The Windmill is known to be a whole-body exercise that involves the use of kettlebells. This challenging workout places particular stress on improving your body’s stability and strength in your glutes, shoulders, and obliques. Also, it is responsible for enhancing the power of your core muscles, thus allowing them to engage efficiently. Additionally, it is beneficial in improving flexibility in your hips and hamstrings. This exercise will be ideal for you if you consider enhancing your body’s strength, stability, and flexibility. Also, practicing this exercise regularly allows you to perform daily and athletic activities with ease and comfort.
You can also increase your cardio by performing the Windmill exercise, and it also helps increase your body’s glucose endurance. The experts also suggest the performance of kettlebell training rather than any other weightlifting exercises. Thus, this exercise will be perfect for you. Furthermore, due to the never-ending benefits of Windmill exercise, you should add it to your regular workout routine.
The guide on the Windmill exercise given below is perfect for you as it allows you to get hold of all the information required to ace the performance of this exercise.
How To Perform The Windmill Exercise Like A Pro:
Given below is all the knowledge you will need, ranging from step-by-step instructions and common mistakes to tips and variations, to truly excel in the performance of this exercise.
Step By Step Instructions:
1. Firstly, stand with your feet hip-width apart and your toes slightly pointed out to promote a better range of motion.
2. Now grasp a kettlebell using your right hand and then extend it just over your head. Also, make sure that your right palm is facing in front.
3. Then stretch your left arm in front of your left thigh. Your left palm should face in front too. While being in this posture, your arms will appear to be like that of a windmill.
4. Now, while lowering your upper body down and then left, hinge at your hips. While your right hand is fully stretched over your head, your left arm will continue to face in front while it slips down closer to the front part of your left leg.
5. When your left hand is close to your left foot, tip your torso towards the left while still being slightly rotated to the right. If done correctly, you will feel some weight shift into your right hip.
6. Return to the starting position by reversing the movement.
Tips To Keep In Mind:
1. Always perform a quick yet efficient warm-up before lifting the kettlebell or any other weight. This should be done to prevent the risk of any injury or strain and boost up your targeted muscles.
2. Ensure that your back is perfectly straight and upright throughout the performance of this exercise.
Common Mistakes Usually Made:
1. People often tend to bend their knees while performing this exercise to get their weight-free hands closer to the floor. This should be avoided at all costs.
2. Also, most of the individuals practicing this exercise often overextend their shoulders, thus resulting in their upper arm floating back and behind the shoulder. Avoid this at all costs and instead, try to maintain a flat, straight line between your shoulders and chest.
3. Too much rotation of your torso may increase the risk for any severe injury or strain as it ensures rotation of only your upper torso instead of the entire torso.
4. Too little rotation of your torso also prevents you from reaping the maximum benefits of this exercise.
Variations Of The Windmill Exercise:
If you are perfectly comfortable with the performance of the classic Windmill exercise, feel free to try out some of its given variations:
1. Dumbbell Windmill
As the name suggests, this version of the traditional windmill exercise involves dumbbells instead of a kettlebell. It is considered to be more challenging to your anterior and posterior than the classic version. Also, it can come in handy if you cannot get hold of a kettlebell.
2. Double Kettlebell Windmill
This exercise involves the use of two kettlebells instead of just one. Apart from the kettlebell you hold over your head, have another in the arm you are lowering to touch the ground. This ensures the promotion of some extra resistance in your body.