20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts are a great way to improve your skill and conditioning within this popular CrossFit time domain.
Firstly, brush up on your kettlebell swing technique
Why: The kettlebell swing is an old-school movement that’s still used due to its efficacy and simplicity. It works your posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, and erectors), power, and balance. It’s a great movement to teach beginners what hip and knee extension is.
Set-Up: Start with your feet at a shoulder-width stance—or slightly wider. Hold the kettlebell handle with both hands, overhanded, between your legs.
Execution: Descend your hips back and down, but keep your hips above your knees. Maintain your lumbar curve. Keep your knees in line with your toes. Extend your hips and knees rapidly to launch the kettlebell overhead. Keep your heels down until your hips and legs extend. Keep your arms straight. To get the kettlebell fully overhead (required for the “American Kettlebell Swing” used most in CrossFit), use your arms to pull the kettlebell over the middle of your feet. To begin the next rep, sit your hips back into a partial squat and bring the kettlebell back through your legs. (If the WOD requires “Russian Kettlebell Swings,” stop the Kettlebell at eye level instead of going overhead.)
Points of Performance: To get a “good rep,” ensure the following:
– At the top of the swing: The kettlebell fully inverts (bell over the handle) and is centered over the feet (or at eye level for a Russian swing) with the hips/knees fully extended and the arms straight.
– At the bottom of the swing: The bell passes behind the heels.
Pro-Tip: To speed up your swing, when the kettlebell gets overhead, actively push the bell back down to the starting position. Each swing will be a bit faster, and your heart rate a bit higher, than if gravity alone brings the kettlebell back down.
20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts
Browse through and choose your next WOD.
1. 20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts -JACK
AMRAP in 20 minutes
10 Push Presses (115/85 lb)
10 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
10 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
On a 20-minute clock, complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
Tips and Strategy
Prior to the start, athletes should create a rep scheme they can manage for the entire 20 minutes—and fight hard to stick to the plan. This will ensure a consistent pace, and therefore a better overall score. Here’s an example:
10 Push Presses: 6 + 4
10 Kettlebell Swings: Unbroken
10 Box Jumps: 6 + 4 (rest on top of the box after rep 6)
Intended Stimulus
This relatively long triplet (a workout with three movements) should feel tough yet doable. The load should feel relatively light for the Push Presses and the Swings. The Box height should feel easily clearable.
This workout has three different movements that all require fairly different skills, which makes major muscular fatigue and burnout less of an issue; this will be more of a test of cardiovascular endurance. Pick a strong pace from the beginning and hold on tight to that pace. Remember: The more times the athlete breaks up the Push Presses and Kettlebell Swings, the more they need to pick the load back up off the floor.
Scaling Options
Reduce the weight on the Push Presses/Kettlebell Swings and the lower the Box height as needed so each set of exercises can be completed unbroken or in a max of 2 sets.
Intermediate
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
10 Push Presses (95/65 lb)
10 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
10 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
Beginner
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
10 Push Presses (65/45 lb)
10 Kettlebell Swings (1/.75 pood)
10 Box Step-Ups (20/15 in)
2 NATE
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 RANKEL
AMRAP in 20 minutes
6 Deadlifts (225/155 lb)
7 Burpee Pull-Ups
10 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
200 meter Run
4 TK
AMRAP in 20 minutes
8 Strict Pull-Ups
8 Box Jumps (36/30 in)
12 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
5 CHRISTINA
AMRAP in 20 minutes
9 Pull-Ups
9 Squat Cleans (95/65 lb)
9 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
9 Toes-to-Bar
9 Push Presses (95/65 lb)
9 Burpees
6. 20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts – POWER UP 4 MILO
AMRAP in 20 minutes
20 Wall Ball Shots (9/6 kg)
20 Shoulder-to-Overhead (60/40 kg)
20 Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)
20 Hand-Release Push-Ups
20 Sit-Ups
5 Burpees at the top of each minute
Start with 5 burpees, then 20 wall ball shots, etc. Continue the AMRAP until 1:00, then perform 5 burpees. Resume the AMRAP where you left off. Do 5 burpees again each minute until the 20 minutes is complete. Score is total reps completed, including burpees.
