The kettlebell cool-down

Top trainers love kettlebell swings for their strength- and power-building abilities. The kettlebell is also used in another expert favorite: The Turkish get-up. You can use the tool for deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses, too; the options are seemingly endless.

Now, athletes are using KBs in a new way: after they've finished their main lifts. “Kettlebells can be great for a cool-down because they add an external load to assist you into deeper ranges of motion while your body is already warm from your workout,” says Leah Dugas, a Tier X coach at Equinox Beverly Hills. The sequence she created below will improve hip, shoulder, and spinal mobility in particular.

“You could do this after any routine, but it would be especially useful after a heavy or high-volume strength training day to stretch and lengthen the muscles after they've been put under some serious tension,” she says. “This will help improve recovery and reduce tightness, stiffness, and soreness, leaving you better prepared for your next session.”

Note: All of these stretches and drills should be done with a lighter bell than you would use for strength exercises; try going one to three sizes smaller than your standard overhead-pressing weight. “My pressing weight for five to eight reps is 12kg, so I used a 10kg for these stretches,” says Dugas. “You don't want the weight to be so heavy that you feel like you are doing work or being pushed too far. The load should add a nice, gentle assistance.” Move through the following exercises, in order, one time.