Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift To Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell by the handle with both hands in front of your hips.
2. Engage your core, pull your shoulders back, and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
3. Position your weight evenly across your feet, focusing on a 'tripod' foot (heel, big toe, pinky toe).

How to do it

1. Hinge at the hips by pushing them back while keeping the kettlebell close to your shins, inhaling as you lower until you feel a deep hamstring stretch.
2. Exhale and drive through your heels to return to a standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
3. Immediately transition into a squat by sitting your hips down and back while keeping your chest tall, inhaling on the way down.
4. Exhale and push through the mid-foot to return to the starting standing position to complete one full rep.

Form checklist

• Keep the kettlebell close to your center of gravity throughout both phases.
• Maintain a neutral spine; avoid rounding your lower back during the hinge.
• Ensure your heels stay firmly planted on the ground during the squat.
• Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes, preventing them from caving inward.

Pro tips

• Think of the RDL as a horizontal movement (hips back) and the squat as a vertical movement (hips down) to clearly distinguish the two patterns.
• Squeeze your armpits shut to engage your lats, which helps stabilize the spine during the heavy hinge phase.

Make it harder

• Hold the kettlebell in a goblet position at chest height to increase the demand on your core and upper back.
• Add a three-second eccentric (lowering) phase to both the RDL and the squat to maximize muscle fiber recruitment.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the kettlebell romanian deadlift to squat work?

The kettlebell romanian deadlift to squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the kettlebell romanian deadlift to squat?

The kettlebell romanian deadlift to squat uses kettlebell.

Is the kettlebell romanian deadlift to squat good for beginners?

The kettlebell romanian deadlift to squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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