7 SNEAKY ANNA
AMRAP in 20 minutes
4 Double Kettlebell Half Snatches (2×16/12 kg)
4 Burpees
4 Double Kettlebell Deadlifts (2×16/12 kg) (between the feet)
Nurpees (or no-push-up burpees) are burpees without the push-up. In this workout neither a jump nor an overhead clap is required, either. Merely drop to plank, pop the hips up and jump the feet back to the hands and stand back up fully for one repetition. For the deadlifts, both kettlebells must start and end on the ground between the athlete’s feet.
8 GERRY
AMRAP in 20 minutes
18 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
18 American Kettlebell Swings (55/35 lb)
7 Power Cleans (135/95 lb)
12 Burpees
On a 20-minute clock, complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the work as written.
Score is the total number and rounds and repetitions completed when the 20-minute clock stops.
9 THE ANGRY MEXICAN
AMRAP in 20 minutes
5 Box Jumps (30/24 in)
5 Handstand Push-Ups
5 Power Cleans (135/95 lb)
5 Single Right Arm Kettlebell Thrusters (1.5/1 pood)
5 Single Left Arm Kettlebell Thrusters (1.5/1 pood)
10. 20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts – MICHAEL CAMELO JR
AMRAP in 20 minutes
5 Clusters (135/95 lb)
31 Push-Ups
20 Box Jumps (20/14 in)
18 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
Movement Standard
A single Cluster consists of a Squat Clean directly into a Thruster. Each repetition starts with the Barbell on the ground.
11. 20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts – DORIE
AMRAP (with a Partner) in 20 minutes
Buy In:
150 meter Partner Carry (each)
Then:
Partner A completes 1 round of:
15 American Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
10 Burpees
5 Ground-to-Overheads (95/65 lb)
While Partner B performs:
Max Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
Partners rotate each round until team completes 150 Wall Balls
Then, in time remaining:
AMRAP of the 15/10/5 rep rounds above (one partner working at a time)
On a 20-minute clock, complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written. Once both partners have completed the 150 meter Partner Carry buy in, move on to the next component. Partner A completes 1 round of 15/10/5 while Partner B performs Wall Ball Shots. Partners rotate until 150 Wall Balls have been completed. If there is time remaining on the clock, complete the same AMRAP (15 American Kettlebell Swings, 10 Burpees, 5 Ground-to-Overheads) with one partner working at a time until the 20-minute clock stops.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed (for both partners) of the 15/10/5 before the 20-minute clock stops.
Tips and Strategy
As with any partner WOD, communication is key. Athletes should discuss things like:
– Who goes first on the Partner Carry and the 15/10/5
– How they plan to execute the Partner Carry
– How many Wall Ball Shots they should aim for per set
– Who keeps track of the total score
Intended Stimulus
Partner workouts Like “Dorie” are designed to be both fun (athletes get to work together) and challenging (athletes tend to push harder with social pressure). The load on both the American Kettlebell Swings and the Ground-to-Overheads should be light enough so athletes can go unbroken. This workout is not very long, so light loads and a fast pace are necessary to accumulate rounds and reps. The load/height on the Wall Balls should be such that the athletes can do unbroken sets of 10-15 reps. Enjoy this lung-burning, leg-burning, high intensity workout!
Scaling Options
It’s important to scale the load on “Dorie” so both athletes can move smoothly and quickly. Long rest breaks will destroy the intensity of this WOD.
Beginner
Buy In:
150 meter Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry (each, 2×53/35 lb)
Then:
Partner A completes 1 round of:
15 American Kettlebell Swings (35/26 lb)
10 Modified Burpees
5 Ground-to-Overheads (55/35 lb)
While Partner B performs:
Max Wall Ball Shots (14/10 lb)
Partners rotate each round until team completes 100 Wall Balls
Then, in time remaining:
AMRAP of the 15/10/5 rep rounds above (one partner working at a time)
Movement Standards
Modified Burpees: Stand in an athletic position with your core braced. Place your hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Step out to a plank position. Step your feet back up to your hands. Jump vertically with full hip/knee extension. Extend your arms and touch your hands overhead during the jump.
