Several years ago, we started using kettlebell windmills a lot more with our athletes – and the results were great, so I haven’t looked back since. I think they slide in nicely (similar to Turkish Get-ups) as a first exercise on upper body days, even if they are more of a full-body exercise.

Generally speaking, I think we underappreciate how solid motion (or resistance to it) in the frontal (side to side) plane really matters for folks from all walks of life. If you haven’t read it already, check out my recent blog, Assessments You Might Be Overlooking: Installment 6, where I discuss the importance of assessing lateral flexion.

To me, the kettlebell windmill is the perfect exercise for teaching athletes how to groove proper core positioning as they load into the hip in multiple planes of motion. My most common cue to athletes with this exercise is, “Load into the hip hinge; don’t just side bend.”

As you’ll see in this picture below, it’s possible to get the motion in the wrong places. This would qualify as a side bend – and you can easily appreciate that not all motion is good motion.

We’ll perform this exercise both “regular” and with a bottoms-up approach. I think it’s best positioned early in the training session for 2-8 reps per set. Make sure athletes have adequate hip mobility and entry-level core control before jumping right to it. I actually like it as a subtle regression from Turkish Get-ups, especially in uncoordinated individuals and those who may lack a bit of shoulder mobility.