The shoulders are one of the more injury-prone areas of the body, which means that properly warming up that area before tackling workouts involving shoulder exercises is vital. And with that in mind, let us introduce the kettlebell halo as a great addition to your weights room warm-ups.
However, the halo is not only a great warm-up move, it’s also a superb way to strengthen your shoulders and it will improve your upper-body mobility. Done properly, the kettlebell halo is also a challenge to your core stability and can strengthen your back, helping to protect it against injury.
There’s a lot of good reasons to consider adding the halo to either your warm-up or workout routine, then, and all you’ll need to do so is a light kettlebell. Use our recommendations of the best kettlebells to find the right one for your home gym.
How To Do The Kettlebell Halo
We already mentioned that the shoulders can be injury-prone, and this means you need to be careful even when doing moves designed to reduce your risk on that front. The halo is a simple enough move to do, but it needs to be done correctly to ensure no undue strain is placed on your shoulders.
Stand holding a kettlebell by its handle upside down in front of your chest, in the same way you would set up for a goblet squat. Take the kettlebell over to your right shoulder, then bring your hands over the kettlebell so the handle is above the bell, and then bring the kettlebell past your neck towards your left shoulder. As you take the kettlebell forwards over your left shoulder, turn it over again to come back to the starting position. Repeat the movement in the other direction.
Aim to keep the kettlebell fairly close to your body throughout, with your forearms brushing the top of your head as you move the weight behind you. Swinging it in too large a circle will increase the risk of injury. Make sure to engage your core muscles during the exercise too so you don’t lose your balance while moving the weight.