12 WIRTZ
AMRAP in 20 minutes
7 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20 in)
7 Clean-and-Jerks (135/95 lb)
7 Toes-to-Bars
7 American Kettlebell Swings (70/53 lb)
7 Plyo Push-Ups (45/35 lb plate)
For the plyo push-up, start with your hands on the ground and do an explosive push-up such that your hands leave the ground and end up on top of the plate (that’s one rep). Drop your hands from the plate to the ground and repeat.
This workout requires the use of only one plate for the plyo push-ups (both hands go from the ground onto the same plate).
See: Plyometric (Plyo) Push-Up demo (using two plates)
13 KHBT
AMRAP in 20 minutes 19 seconds
Buy-In: 200 meter Single-Arm Kettlebell Front Rack Walk (20/15 kg)
Then, AMRAP in remaining time of:
9 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
2 Snatches (61/43 kg)
10 Bar Over Burpees
5 Dumbbell Power Cleans (2×22.5/15 kg)
To begin the workout, complete the buy-in of 200 meter Single-Arm Kettlebell Front Rack Walk. For the kettlebell front rack walk, use one arm at a time. Switch as needed. In the remaining time of the 20:19 clock, perform as many repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work.
Score is the total number of repetitions completed before the clock stops.
14 DON’T DROP THE KETTLEBELLS
AMRAP in 20 minutes
10 Dual Kettlebell Deadlifts (2×53/44 lb)
40 meter Dual Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry (2×53/44 lb)
10 Dual Kettlebell Thrusters (2×53/44 lb)
40 meter Dual Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry (2×53/44 lb)
For twenty minutes straight perform as many rounds as possible of the above exercises.
Score is the number of reps performed as a whole, each 10m are equal to 10 points or reps. Each round as a whole consists of a total of 100 points or reps.
Scaling
AMRAP in 20 minutes
10 Dual Kettlebell Deadlifts (2×44/35 lb)
40 meter Dual Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry (2×44/35 lb)
10 Dual Kettlebell Thrusters (2×44/35 lb)
40 meter Dual Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry (2×44/35 lb)
15 SEMPER FI
AMRAP in 20 minutes
1 Burpee
2 Box Jumps (30/24 in)
3 Kettlebell Swings (70/53 lb)
4 Pull-Ups
5 Push-Ups
6 Air Squats
Wear a Weight Vest (20/15 lb) for the first 10 minutes only
Start with a weight vest on. Perform 1 burpee, DON’T FORGET THE JUMP AND CLAP! After 1 burpee, execute 2 box jumps to a 30/24 in box. Be sure of your take-off and landing so you don’t biff it with the weight vest on. Execute 3 American style kettlebell swings at 70/53 lb. Ensure the bottom of the bell is fully inverted with arms, hips, and knees at extension.
Execute 4 pull-ups of any variation, kipping, or strict, just chin over bar with any grip. Execute 5 push-ups, vest/chest to the deck, and full elbow lockout at the top. Execute 6 air squats, below parallel at the bottom and full hip and knee extension at the top. Keep your hands and elbows off of your thighs while you squat.
At precisely the 10 min mark, ditch the weight vest wherever you are, and then pick up where you left off at. For an extra challenge, this workout can also be executed where you do the first 10 minutes without a vest, and then add the vest at the 10 min mark. The original written way is the preferred way of execution.
Scaling:
Scale by not wearing a weight vest, adjusting the height of the box, or doing step-ups. Scale the weight of the KB, scale to ring rows instead of pull-ups, or banded strict pull-ups. NO JUMPING PULL UPS.
