Exercise of the Week: Suspended Kettlebell Split-Lunge

The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week, we highlight the Suspended Kettlebell Split-Lunge, an exercise that increases lower-body strength and stability.

Who’s Doing It

• Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings LW

Muscular Benefits

• Increases single-leg strength
• Improves balance and stability
• Increases core strength

Sports Performance Benefits

The primary purpose of the Suspended Kettlebell Split-Lunge is to increase single-leg strength, which is critical for developing speed in any athlete. Skating and sprinting are performed one leg at a time, and this exercise equalizes strength on both sides of the body so you can move powerfully in all directions.

Suspending your rear leg creates instability to develop lower-body balance and stability, improving agility and reducing the chance of injury. Holding the kettlebell forces your core to engage, helping your upper body remain stable during a lower-body movement.

Suspended Kettlebell Split-Lunge How-to

• Assume split stance with back foot in suspension strap
• Hold kettlebell at shoulder opposite front leg
• Bend front knee to lower into lunge; maintain balance
• Drive up out of lunge to return to start position
• Repeat for specified reps
• Perform set with opposite leg

Sets/Reps: 3-4x8-10 each leg

Coaching Points

• Keep back straight and chest up
• Sit back into lunge
• Keep lunging knee behind toes