If you’re starting to skip ab day because it’s getting repetitive or boring, why not add in some new moves to revive your workout and keep getting ripped abs?
Allow me to introduce you to Kettlebell Around the World Abs–a great ab exercise that can add fun variety to your ab routine. It’s easy to learn but not so easy on the abs, which means you could very well sport a new set of flat, rock-hard ab muscles by the time you’ve mastered this exercise!
In my opinion, the kettlebell is the perfect tool to bring some life back to your ab routine–and Kettlebell Around the World Abs is just one of many ab-focused exercises kettlebells have to offer.
If you’re interested in learning more about kettlebell ab exercises, I recommend checking out our article about some of my favorite moves HERE!
But today, we’re here to focus on just one exercise because I think this one deserves its own space: Kettlebell Around the World Abs.
I’ll help you figure out why Kettlebell Around the World abs are worth your while by explaining:
- What’s so great about kettlebells
- Benefits of kettlebell Around the World Abs
- Muscles worked during Kettlebell Around the World Abs
- How to Complete Kettlebell Around the World Abs With Proper Form
- Variations of Kettlebell Around the World Abs
What's So Great About Kettlebells for Abs?
Kettlebells are easy to find! You can spot them at just about every local gym, or every workout store–meaning you’ll never have an excuse to not pick them up and work it!
Kettlebells are super versatile. They’re easy to move, and they come in many different weight variations, so you can bring them with you wherever you go!
Kettlebells help with grip strength. Whenever you add a kettlebell to your ab workout routine, you’re layering in an extra element: grip strength.
Kettlebells elevate your ab routine: Extra weight = extra rockhard abs, so if you’re ready to amp up your ab routine to a new level, get yourself some kettlebells. Your six-pack will be thanking you.
There are tons of kettlebell ab exercises. As I said, be sure to check out my other article–listing 5 of my faves–but let me tell you, there are way more than 5. So, when you purchase one of these bad boys, you’re opening up a world of variation for your ab routine.
Say bye to boring crunches.
Why Kettlebell Around the World Abs?
Once you get turned over to the “kettlebell” side of ab workouts, it won’t take you long to discover Around the World Abs.
This move is seemingly simple–rotating a kettlebell around your waist, but the benefits are anything but small. Before diving into how to do Kettlebell Around the World Abs, let’s take a look at ways you’ll benefit from adding this move into your ab routine:
Core Strength: A bit of a no-brainer, but you’ll feel your entire core engage with this motion. We’ll get into the anatomy of it later, but for now, just know that no abdominal muscle gets ignored with Kettlebell Around the World Abs.
Rotational Stability: Compare this exercise to others, and you won’t come up with many similar motions. Kettlebell Around the World Abs provides you with a unique circular motion, and as you twist, you engage your obliques and build rotational stability.
Shoulder & Arm Engagement: This same circular motion generates a centrifugal force. Cool, huh? This force engages your shoulders and arms in the process as well, making this a compound exercise–where you engage way more than just your abs. (Also check out our page on the windmill exercise!)
Balance & Flexibility: Get off your center of balance, and that kettlebell is going flying. Kettlebell Around the World Abs assists with helping you build better balance as well as enhanced flexibility in your spine and hips.
Hand-Eye Coordination: When was the last time you worked on hand-eye coordination? Kettlebell Around the World Abs requires a ton of focus as you use your vision to process where to place your hands through the rotation.
Extra Calories Burned: Because this move gets your heart rate up and involves so many muscles, you’ll burn extra calories in addition to strengthening muscles. I guess this makes Around the World Abs the best of both worlds.
Kettlebell Around the World Abs: Muscles Worked
As I mentioned before, part of what makes this ab exercise so clutch is that it is a compound exercise–engaging multiple muscles and joints at the same time–providing you with a more efficient workout.
These are the muscles you can warn ahead of time. You’ll want to because they’ll be in some pain during the exercise.
Rectus Abdominis: This one takes up all the attention but with good reason. The rectus abdominis is the six-pack muscle–and the major muscle you’ll be showing off after you master Kettlebell Around the World Abs.
Obliques: But let’s not stop at a six-pack. Why not add in a V-cut to your cut abdomen repertoire? You’ll accomplish this by adding in some oblique work–the muscles located on the outer sides of your abs. Luckily for you, Kettlebell Around the World Abs works these too. (If you're inclined, check out our page on oblique muscle pain.)
Transverse Abdominis: This is a deep abdominal muscle that can be found along the spine. While not responsible for external display of muscle, this one’s still worth investing in: it provides core strength and injury prevention when worked!
Erector Spinae: These muscles are located right along the spine, and they get activated as they help you hold a good posture during the Around the World Abs–a position that you’ll see later is completely essential during this exercise.
Shoulders & Arms: We just grouped them all together here because this exercise engages multiple muscles in your shoulders, arms, and even your forearms. This is one of the huge benefits of adding a kettlebell: you’re getting that full body workout!
Lats: Your back gets involved as well as it supports your shoulders rotating the kettlebell.
