Kettlebell Workouts are a great way to build a better physique and strengthen your body and mind. Add these into your training.
Killer Kettlebell Workouts
Kettlebell workouts are old school. Really old school. The word “Girya” (the Russian word for kettlebell) is in a Russian dictionary published in 1704! By the late 1800s, the kettlebell was popularized and was being used for exercise. The fitness benefits of kettlebell training have been tested for hundreds of years, and we still use them to this day because they get results.
THE BENEFITS OF KETTLEBELL WORKOUTS
Function and Uses: Using kettlebells in training helps keep you balanced. Heavier kettlebells can build strength while lighter kettlebells can be used for cardiovascular conditioning. The kettlebell swing is the best-known kettlebell exercise. But like dumbbells, kettlebells are pieces of equipment that also help you with unilateral movements, i.e. single arm presses, split squats, lunges, Turkish get-ups, etc. Unilateral movements are single arm or single leg movements that challenge you both neurologically and physically.
Kettlebell workouts are especially good at improving your grip, back, and shoulders, which is why Kettlebells are very popular in the Russian military. Russian Special Forces personnel pride themselves on their “wiry strength, lethal agility” and consistent staying power.
There is no better way to burn fat than with sets of Kettlebell Swings, Snatches and Clean and Jerks. These ballistic exercises work your body as one unit and require a great deal of hard work. The harder you work, the more calories you burn. High rep Snatches work more muscle groups and will build strength in the lower back, shoulders, and hip flexors.
Did we mention already that is cheap? Yep. You really can’t go wrong when buying a pair of kettlebells.
Kettlebell Workouts and Technique: Get started
Like with every other exercise technique comes first to assure you to train the right muscles and avoid injuries especially in the lower back section.
1. Starting Position
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place the Kettlebell (handle running across you) between your feet in a line with your toes.
2. Bend your hips
The first step is to slightly bend your hips and push them backwards. Try to reach down with your hips until you can grab the Kettlebell. Keep your back straight (one line from hip to end).
3. Straighten up
Push yourself up through your hips, stand straight at the top. Pull your shoulders down and back. Tense glutes firmly and push your feet in the ground. When straightening up fast, the Kettlebell will first swing to the front, away from your body.
4. Swing backwards
Use the force of the swing to push back with your hips again. Swing the Kettlebell backwards through your legs always keeping the alignment and tension of your body. Drive with hips and legs.
5. Catch at the Top
Swing the Kettlebell up front driving with hips and legs. Catch it at the top of the movement – above your head.
As a starting weight, the IKFF (International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation) suggests 16 Kg/35 lb for an average trained male and 8 kg/17 lb for an average trained female. The next weights would be 20 Kg/44 lb, 24 Kg/52 lb and 32 Kg/70 lb.
1. Fat Amy
For time:
- 50 Air Squats
- 10 Burpees
- 40 Sit-Ups
- 10 Burpees
- 30 Lunges (alternating legs)
- 10 Burpees
- 20 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
- 10 Burpees
- 10 meter Bear Crawl
- 10 Burpees
- 20 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
- 10 Burpees
- 30 Lunges (alternating legs)
- 10 Burpees
- 40 Sit-Ups
- 10 Burpees
- 50 Air Squats
Score is the time on the clock when the final repetition (the 50th air squat) is completed.
Good Times for “Fat Amy”
– Beginner: 18+ minutes
– Intermediate: 15-17 minutes
– Advanced: 12-14 minutes
– Elite: <11 minutes
Scaling Options
This is a light, (mostly) bodyweight workout with movements that athletes of almost any level can manage. If necessary, scale the volume of repetitions so you can move through the movements quickly and unbroken.
Beginner
For Time:
- 40 Air Squats
- 5 Burpees
- 30 Sit-Ups
- 5 Burpees
- 20 Lunges (alternating legs)
- 5 Burpees
- 10 Kettlebell Swings (35/26 lb)
- 5 Burpees
- 10 meter Bear Crawl
- 5 Burpees
- 10 Kettlebell Swings (35/26 lb)
- 5 Burpees
- 20 Lunges (alternating legs)
- 5 Burpees
- 30 Sit-Ups
- 5 Burpees
- 40 Air Squats
2. Nate – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
AMRAP in 20 minutes:
- 2 Muscle-Ups
- 4 Handstand Push-Ups
- 8 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
On a 20-minute clock, perform as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total rounds and repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
3. Jordan – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
For time:
- 100 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
- 100 Sit-Ups
- 100 Air Squats
- 100 Push-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the time on the clock when the last repetition of Push-Ups is completed.
4. King Kettlebell
5 rounds for time:
- 15 Kettlebell Swings (75/55 lb)
- 10 Lunges
- 15 calorie Assault Air Bike
- 10 Push-Ups
- 15 Sit-Ups
- 10 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75/55 lb)
Score is the time on the clock when the last set of kettlebell sumo deadlift high-pulls is completed.
“King Kettlebell” is one of the challenge workouts by Assault Fitness for their assault WOD series.
5. Dork – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
6 rounds for time:
- 60 Double-Unders
- 30 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
- 15 Burpees
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of the Burpees is completed.
Scaling Options
Reduce the reps and/or number of rounds in order to keep the volume manageable. Aim to complete the workout in less than 25 minutes.
