10 Best Double Kettlebell Windmill Alternatives for Limited Equipment
If you can’t do the Double Kettlebell Windmill, use movements that reproduce its hip-hinge, anti-lateral-flexion, and rotational demands. Effective substitutes include single-arm windmills, suitcase carries, RDL-to-rotation, side-plank progressions, and Turkish get-ups. Cue: brace your core, hinge from the hips, and keep the loaded arm vertical to load the obliques.
Original Exercise: Double Kettlebell Windmill
How to Perform Double Kettlebell Windmill
- Place a kettlebell in front of your front foot and clean and press a kettlebell overhead with your opposite arm. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrist as you do so, so that the palm faces forward.
- Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the locked out kettlebell.
- Bending at the hip to one side, sticking your butt out, slowly lean until you can retrieve the kettlebell from the floor. Keep your eyes on the kettlebell that you hold over your head at all times.
- Pause for a second after retrieving the kettlebell from the ground and reverse the motion back to the starting position.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Pull
Best Double Kettlebell Windmill Alternatives
1. Advanced Kettlebell Windmill
91.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Clean and press a kettlebell overhead with one arm.
- Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Keep the non-working arm behind your back and turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the kettlebell.
- Lower yourself as far as possible.
- Pause for a second and reverse the motion back to the starting position.
2. Barbell Standing Ab Rollerout
91.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with both hands in front of your thighs.
- Engage your core and slowly roll the barbell down towards the ground, keeping your back straight and your arms extended.
- Continue rolling the barbell forward until your body is fully extended and your hands are directly above your head.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly roll the barbell back towards your thighs, maintaining control and keeping your core engaged.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Barbell Rollerout From Bench
87.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by kneeling on the floor with a barbell placed on a bench in front of you.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, slowly roll the barbell forward, extending your arms in front of you.
- Continue rolling the barbell forward until your body is fully extended and your arms are overhead.
- Pause for a moment at the fully extended position, then slowly roll the barbell back towards your body, returning to the starting position.
4. Barbell Rollerout
87.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Kneel on the floor and hold a barbell with both hands, shoulder-width apart.
- Roll the barbell forward, extending your arms and keeping your core engaged.
- Continue rolling forward until your body is fully extended and your arms are overhead.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly roll the barbell back towards your knees, maintaining control.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Dumbbell Rotation Reverse Fly
83.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Raise your arms out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, until they are parallel to the floor.
- Rotate your arms so that your palms are facing downwards.
- Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
6. Barbell Press Sit-up
80.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, resting it on your chest.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Barbell Standing Twist
77.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your chest with both hands, palms facing down.
- Engage your core and keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
- Slowly twist your torso to the right, pivoting on your feet and hips, while keeping your lower body stable.
- Pause for a moment at the end of the twist, then slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat the twist to the left side.
8. Barbell Ab Rollout
75.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- For this exercise you will need to get into a pushup position, but instead of having your hands of the floor, you will be grabbing on to an Olympic barbell (loaded with 5-10 lbs on each side) instead. This will be your starting position.
- While keeping a slight arch on your back, lift your hips and roll the barbell towards your feet as you exhale. Tip: As you perform the movement, your glutes should be coming up, you should be keeping the abs tight and should maintain your back posture at all times. Also your arms should be staying perpendicular to the floor throughout the movement. If you don't, you will work out your shoulders and back more than the abs.
- After a second contraction at the top, start to roll the barbell back forward to the starting position slowly as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
9. Cable Standing Lift
75% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the cable handle with both hands and position it at waist height.
- Engage your core and maintain a straight back throughout the exercise.
- Keeping your arms straight, exhale and lift the cable handle up towards your opposite shoulder, rotating your torso.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the cable handle back to the starting position.
10. Barbell Side Bent V. 2
73.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with both hands, palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged throughout the exercise.
- Slowly bend your torso to the right side, lowering the barbell towards your right knee.
- Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement on the left side.
Why You Might Need a Double Kettlebell Windmill Alternative
You might substitute the Double Kettlebell Windmill for reasons such as shoulder pain with an overhead load, limited kettlebell availability, or poor thoracic mobility that blocks a safe hinge. Alternatives let you preserve the same biomechanics—hip hinge, anti-lateral-flexion, and torso rotation—while reducing spinal shear or unilateral shoulder stress. Use a suitcase carry to train bracing and lateral chain activation with minimal overhead load; use a side plank variation to emphasize oblique isometrics. Cue: maintain neutral spine and push the hips slightly up to engage the glutes and erector spinae while the obliques resist lateral collapse.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to the limiting factor and your training goal. If shoulder stability is the issue, pick carry variations or side planks that avoid an overhead position; cue: scapular pack and keep the shoulder down to reduce impingement. If you lack kettlebells, choose bodyweight side-plank progressions that still generate oblique tension. For strength development, select loaded unilateral RDLs or loaded carries to allow progressive overload while preserving hip-hinge mechanics. Prioritize movement patterns that recreate anti-lateral-flexion and hip hinge, and use tempo or added load to scale intensity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Double Kettlebell Windmill work?
The Double Kettlebell Windmill targets the obliques, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis for anti-lateral-flexion, while the erector spinae and glutes control the hip hinge. It also recruits the shoulder stabilizers when holding the load overhead; cue: brace the core and hinge from the hips to maximize posterior chain and oblique activation.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Double Kettlebell Windmill?
The side plank with hip dips is an effective bodyweight alternative because it trains anti-lateral-flexion and oblique eccentric/concentric control. Cue: stack feet, press the shoulder into the floor, drop hips slowly and lift using the obliques to feel lateral chain activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Double Kettlebell Windmill?
Yes. You can hypertrophy the obliques and waist using progressive overload with carries, loaded unilateral RDLs, or weighted side bends while preserving hip-hinge mechanics. Focus on increasing load, reps, or time under tension and cue firm bracing and controlled hip hinge to drive muscle adaptation.
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