Halos & uppercuts: 2 kettlebell moves that build a wraparound core and cut your abs & shoulders

First things first: I know it’s a silly photo. I’m really not trying to pretend I’m the David Hasselhoff of kettlebells. Sometimes you go with the least worst image you have. This is mine. Onward….

Kettlebells that blast your core and cut your upper body

I give you two kettlebell moves today, weighted halos and uppercuts, that do a lot for your entire midsection and core strength. Both of these workouts look like shoulder work but they’re also working your trunk, front and back.

If you have recurring lower-back issues as the result of too much sitting and not enough daily moving your body, this workout can help. It will also, after a few iterations, work your shoulders and arms to make them noticeably stronger and more defined. So it’s great for your mirror ego, too.

In the video, I’m doing these moves with a 35-pound bell. Halos and uppercuts work the muscles along your spine and across your abdomen that hold your ribs and hips still while a weight tries to pull them somewhere else, and that’s strength that keeps you upright after 50: a core that holds while the rest of you is moving across multiple planes of motion.

You don’t get hurt lifting a suitcase straight up. You get hurt turning to put it in the overhead bin. The halo trains the turning. The uppercut trains the drive.

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In case you missed it: the #WorkoutWednesday video introducing foam rolling basics…

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Warm-up and weight choice

I warm up with a jump rope, and I’d argue everyone over 50 should own one. Two or three minutes raises your heart rate and breathing enough to improve VO2 max over time, which is the single best predictor of how long you’ll live that you can change. It also trains coordination between your feet, hands, and eyes, which fades with age—unless you keep using it.

I’m using a kettlebell here, but you could also use a dumbbell. Start at a modest weight, and move up, instead of the other way around. If you can’t move it slowly, it’s too heavy.

The kettlebell halo workout: technique

Hold the bell sideways, with one hand through the horns, and brace your midsection.