The Kettlebell Swing
The Kettlebell Swing is the most fundamental kettlebell exercise. If you had to pick only one kettlebell this would be it. It strengthens the quads, glutes, hamstrings, stretches and strengthens the hip flexors, works the midsection, passively strengthens the shoulders, teaches full body coordination, and gets the heart rate up in a hurry. This is the foundation for all of the ballistic kettlebell movements.
The Turkish Get Up (TGU)
If you could only pick two kettlebell exercises it would be the TGU and the swing. The TGU is a full body strength exercise (or grind) that sets the stage for all other kettle lifts.
The One Hand Kettlebell Swing
This swing variation further works the obliques and sets the stage for learning further progressions such as the clean and snatch.
The Kettlebell Clean
The kettlebell clean is a great way to get the bell into the rack position for pressing and other exercises. It also is great in it’s own right for teaching how to properly move a weight up to shoulder height in a coordinated fashion and use one’s structure to bear the weight.