Quads & Glutes: And finally, your quads and glutes will need to engage during the rotation to help you maintain balance, so you can also count on seeing results in your butt and thighs.
How to Do Kettlebell Around the World Abs
You probably get the gist of the movement by now, but let’s break down how to do Kettlebell Around the World Abs:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a kettlebell out in front of your pelvis with your right hand, grabbing the handle on the right side–leaving room on the left side of the handle for your other hand to grab it.
- In front of your pelvis, pass the kettlebell to your left hand, beginning to rotate the kettlebell around your waist. It does not matter whether you begin clockwise or counterclockwise.
- Once the kettlebell is behind you, switch back to your right hand.
- Repeat for 5-20 reps–depending on the kettlebell weight.
- Then, repeat the motion in the opposite direction (clockwise or counterclockwise).
Top Kettlebell Around the World Abs Mistakes
While the motion for how to do Kettlebell Around the World Abs is simple, there are several cues to pay attention to and remember during the exercise, so you can avoid some common mistakes.
Bending your arms: When you bend your arms, you put unnecessary strain on them during the motion, and you’ll find you tire out more easily. Keep your arms straight during the entire exercise to get the most out of both your arms and your abs.
Going too fast: If you get swinging that kettlebell around too quickly, the centrifugal force of it will have your body wobbling, which is not ideal for your form. Keep a slow, controlled movement through Kettlebell Around the World Abs–keeping your core engaged.
Slumping down: With the weight of the kettlebell, it’s easy to slouch over during the motion, but this is not great for your back, and it’s also not giving your abs a full chance to engage. Instead, stand tall with your chest out, shoulder back, core and legs engaged throughout the entire exercise.
Variations of Kettlebell Around the World Abs
The Kettlebell Figure 8 Pass
Similar in nature to Kettlebell Around the World Abs, this exercise relies on many of the same muscles. This one’s a bit more complicated, as the circular motions get interrupted by weaving the kettlebell in and out of your legs. Here’s how to do it:
- Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and bend your knees slightly.
- Hold a kettlebell down between your legs with both hands.
- Using your right hand, pass the kettlebell back behind your left leg, passing it to your left hand.
- Now use your left hand to swing the kettlebell in front of the left leg–back to the right hand.
- Use the right hand to pass the kettlebell behind the right leg and then back around the front of your right leg and back to the left hand.
One rep will form a complete figure 8 with that kettlebell.
Alternating Kettlebell Around the World Abs
This version involves a faster switch of direction. This adds an extra layer of coordination challenge, and the core also engages–as you have to hold your balance with the switch up.
- Complete a full circle just as you would in a regular Kettlebell Around the World Abs motion.
- After one full circle, switch to move the kettlebell in the opposite direction.
- You can also bring the kettlebell up and catch it in the non-working hand (held up at about shoulder height) for a more concrete stop to the rotation. [1]
Kettlebell Halo
This exercise also uses the kettlebell for a circular motion–but this time around your head instead of your waist. This switch in position works your core but also puts focus on your triceps.
- Stand in a natural position, holding a kettlebell in front of the body with both hands–on the vertical sides of the handle–known as the horns.
- Using both arms, bring the kettlebell back behind your head to the right side. The kettlebell will be upside down once you get it behind your neck.
- Now finish bringing it all the way around your head, pausing when it is back in front of you.
- Repeat in the opposite direction, alternating directions for each rep.
Add Some Back Support to Your Ab Routine, Why Don’t Ya?
If you’re here because you’re looking for ways to strengthen your core and lower back due to back pain, then this is a great place to start! Our number one goal at Back Muscle Solutions is to help you along your fitness and back health journey.
It may sound extreme–but for me personally, when I injured my lower back, I literally felt myself losing joy in daily moments because of the dull, underlying pain that was constantly present and nagging in the background.
If you’re finding yourself missing out on those daily moments because of back pain, don’t just wait around. There is hope for less pain…and there are ways to proactively make that happen!
I didn’t find relief until I began adding some workouts and stretches into my daily routine, and core work was pivotal. Core workouts, specifically, helped me because my core was so weak that it couldn't support my lower back. This is why adding in moves like Kettlebell Around the World Abs is so crucial for preventing lower back pain.
Additionally, I recommend adding specific stretches to relieve your lower back pain: and there’s no better program in my opinion than our Flexible Back 2.0 Program.
This 3-week regimen featuring morning and evening routines will flex you right out of your pain by stretching your:
- Hips
- Glutes
- Legs
- Spine
Purchase this program, and you can expect these benefits:
- Better Posture
- Higher Energy
- Mad Flexibility
- Knowledge to Combat Lower Back Pain
- Lower Back Pain Relief
Oh also, two great details:
- You don’t need a lick of equipment besides a wall and a door!
- We offer a 100% Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee.
You can CLICK HERE to purchase this program.
Or..check out the video below for all the details:
Now that you've read about around the world abs, check out our page on cherry pickers exercise! And if you're looking for more kettlebell exercises, we have an article on mastering the kettlebell clean and also the suitcase deadlift!
Sources:
[1] https://www.onnit.com/academy/kettlebell-around-the-world/