Intermediate
4 Rounds for Time
60 Double-Unders
30 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
15 Burpees
Beginner
4 Rounds for Time
60 Single-Unders
20 Kettlebell Swings (16/12 kg)
10 Burpees
6. Helen
3 rounds for time:
- 400 meter Run
- 21 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
- 12 Pull-Ups
Score is the time it takes to complete 3 rounds.
Good Times for “Helen”
– Beginner: 15-17 minutes
– Intermediate: 11-14 minutes
– Advanced: 9-10 minutes
– Elite: <8 minutes
Scaling
This benchmark workout is an all out sprint. The swings and pull-ups should be easy enough that you are still able to push the pace on the runs. Intermediate athletes can complete this as prescribed.
Beginner Option
3 Rounds for Time:
200 meter Run
15 Kettlebell Swings (1/.75 pood)
9 Jumping Pull-Ups
7. Team 1776 – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
For time (in a team of 3)
- Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- Air Squats
- Push-Ups
- Burpees
- Pull-Ups
- Sit-Ups
- Row (calories)
- Double-Unders
- Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- Ball Slams (30/20 lb)
- Dumbbell Push Press (45/35 lb)
Time cap: 50 minutes.
As a team, complete a total of 1776 reps involving all exercises in any order.
Multiple partners may work at a time, but everyone must work together on the same movement and move to the next one together.
The only requirements are that the team complete 1,776 total repetitions, with not more than 200 reps of any single movement, and each team member must complete at least 10 reps of each movement.
Score is the time it takes to complete the full workout.
Scaling Options
As needed, scale the skill level of the movements so all teammates can move quickly and smoothly through the workout. There should rarely be long rest breaks. Newer athletes: Add a time cap to enjoy the workout without overdoing the volume.
Beginner
For Time (in a Team of 3)
Kettlebell Swings (35/26 lb)
Box Step-Ups (24/20 in)
Air Squats
Knee Push-Ups
Burpees
Ring Rows
Sit-Ups
Row (calories)
Single-Unders
Wall Ball Shots (14/10 lb)
Ball Slams (20/15 lb)
Dumbbell Push Press (25/15 lb)
As a team, complete a total of 1776 reps involving all exercises in any order
8. Amber – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
18 rounds for time:
- 5 Burpees
- 10 Goblet Squats (20/12 kg)
- 20 Kettlebell Swings (20/12 kg)
- 5 Burpees
- 12 Goblet Lunges (20/12 kg)
- 18 Push-Ups
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of the Push-Ups is completed.
9. Bauer
For time:
- 2 minute Elbow Plank (in silence)
- 13 Burpees
- 18 Kettlebell Swings (50/35 lb)
- 31 Push-Ups
- 53 Goblet Squats (50/35 lb)
- 53 Burpees
- 31 Kettlebell Swings (50/35 lb)
- 18 Push-Ups
- 13 Goblet Squats (50/35 lb)
- 2 minute Wall Sit (in silence)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written. For the plank and wall sit, accumulate 2-minutes total of each (count time while in the hold only).
Score is the time on the clock when the two-minute Wall Sit is completed.
10. Burptacula – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time:
- Burpees
- Kettlebell Thrusters (32/20 kg)
- Burpees
- Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (32/20 kg)
- Burpees
- Kettlebell Swings (32/20 kg)
Time cap: 30 minutes.
Use one kettlebell. For the Thrusters hold the kettlebell in a goblet position and finish with the kettlebell and both arms overhead.
11. Evil Thrusters
EMOM for 14 minutes:
- Odd: 10 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- Even: 20 Kettlebell Swings (54/35 lb)
With a running clock, each minute on the minute (EMOM), athlete starts by performing 10 thrusters, then rests until the second round (starting at 1:00). Then athlete completes 20 kettlebell swings. Continue, alternating each minute, for 14 total minutes.
12. Hansen – Killer Kettlebell Workouts
5 rounds for time:
- 30 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- 30 Burpees
- 30 GHD Sit-Ups
13. Georgie
AMRAP in 21 minutes:
- 7 Burpees
- 11 Push-Ups
- 22 Kettlebell Swings (54/35 lb)
- Buy-in: 65 Sit-Ups
On a 21-minute clock, complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the number of rounds and reps completed (including Sit-Ups) before the 21-minute clock stops.
Scaling Options
Scale the Push-Ups (see: Push-Up Scaling) so they can be done in small, but very fast sets. Scale the load for the Kettlebell Swings as needed so that they can be performed in one big set for every round.
Beginner
21 Minute AMRAP
7 Burpees
11 Knee Push-Ups
22 Kettlebell Swings (35/26 lb)
Buy-in: 65 Sit-Ups
14. Arnie
For time:
- 21 Turkish Get-Ups, Right Arm
- 50 Kettlebell Swings
- 21 Overhead Squats, Left Arm
- 50 Kettlebell Swings
- 21 Overhead Squats, Right Arm
- 50 Kettlebell Swings
- 21 Turkish Get-Ups, Left Arm
Use a single Kettlebell (2/1.5 pood).
Score is time on the clock after the last Turkish get-up is completed.
15. Yvonne
For time (with a partner):
- 76 Air Squats
- 76 Dumbbell Push Presses (2×50/30 lb)
- 76 AbMat Sit-Ups
- 76 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 76 Burpees
- 76 Med Ball Twists (20/14 lb)
- 76 Push-Ups
- 76 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
- 76 Dumbbell Thrusters (2×50/30 lb)
- 400 meter Run with Partner
Partition into any size sets, but split the work evenly between partners.
