Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift Pass

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in your right hand.
2. Shift your weight onto your left leg, keeping the knee slightly soft and the core braced.
3. Find a fixed point on the floor 3-5 feet in front of you to help maintain balance.

How to do it

1. Inhale and hinge at the hips, extending your right leg straight back while lowering the kettlebell toward the floor.
2. At the bottom of the hinge, pass the kettlebell from your right hand to your left hand underneath your torso.
3. Exhale and drive through your left heel to return to a standing position, maintaining a flat back throughout.
4. Switch standing legs and repeat the movement, passing the kettlebell back to the original hand.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips square to the ground; do not let the floating hip rotate upward.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid rounding your shoulders during the hand-to-hand pass.
• Keep the standing knee slightly bent but stable, avoiding any inward collapse.
• Ensure the back leg remains straight and active, pushing the heel toward the wall behind you.

Pro tips

• Grip the floor with your toes to create a 'tripod' foot, which maximizes stability and calf activation.
• Focus on 'pulling' your hips back rather than 'reaching' for the floor to ensure the hamstrings do the work.

Make it harder

• Perform a 'figure-8' pass around the standing leg at the bottom of the hinge to increase the duration of the isometric hold.
• Slow the tempo to a 4-second descent to increase the demand on the stabilizing muscles of the ankle and hip.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the kettlebell single leg deadlift pass work?

The kettlebell single leg deadlift pass primarily targets the calves, glutes, and hamstrings, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the kettlebell single leg deadlift pass?

The kettlebell single leg deadlift pass uses kettlebell.

Is the kettlebell single leg deadlift pass good for beginners?

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

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