Arms · Kettlebell
Figure Eight
How to do the figure eight, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand with your feet wider than hip-width, holding a kettlebell in one hand. Hinge at your hips with a slight bend in your knees and pass the kettlebell between your legs from front to back. Reach your other hand behind your leg to grab the kettlebell and swing it around the outside of your leg to the front again. Continue passing the kettlebell in a figure-eight pattern around your legs, keeping your core engaged and back flat. Switch directions halfway through if desired.
- 1Pass the kettlebell fluidly between your legs in a figure-eight pattern
- 2Engage your core and hips to control the swing
- 3Feel your grip and forearms working to guide the kettlebell
Common mistakes
- Don't round your back or let your spine collapse
- Avoid allowing the kettlebell to swing too far out from your body
- Don't twist your knees, keep your lower body stable
Muscles worked
The figure eight works the forearms, upper abs, obliques, glutes, lower back, and hamstrings.
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- HamstringsSupport
Figure Eight strength standards
See how your figure eight ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM10 lb
Silvere1RM18 lb
Golde1RM26 lb
Platinume1RM39 lb
Diamonde1RM57 lb
Champione1RM70 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the figure eight for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More forearms exercises
- How to do the wrist curl
- How to do the conans wheel
- How to do the farmers walk
- How to do the forearm extensor stretch
- How to do the forearm flexor stretch
- How to do the medicine ball hussafel carry
Last reviewed April 2026.