a weight overhead to activate shoulders and improve core control. Alternating also tests your balance and stability, working your core muscles harder. Do not squat or bend your arms.

Learn more about how to do a kettlebell swing.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider), toes pointing out at a 45-degree angle, and grasping a kettlebell in one hand.
Bend your knees gently and drop your shoulders back
Strengthen your core.Bend your hips forward and push your hips back while keeping your back flat
Swing the kettlebell between your legs, sticking it out at your hips and tightening your glutes as you explode to shoulder height.
At the top, switch the kettlebell to your other hand, then control your descent back down.

6. Kettlebell Renegade Row

Woman performing rebellious row using two kettlebells

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

It engages most of the upper body muscles, including the back, biceps, and deep stabilizing muscles of the core, while using the unstable base of the kettlebell to hold the body in a plank position. One fitness writer did 40 Renegade drawings a day for a week. Here is the result.

Squeeze your abs and glutes to keep your hips from sagging. This hard work arises from the counter-rotation of the body facing outwards as the arm is raised.

Start in a plank position with a kettlebell in each hand
Engage your core and row one arm behind you until your elbow is slightly higher than your torso, then slowly lower to the ground and switch bodies.
Keep your hips straight without twisting and in line with your shoulders.
Lower your knees if you prefer.

7. Kettlebell plank pull-through

Man moving a kettlebell from one side to the other in a plank position on grass

(Image credit: Shutterstock Images)

The plank pull-through works the major core muscles, arms and shoulders, back, biceps, and glutes. Stabilizer muscles work to prevent rotation when dragging left or right. In a nutshell, a certified core torture.

Avoid rocking or dropping your hips, and use your knees when necessary. Try dragging the weight left or right as needed.

Place the kettlebell behind your left hand and start in a high plank position
Grasp the kettlebell with your right hand and lift the kettlebell to the other side of your body.
Place your right hand on the floor and repeat with your left hand, lifting the weight back to the starting position.

If these aren’t right for you, check out more TG-approved ideas below.

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