Written by Paulina Kairys | BSKin & EX.Sc., NASM CPT
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
Few conventional exercises challenge the shoulder joint to move in its full rotational range of motion. The kettlebell halo does just that and can offer additional benefits to the shoulder complex, upper back, and core. This kettlebell halo video exercise guide will break down the movement step-by-step, cover the muscles worked and teach you how to avoid making common mistakes.
Kettlebell halos are most effective when executed for mobility, active recovery, or shoulder strength. Since the halo is a complex, dynamic movement, it may be a challenge to learn at first.
Give this functional movement patience and allow your body to learn the halo technique over time. Remember to start with a light weight and work your way up with progressive overload. Now let's dissect the kettlebell halo!
WHAT ARE KETTLEBELL HALOS?
The kettlebell halo dynamically sets the shoulders in an overhead motion as they resist the weight of the kettlebell. This movement is categorized as a functional exercise for many reasons: it works for multiple muscle groups, challenges a joint range of motion, and fixates on core stabilization.
The shoulder complex, upper back, and core musculature are the main muscles targeted throughout the halo range. Without proper shoulder mobility, the halo will be a challenging motion but will be advantageous once the range of motion is improved.
Also, the kettlebell halo targets the core musculature in many ways. When the kettlebell moves behind the head, the core's job is to help stabilize and balance the body. Once the kettlebell is pulled up and over to its starting position, the core assists with pulling the weight with control; once the weight of the kettlebell increases, the core along with the shoulders and upper back will help slow or accelerate the weight through the entire movement.
We'll get into additional benefits that the kettlebell halo provides in detail below.
DO KETTLEBELL HALOS BUILD MUSCLE?
Although kettlebell halos are not necessarily the best hypertrophy-based movement, there is one muscle group that can reap the benefits of muscle gain: the forearms.
The forearms work in an isometric contraction when the kettlebell is passed up and over the head in the halo. Forearm strength and grip strength are essential for movements like pull-ups, carries, and deadlifts.
Since there are many moving parts in the kettlebell halo with multiple muscle groups involved, the main benefits of this movement include improving shoulder mobility, postural awareness, and core engagement. The kettlebell halo offers variety to a training program with fantastic, functional benefits.
Note: If you're looking to build muscular hypertrophy, especially for the upper body, compound movements like the overhead press and the bench press are better options.
ARE KETTLEBELL HALOS WORTH DOING?
Yes, they're worth doing! As briefly stated above, halos offer variety in your training routine and can help your body's functionality in three ways:
- Shoulder Mobility: The kettlebell halo demands a lot of rotational ability within the shoulder joint. If your shoulder mobility is already limited, start with a shortened range of motion halo (stop the kettlebell behind the head vs. the base of the neck) and continue to increase the overhead position over time. The key to mobilizing joints is frequent mobility training and progressive overload. Start light and focus primarily on form; make every repetition count to improve shoulder mobility.
- Postural Improvement: A kyphosis posture is easy to recognize, a forward head lean, slight upper back hunch, and shoulders pronated inwards. Halos are one way to help open up and lengthen tight muscles that pull the posture in kyphosis. Halo's allow the shoulders to open up with resistance chest muscles to stretch, and it sets the rest of the spine in a tall, neutral stance. Practicing the halo with proper form can help condition the joints and surrounding muscles towards an ideal posture.
- Core Awareness: Your body will tell you if your core is not engaged with the kettlebell halo. Since this exercise is dynamic and moves from the front of the body to the back of the body, balance can be easily thrown off if core integrity is lost. One helpful clue is to keep your ribcage stacked with the hips while practicing deep belly breathing. As the kettlebell gets heavier, it'll be easier to feel the core musculature work, especially when the weight is being slowed down or sped up.
KETTLEBELL HALO MUSCLES WORKED
- Shoulder Complex: This includes the rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) and deltoid muscles. The halo targets the shoulder complex in a dynamic pattern and strengthens this muscle group to withstand a moving weight overhead.
- Upper Back: The rhomboids, traps, and erectors all help stabilize the shoulders as the weight moves around the head. They pack the shoulder girdle in place to ensure the kettlebell is moving in a pathway that is safe and ideal for the shoulders. The upper back muscles work together to keep an intact, neutral posture during the movement.
- Core: The core muscles work extra hard to brace and resist spinal flexion, extension, and rotation during the movement. Another job of the core is to balance the body when the kettlebell dips behind the head. If the core is relaxed, it is easy to compensate by arching the low back or losing stability with the rest of the body.
HOW TO DO KETTLEBELL HALOS CORRECTLY?
There are several variations to the kettlebell halo, this how-to is based on a standing variation with the kettlebell in an upside-down position: horns down and bell facing upwards.
- Pick up your kettlebell with an overhand grip by the horns and flip it upside down so the bell is facing upwards and the horns are right underneath it. Hold it at your chest with both arms bent at 90 degrees, have your arms slightly away from your body. Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-distance apart and brace through your core. This is your starting position.
- Keep a firm grip on the horns of your kettlebell and send it to the right side of your chest, then up and over your right shoulder. Make sure to keep the kettlebell close to your body at all times.
