Lower Body Kettlebell Combo Exercises

The versatility of the kettlebell allows for excellent training variety which can challenge anyone and allow for numerous types of training effects like pure strength, cardio conditioning or a little bit of both with strength-endurance training.

Using kettlebell combination exercises are the purest example of this tool’s unique versatility and you are pretty much only limited by your imagination and current skill level as to what you can combine and create.

In this article and video, I will go over a few of my favorite lower body kettlebell combination exercises.

Building off the Deadlift

Some of the best lower body exercise combos start with the deadlift, and rightfully so, as all weight must be moved from a dead stop using your leg strength and power.  Bringing the kettlebell off the floor using a deadlift into the goblet position provides the trainee the opportunity to either rest or transition.

From the goblet position, it is easy to go into an overhead press or squat and then send the bell back to the floor and repeat, starting with the deadlift.  You can also combine all movements for a deadlift-squat-press which is sure to get the blood flowing and the heart pumping.

Adding some unilateral work off the deadlift provides a challenge and strengthens both sides of the body.  Start with a deadlift to the goblet position and then go into two lunges immediately after.

Building off the Clean

To add a more dynamic aspect to the combinations; instead of starting from the deadlift we can start from the swing and transition into the clean which puts the bell into the rack position.

From the rack position, you can do all of the movements we did building off the deadlift including the overhead press, squat, squat-press and even a lunge.

I recommend starting out with the clean combinations using one kettlebell and, down the road, if you want to take things to the next level you can add two kettlebells and see if you have fun walking the following day.

Building off the Kettlebell Snatch

The kettlebell snatch brings the bell to the top position from the swing and from there it can be combined with lower body exercises like the squat or a lunge.

If you want to practice one of the more challenging portions of the Kettlebell Get Up, step back with the leg opposite where the bell is overhead and work in the lunges that way.

From the Push Up

Push Up combinations are going to require moving your whole body in the opposite direction; where we will transfer from the upper body towards the lower body.  These combination movements are great for martial artists and wrestlers who find themselves on the floor and need to get up quickly.

I call these kettlebell burpees and the first is going to utilize one kettlebell where we place the hands on the bell with the handle running down vertically in-line with your sternum.  Drop down into a low push up position without impaling your chest on the handle of the bell.  Spring up into a deadlift position and, with one or two hands, deadlift the bell and repeat.

My favorite kettlebell combination exercise is the double kettlebell version of the burpee where the kettlebells are on the outside of the feet and the deadlift will be suitcase style.

First place the bells in a good position where you can jump in-between them from the top of the push up and be able to deadlift them properly.  Then place one hand on each handle and sprawl into a push up position, then jump into the deadlift position, lock your body down and drive the bells up.

For more information check out the video below where I demonstrate the different combinations mentioned above: