A kettlebell deadlift is a hinge, not a squat, and this kettlebell deadlift counter follows the part that matters: the angle at your hips, where torso meets thighs.
Set the bell on the floor between your feet, push your hips back, and stand tall again. Both feet stay planted, and the coach's count lands as you finish each rep upright.
Phone setup
Stand the phone upright at chest height and move back a few steps, until you fit in the shot from head to feet.
Stand side-on to the phone with the kettlebell on the floor between your feet, so the hinge shows up as an angle between your torso and thighs.
- Leave room in the shot for your hips to travel back.
Form cues
- Bell between your feet. Start with the kettlebell on the floor between your feet and keep both feet planted.
- Push your hips back. Send them toward the wall behind you, and your torso tips forward on its own.
- Keep the bell close. Slide it close to your legs so it travels in a straight line.
- Stand tall and squeeze. Finish the rep standing tall: glutes squeezed, hips stacked under your shoulders.
Common mistakes
- Squatting the bell up. A deep knee bend turns the hinge into a squat, and the counter follows your hips, not your knees. Push your hips back first and keep the knees quiet.
- Standing front-on. Seen from the front, the hinge folds into your torso and the angle is hard to read. Stand side-on instead.
- Half-standing between reps. Each rep finishes upright, so rise all the way to standing before you hinge again.
How FitnessBruh counts it
The counter reads the angle at your hip, from shoulder to hip to knee. You begin tall, hinging down toward the bell is the far position, and standing tall again completes the rep.
It's the hinge at your hips that moves the count, not the bend in your knees, so think about pushing your hips back and let the knees follow.
Both feet stay planted and the counter reads one hinge. It waits for a steady view of your shoulders and hips before counting. A shallow nod that never reaches the hinge isn't counted.
FAQ
Is a kettlebell deadlift counted at the knees or the hips?
Your hips. The counter reads the angle at your hip, so the hinge moves the count while a bent knee on its own does not. Push your hips back rather than your knees forward.
Where does the kettlebell go?
On the floor between your feet, with the phone side-on to you. Leave a little room in the shot for your hips to travel back.
What counts as one kettlebell deadlift rep?
Standing tall is the start. Hinging down toward the bell is the far position, and standing tall again completes the rep. A shallow nod that never reaches the hinge isn't counted.
