How To...Kettlebell Deadlift

The kettlebell deadlift is an exercise that I usually get my beginner clients working on before we progress to heavier weight using a bar.

It also features in my lower body workouts on my online training programmes particularly for clients that train at home.

It works the lower body, core and back.

This is an exercise in itself but you can also practise this for safe lifting of a kettlebell from the floor in order to move it somewhere else. The movement also mimics various activities of everyday living such as picking something up from the floor.

- Stand with feet shoulder width apart with the kettlebell on the floor between them - Bending at the knees and pushing the hips backward, allow your body to tip forwards and with both hands take hold of the kettlebell handle whilst maintaining a neutral spine - Contract the glutes and brace the abdominals and then 'push' away from the floor whilst straightening the legs - Reverse the above, to return the kettlebell to the floor

Common corrections/faults may be:

- Knees travelling forwards past toes - this happens when the body is kept upright. To correct push hips backwards and allow the body to tip forwards from the hips - Knees knock inwards or outwards - ensure knee and ankle alignment. You could try wearing a loop band around the knees for guidance and to practise movement pattern - Heels lift off floor - push your bodyweight back into the heels, lift the toes inside your trainers - Hyperextension or rounding of the back - brace your abdominals and back muscles and lift the chest

My Real 8 Plan includes lots of exercises that use kettlebells for simple but effective workouts that you can do at home to maximise burning fat and building lean muscle.

Check it out by clicking here.