How many circles of the kettlebell around-the-world should a beginner do?

Start with two sets of eight to ten circles in each direction with a light bell, pausing briefly at each handoff rather than rushing the pass. Add circles before you add weight; the anti-rotation demand on the core gets harder with more reps, not just a heavier bell.

What can you use instead of a kettlebell for the around-the-world?

A single dumbbell or a light medicine ball passes around the waist the same way and is often easier to grip during the behind-the-back handoff. A filled water jug works too if that's what's on hand.

What is the kettlebell around-the-world good for, and when should you skip it?

It's a simple coordination and anti-rotation core drill that fits well into warm-ups or short conditioning finishers. Skip it, or slow the pace way down, if you have a low-back issue that reacts to quick rotational load transfers, since the handoff asks the trunk to resist a sudden shift.

Beginner

Kettlebell Around-the-World

The around-the-world passes a kettlebell around your midsection, handing it off behind and in front while you keep the hips and shoulders locked in place. Resisting the pull of the moving weight lights up the obliques and deep trunk, and the constant grip switches build hand and forearm endurance. It is a simple core and coordination drill that fits well into warm-ups or conditioning finishers.

Equipment: Kettlebells
Body part: Abs, Shoulder
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique, Deltoid Middle
Browse by movement: Anti-Rotation

How to do it

1
Stand tall holding the kettlebell by the handle in front of your hips.
2
Brace your abs and squeeze the glutes to lock the pelvis in place.
3
Pass the bell around one side of your waist and hand it off behind your back.
4
Receive the bell with the other hand and bring it around the front.
5
Keep the torso still and let only the arms move the bell in its orbit.
6
Complete the set number of circles, then reverse the direction.

Tips

Fight to keep the hips and shoulders square; the point is to resist rotation, not create it.
Keep the bell close to your body so it does not drag you off balance.
Make a clean, deliberate handoff behind the back so you never lose the grip.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hips rotate along with the bell's path instead of staying square, which turns an anti-rotation drill into an assisted one.
Letting the bell drift away from the body as it swings around widens its arc and can pull you off balance mid-pass.
The handoff behind the back happens with a rushed, blind grab instead of a deliberate pass, which is how the bell gets dropped.
Once one direction feels easy, skipping the reverse-direction reps trains the core to resist rotation only one way instead of both.

Frequently asked

How many circles of the kettlebell around-the-world should a beginner do?: Start with two sets of eight to ten circles in each direction with a light bell, pausing briefly at each handoff rather than rushing the pass. Add circles before you add weight; the anti-rotation demand on the core gets harder with more reps, not just a heavier bell.
What can you use instead of a kettlebell for the around-the-world?: A single dumbbell or a light medicine ball passes around the waist the same way and is often easier to grip during the behind-the-back handoff. A filled water jug works too if that's what's on hand.
What is the kettlebell around-the-world good for, and when should you skip it?: It's a simple coordination and anti-rotation core drill that fits well into warm-ups or short conditioning finishers. Skip it, or slow the pace way down, if you have a low-back issue that reacts to quick rotational load transfers, since the handoff asks the trunk to resist a sudden shift.

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