Legs · Kettlebell
Kettlebell Straight Leg Deadlift
How to do the kettlebell straight leg deadlift, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding a kettlebell in front of your thighs. Keeping your legs nearly straight with only a soft knee bend, hinge at the hips to lower the bell toward the floor, then squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to stand tall.
- 1Strong stretch up the back of the hamstrings as you hinge
- 2Hips pushing back while the back stays flat
- 3Glutes snapping the hips through to stand at the top
Common mistakes
- Rounding the spine or letting the shoulders slump forward
- Bending the knees into a squat to reach the bell
- Shifting your weight onto your toes
Muscles worked
The kettlebell straight leg deadlift mainly works the hamstrings and glutes, with the forearms, lower back, and calves assisting.
- HamstringsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- LatsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the kettlebell straight leg deadlift 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 hamstrings exercises
- How to do the deficit rdl
- How to do the leg curl
- How to do the dumbbell rdl
- How to do the glute ham raise
- How to do the jefferson curl
- How to do the leg swings
Last reviewed June 2026.