Kettlebells seem to be a best kept secret! While my old gym did not even have kettlebells, my current gym only has one set. ONE SET! And most of the time the kettlebells are scattered around the gym and I can’t find the size I need. Can you imagine if there were only one set of dumbbells for an entire gym? This seems crazy to me because kettlebells are more versatile than dumbbells. They combine strength training, cardio, and conditioning. Meaning you can get in a more effective quick kettlebell workout than if you were to use dumbbells or isolation training.
However, they are just not as popular due to the fact that many people do not know how to use them. So here we are living in a world where some gyms don’t have kettlebells. Well we’re on a mission to change that. Kettlebells are usually associated with crossfit, which can be intimidating for a lot of people. Most people are timid to try something new at the gym in fear of making a fool of themselves. Well I say life is too short – pick up those kettlebells and try out this quick 20-minute kettlebell workout that will challenge your whole body. You’ll look like a badass in the gym and you’ll be reeping all the benefits that come along with using kettlebells. Win-win! Or try this quick kettlebell workout at home – all you need is a little space and a kettlebell.
Gone are the days of spending hours at the gym. First of all, ain’t nobody got time for that! Secondly, it’s been shown that shorter workouts can actually be more effective and that is the premise behind High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). The idea is that you go as hard as you can for a certain period of time, and then you rest for the same amount of time. You end up having a higher amount of time spent at a high heart rate than if you were to just run for an hour at the same speed. You can go hard or you can go long, but you can’t do both.
For this full-body, quick kettlebell workout, choose weights that are challenging, but allow you to finish the workout with good form.
20 Minute Kettlebell Workout
Time | Exercise | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
0:00 - 4:00 | Warm up | Mountain Climbers, Jumping Jacks, High Knees, Push ups. One minute each. |
4:00 - 5:00 | Kettlebell Deadlifts | Stand shoulder width apart gripping the kettlebell with both hands. Hinge forward at the waist. Eyes on the horizon. Press through the floor and stand up. |
5:00 - 6:00 | Rest | |
6:00 - 7:00 | Russian Kettlebell Swing | Stand up straight with feet a little wider than your hips. Grip the kettlebell with both hands, palms down. Bend your knees slightly and drive your hips backwards while lowering your body. Drive your hips forward while swinging the kettlebell. This should come from your hips, not your arms. |
7:00 - 8:00 | Rest | |
8:00 - 9:00 | Kettlebell Goblet Squat | Stand up straight, holding a kettlebell with both hands in front of your chest. Drive your heels into the ground and push your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the ground or below - and stand back up |
9:00 - 10:00 | Rest | |
10:00 - 11:00 | Kettlebell Press | Hold the kettlebell at your chest in one hand, palm towards you. In one motion press the kettlebell above your head and rotate your arm so the palm faces away from you. Bring it back down. Switch arms at 30 seconds. |
11:00 - 12:00 | Rest | |
12:00 - 13:00 | Kettlebell Curls | Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands on either side. Palms facing towards each other. Curl and bring back down in a controlled motion. |
13:00 - 14:00 | Rest | |
14:00 - 15:00 | Kettlebell Tricep Extension | Grab the kettlebell handble with both hands on either side. Palms facing towards each other and away from you. Bring the kettlebell over your head and lower the weight behind your head. Bring back up. Keep your elbows in. |
15:00 - 16:00 | Rest |
|
16:00 - 20:00 | Kettlebell Russian Twists | Repeat 20 seconds on and 10 seconds rest until the 4 minutes is up. |
After the workout be sure to have an adequate cool-down period. I would suggest stretching afterwards for at least 5 minutes. Let us know what you thought of our quick kettlebell workout!