16 THE 2020
AMRAP in 20 minutes
20 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
20 American Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
20 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
20 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches (53/35 lb)
20 calorie Row
These unique kettlebell exercises from 6x CrossFit Games athlete Marcus Filly will help you to improve your full body strength, movement and mobility. For more exercises and training plans, check out his website.
They are divided into the following sections to allow you to focus on the areas that you wish to improve.
KETTLEBELL EXERCISES
- Overhead strength and mobility
- Posterior chain development
- Leg strength and mobility
- Extras (including core)
SECTION 1 – OVERHEAD STRENGTH AND MOBILITY
Kettlebell exercises are a great way to enhance overhead movements, which are vital for all CrossFit Athletes. Add the following movements into your training.
DUAL BOTTOMS UP KETTLEBELL OVERHEAD CARRY
“The bottoms up KB carry, regardless of position, is a great tool to implement in training as the position of the KB pointed up towards the ceiling will put a greater demand on the grip and keep the scapular stabilized to hold good positions.
.
The dual KB overhead carry is a great way to get the upper back and scapular stabilizers firing and activated prior to an upper body training day. This is a great warm up movement.”
View this post on Instagram
TALL KNEELING FILLY PRESS
Today’s tall kneeling variation is one of the more challenging Filly Press variations. The tall kneeling position really limits how well the athlete can use their legs to stabilize, placing a higher demand on the glutes and trunk muscles to do this.
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL OVERHEAD SPLIT STANCE HALF SQUAT ISOMETRIC
“Improving your mobility doesn’t always have to look like static stretching or rolling on something. It can look like active movement. The keys to improved movement through active range of motion work is to move slowly, control all portions of the range, hold tension in the entire body, and only move so far as you can maintain good body positions.
.
This isometric hold is a great way to engage the hip flexors and strength them while under tension.”
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL Z PRESS
“Thoracic extension is often overlooked as a key to mobility issues that start to express in the shoulders. Ensuring your thoracic spine still has a bit of extension (despite a predominance of flexion) is important to ward off shoulder issues.
.
The Z press demands this position and therefore is one of the strength exercises that can actively help improve range of motion”
View this post on Instagram
DUAL KETTLEBELL STRICT PRESS
“Pressing progression for you. Check out FBB Ex Select Upper Pushing for a full list of 30 movement progressions.”
- Half Kneeling Landmine Press
- Seated Single Arm DB Press
- Seated Alternating KB Press
- Standing Single Arm DB Press
- Standing Alternating KB Press
- Standing Dual KB Strict Press
View this post on Instagram
POSTERIOR CHAIN DEVELOPMENT
A strong posterior chain is essential for building good movement patterns, solid strength and bodily support in CrossFit.
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL SPLIT SNATCH
“The combination of a KB Snatch and an Overhead Lunge makes this a double dose of posterior chain recruitment. It is important that the athlete have a strong command of loaded lunging before attempting this. This is a great variation on the KB Snatch that brings coordination into play considerably. It works very well as a set up drill for Single Arm KB Complexes and Flow. It becomes easy to transition to different movement patterns from here.”
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE LEG KETTLEBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
“The single leg RDL demands balance, strength, and coordination. The most common fault with this exercise is seeing clients load too much too fast. So much so that they are no longer performing a hip hinge but instead are just flexing their spine with their hips locked. Make sure you are pushing your hips back and actually hinging at the hip of the planted leg. Lighten up the load if you cannot do this correctly and possibly grab a dowel to help you balance if needed.”
View this post on Instagram
DEFICIT DUAL KETTLEBELL DEADLIFT
The kettlebell suitcase deadlift is a terrific overall strength builder. Not only for the posterior chain, but the quads and the upper back get a great dose as well. The addition of the deficit shown here is to simply extend the range of motion and work slightly higher up on the hamstrings and low back for the athlete. Be aware that this added deficit can put some athletes in a compromised position and therefore should only be used in certain cases by athletes with adequate mobility.
