Nobody’s got a bad word to say about dumbbells, but you rarely hear trainers waxing lyrical about their unique benefits. Not so with kettlebells.
Clif Marshall, the director of pro athlete training and senior director of coaching at D1 Training, says that the kettlebell is a piece of equipment he’s come back to again and again over his 20-year training career.
“Few tools are as versatile and effective for lower-body training as the kettlebell,” says Marshall. “The offset center of mass forces your body to stabilize through every rep—lighting up the glutes, hips, and core in ways that traditional weights often miss.
“Bodyweight exercises can build a foundation, but resistance is what drives progressive overload—the key to muscle growth. Using kettlebells challenges your glutes through multiple planes of motion, helping you develop not just size, but functional strength and athleticism.”
I asked Marshall for his favorite kettlebell exercises for glutes and he shared the following five moves, explaining that they target the glutes from multiple angles to build strength, power and stability.
“Expect more than just muscle growth,” he says. “You’ll gain athletic performance, improved posture and a stronger foundation for everything you do.”
Give the below kettlebell workout a try and let us know in the comments how you get on. If you’re not exactly sure of the form for an exercise, start with a lighter kettlebell, regress to simpler versions of each exercise, or just your bodyweight, until you’re comfortable with the movement, gradually progressing when you repeat the workout as you get stronger.
1. Band-resisted kettlebell goblet squat
Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a light-to-medium resistance band looped just above your knees, holding the bell of a kettlebell in both hands in front of your chest.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower, pushing your knees out against the band.
- Pause, then drive through your heels to return to standing.
Why Marshall recommends it: “The resistance band forces lateral tension, activating the gluteus medius and stabilizers throughout the movement,” says Marshall. “The kettlebell’s front load encourages a tall posture and a deep squat, making this a full-range, glute-dominant variation of a classic move.”
2. Staggered-stance kettlebell Romanian deadlift
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell handle in both hands in front of you, and step your right foot back so your right toes are in line with your left heel, with your right heel lifted.
- Keeping a neutral spine throughout, hinge at your hips, pushing your butt back, to lower the kettlebell until you feel a slight stretch in your left hamstring.
- Drive through your left heel and push your hips forward, squeezing your glutes, to return to standing.
- Complete all the reps on one side, then swap sides.
Why Marshall recommends it: “The staggered stance gives the benefits of a single-leg Romanian deadlift, but in a more balanced stance,” says Marshall. “It isolates the glute and hamstring on the front leg, while challenging hip stability and core control.”
3. Kettlebell swing with isometric hold
Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and the kettlebell held between your legs in both hands.
- Hinge forward at the hips to let the kettlebell swing back between your legs.
- Push your hips forward explosively to generate the power to swing the kettlebell in front of you, squeezing your glutes hard.
- The kettlebell should “float” at the top of the swing for one or two seconds. Keep squeezing your glutes, then control the swing of the kettlebell between your legs and go straight into the next rep.
Form tips: The kettlebell swing is a challenging move, these eight technique tips are worth brushing up on.
Why Marshall recommends it: “This variation builds explosive hip extension while adding time under tension for muscle growth,” says Marshall. “The isometric squeeze teaches you to finish each rep with glute power instead of lower back momentum.”
4. Reverse lunge to high knee drive
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the sides of the kettlebell handle in both hands by your chest.
- Take a big step back with your right foot and bend both knees to lower until your right knee is just above the floor.
- Drive through your left foot powerfully to extend your left leg and bring your right knee up to hip height in front of you.
- Either return your right foot to the starting position and reset, or go straight into your next rep.
- Complete all the reps on one side, then swap sides.
Why Marshall recommends it: “The backward step stretches the glute muscle fibers,” says Marshall, “and the knee drive emphasizes hip extension and power, mimicking athletic movement patterns used in sprinting and jumping.”
5. Kettlebell single-arm step-up
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
How to do it:
- Stand in front of a knee-high box or bench, holding a kettlebell in your left hand by your left thigh.
- Place your right foot on the bench and drive through your right foot to extend your right leg, bringing your left knee up to hip height.
- Reverse the movement with control back to the start.
- Complete all the reps on one side, then swap sides.
Why Marshall recommends it: “The single-arm load creates anti-rotation demand, forcing your glutes and core to stabilize against imbalance,” says Marshall. “The single-leg drive builds unilateral power, improving stride mechanics and glute activation on each side independently.”
Clif Marshall is the senior director of coaching and pro training for D1 Training. He has over 20 years of experience training professional athletes, including NBA and NFL first-round picks, MLB All-Stars, and Super Bowl MVPs.
Shop kettlebells
Marshall recommended two brands to me. Kettlebell Kings which he says has “ideal balance and grip for smooth swings and controlled lifts”, and Rogue Fitness Competition Kettlebells: “consistent sizing across weights and built to last.”
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