- Proceed to move the kettlebell behind the right shoulder and pass your left arm overhead. Continue the rotation and pull the kettlebell behind the nape of your neck. The kettlebell is now oriented, with the horns on top and the bell right underneath. Note: if you have limited shoulder mobility, restrict your range of motion and have the kettlebell pass behind the head vs. behind the nape of the neck.
- Complete the full rotation of the halo by pulling the kettlebell across the left shoulder, then up and over the left shoulder while passing the right arm overhead.
- Return the kettlebell back to the starting position, upside down and at chest level.
Note: Kettlebell halos are usually completed one side at a time (ex: 5 reps rotating clockwise, 5 reps rotating counterclockwise). Once you've found the halo pattern, try to increase the fluidity of the movement and find the dynamic rhythm of the rotation overhead. If you're feeling a challenge, try to alternate repetitions in each direction (ex: 1 rep clockwise, 1 rep counterclockwise, repeat).
KETTLEBELL HALO COMMON MISTAKES
- Arching Low Back: Any excessive movement from the spine (flexion, extension, or rotation) is a sign that the core musculature is not engaging correctly, or there are points of mobility that do not have enough range to complete a full halo rotation. Think about keeping the ribcage stacked with the hips, bracing through the lower abs, and squeezing the glutes to assist the core.
- Head Movement: Pushing the head forward, backward, or side to side to avoid the bell is a common mistake we see. Remember, the kettlebell moves around your head and not the opposite way around. Head movement may be a natural reaction to avoiding unwanted contact with the kettlebell. The halo is a movement that definitely does not come naturally for the body; it will take practice to get used to. If you have a mirror, use it! It will help you assist and watch the pathway of the kettlebell. Retract the chin, look forwards and practice slow and controlled halos.
- Kettlebell Positioning: Keeping the kettlebell above the head. One positional cue of the halo is to make the kettlebell disappear behind the head. When it does, this shows that the shoulders are in a proper overhead position. As stated above, if your range of motion is limited, work with a lighter kettlebell and slowly allow yourself to reach further behind the head to progress your overhead position in the halo.
- Too Heavy Weights: There are only a handful of exercises that position the body to resist weight when it is behind the head. Bumping up the kettlebell weight too fast, too soon without a proper learning phase, may pull the body off balance, load the shoulders in a vulnerable position, and stress the low back if the core is not braced. Fixate on proper form first, then increase resistance when appropriate.
- Tensing Up/Resisting Motion: When the upper body stays too stiff through the halo, the shoulders may start to feel tense and resistant to opening up. Your grip on the kettlebell should be firm but not a death grip. Loosen up your shoulders and avoid shrugging throughout the halo. This motion is meant to be performed in a fluid movement pattern to help open up the joints while strengthening the surrounding muscles.
KETTLEBELL HALO BEST REPS & SETS
As for any sets and repetitions recommendations, it is all dependent on goal-specific programming. Choose the below according to what function you'll be using the kettlebell halo for.
- Mobility/Active Recovery: 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds of halos in each direction or alternating directions with light to moderate weight
- Strength: 3-4 sets of 6-8 repetitions in each direction with moderate to heavy weight while following progressive overload*
Progressive Overload: this principle is when you gradually increase your workload of sets, repetitions, or weight in your strength training routine. Most strength training cycles (depending on the outcome goal) last anywhere from 6-8 weeks, giving plenty of time for increasing the intensity in a program through progressive overload.
WHEN TO DO KETTLEBELL HALOS
Following goal-specific programming, the timing of when to do the halo will change.
- Mobility: If your goal is to improve mobility, practicing halos in the warm-up phase of your workout would be most beneficial. This would be excellent prep for an upper-body focused day or a full-body day that includes the upper body. Incorporating halos in a morning routine or recovery day would really add to your mobility gains if you're very serious about mobility training. Remember to start light and focus on form.
- Active Recovery: Similar to mobility, halos can also be incorporated as an active recovery in a workout. For instance, if you're training your upper body and have accessory movements of a bench press followed by body weighted dips, the third exercise to follow can be a light kettlebell halo. As you're recovering from the bench press and dips, the halo will help open up the shoulders and keep your core in check.
- Strength: If your goals align more with strength, try incorporating the halo as an accessory movement to the upper body or full body training days. Assuming you're able to complete the movement with great range and control, challenge your body with a heavier kettlebell and make sure to slowly increase the load over time. To challenge your body, even more, play around with speeding up and slowing down the halo and seeing how efficient you are at controlling the weight overhead.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
You may now be rethinking your approach to the kettlebell halo. It's awkward at first but rewarding once you get it down. The kettlebell halo offers many benefits to the body, including improving shoulder mobility, strengthening postural muscles, and targeting the core musculature.
Depending on your specific training goals, kettlebell halos can either be incorporated as a mobility-specific movement or strength. With practice and progressive overload, this exercise can help improve movement patterns and strength gains that may not have been accessible to your body before.
For more resources on kettlebell training, check the below...
SFS Five Kettlebell Full Length Follow Along Workouts
Check out this extensive Kettlebell Training e-Guide (8-week Workout Program)
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- Kettlebell Rows
- Kettlebell Squats
- Kettlebell Deadlifts
- Kettlebell Lunges
- Kettlebell Windmill
- Kettlebell Cleans
- Kettlebell Snatch
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Paulina Kairys
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