Superset These Kettlebell Moves to Wake Up Your Posterior Chain

Written by Jaclyn Phillips, Master Trainer, RYT 300, PN1

Photography by Paul Buceta

Hair & Makeup by Monica Kalra

The posterior chain is the group of muscles that make up the entire backside of your body—from your calves, up to the back of your neck. It includes the largest muscles in the body, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and all back muscles. Thanks to a Western lifestyle that includes a lot of sitting, our posterior chain can get weak and/or tense. Sitting and working at a desk with hunched shoulders contributes to a weak posterior chain that can lead to a number of health issues, increased risk of injury, and aches and pains. To counter this, we can focus on strengthening the posterior chain. It’s generally recommended to train the posterior chain 2:1 with the anterior chain (meaning, for every push movement, perform two pulls to balance it out). For this particular workout, upper-body pulls are combined with controlled lower-body movements and full-body compound exercises to hit the full posterior chain. Explosive movements are also interspersed with slow, controlled movements to recruit more muscle fibers—the more muscle fibers we recruit during a workout, the better we can exhaust and grow our muscles. 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

One moderate-weight kettlebell

Clean

Stand behind the kettlebell with feet hip-distance apart. Hinge from the hips with a bend in the knees to reach down and grab the kettlebell (A). With the elbow out, drag the kettlebell between the legs and up the body (B) as the other arm reaches outwards for balance. As you come to standing and the kettlebell reaches your chest, flip the palm to a racked position and engage the glutes and core (C). Reverse the motion to return to the start position. 

Snatch

Stand behind the kettlebell with feet hip-distance apart. Hinge from the hips and bend the knees to reach down and grab the kettlebell (A), then come to standing as you drag it up the front of your body. Rotate the wrist and press
the kettlebell overhead (B). Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. 

Wide Single-Arm Row

Stand with feet hip-distance apart, holding the kettlebell in one hand. Hinge from the hips to lean slightly forward (A). Drag the kettlebell upwards, allowing the elbow to face sideways and engaging through the back (B). Pause, then lower the kettlebell and repeat. 

Kickstand Deadlift to Row

From standing with feet hip-distance apart, hold the kettlebell in your right hand and set your left foot slightly behind your right, keeping the heel lifted (A). Extend the left arm out, then hinge from the hips as you elevate the left leg, keeping the kettlebell in line with the right leg. At the bottom of the movement, pull the kettlebell upwards, keeping the elbow tight to the body (B). Lower the kettlebell, then stand tall and repeat. 

Kettlebell Swing

Hold the kettlebell by the horns and stand with feet hip-distance apart. Hinge slightly from the hips as you squat and let the kettlebell drop between the legs (A). Drive through the hips to come to standing tall, and simultaneously lift the kettlebell up to chest height with arms extended (B). Return to the squat and repeat for reps.