View this post on Instagram
WEIGHT PLATE GOOD MORNINGS
“By altering the type of load you use in weighted exercises you will start to experience subtle differences in how your muscles are worked. Simply taking a weight plate instead of a barbell will distribute weight differently. Changing load type is a useful tool in the design of training to keep the stimulus changing while honoring the same motor patterns that have classically worked. Often times a new stimulus is needed to keep the brain engaged and to keep athletes from pushing themselves too far in a typical loading pattern.”
View this post on Instagram
WEIGHT PLATE GOOD MORNING HOLD
“Isometric contractions are a big part of the FBB methodology and finding new ways to use positions and holds in warm ups is something we are constantly looking to develop. The Good Morning Isometric is a perfect way to prep the posterior chain and also work on bending endurance.”
View this post on Instagram
LEG STRENGTH AND MOBILITY
Without strong legs you will fail as a CrossFit athlete.
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL FRONT RACK BOX SQUATS
“The Box Squat is a great tool in training design for a few reasons.
.
1. Help athletes learn how to properly use their posterior chain. Use your quads too much in your squat? The box can be a great kinesthtic tool to get you to use your glutes and hamstrings more by sitting back.
2. Have knee pain in deep flexion? Use the box to limit range of motion and still work hip, glute, and quad strength to support your recovery from injury, or avoid it all together.
.
✔️Try out various loading positions like the SA KB Rack to get some unilateral stimulus out of this double leg variation of the squat.”
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL THRUSTER
Perform an unbroken set of 10 repetitions on each arm with the prescribed weight below. This is a unilateral test similar to the bilateral Goblet Squat Test (20 reps at 48/32kg)
.
Male Weight = 32kg
Female Weight = 24kg
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL FRONT RACK CURTSY SQUAT
“Building a great single leg strength foundation is vital. The reason being is that with great single leg strength we can help our clients with the following.
.
1. Avoid injury lower extremity injuries by supported movement mechanics with strong HIPS
2. Create balance from left to right in the hips which can be important for trunk stability and low back health
3. Build up hip and leg stability so that when moving into double leg patterns, clients can express more power and strength.
.
? This variation of the curtsy squat delivers great rotational strength benefits too with the unilateral loading pattern.”
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL RACK STEP UPS
“Proper execution of the step up entails using the forward leg as the predominant driving force when standing. Too often the mistake of pushing off the back leg is made. Keep the back leg completely straight during the step up portion of the exercise to ensure minimal contribution from the back leg.”
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM OVERHEAD BOTTOMS UP KETTLEBELL REVERSE LUNGE
LOADING POSITION! – Movements in strength training really haven’t changed much over the years. Why? Because the body was designed to move in certain ways and humans have been exploring this for a long time already. There aren’t new movement patterns to unlock.
Instead, we can start to experiment with how we load those movement patterns and apply different stimulus to them in order to either enhance or simply alter the effects slightly. A bottom up single arm KB loading position does just that for a reverse lunge. Added grip strength, shoulder stability, and demand for high precision in the lower body movement. Give it a SHOT!
View this post on Instagram
EXTRAS
These extra movements will provide fun and variety for your training.
BANDED RUSSIAN KETTLEBELL SWINGS
View this post on Instagram
20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts – HALF KNEELING KETTLEBELL WINDMILL
- Feeling better connected in training from head to toe.
- Added lateral stability
- Increased unilateral strength
View this post on Instagram
SINGLE ARM SINGLE LEG PLANK ON KETTLEBELL
“This contralateral balanced plank on a kettlebell is a great way to work on your anti rotational strength. Anti rotational core strength is a stimulus that comes from having balance points or loading patterns that make the body want to rotate with gravity. You must fight that force and maintain balance. Try this as part of your warm up to get you brain, temp, and rotational muscles to AWAKEN.”
View this post on Instagram
20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts – SINGLE ARM TURKISH SIT UP
“This anterior core exercise is turned slightly rotational by only loading one arm at a time. The added shoulder stability demands along with shoulder positional strength makes it a very potent exercise. That the shoulder has to stabilize through 90 degrees of range of motion is one of the reasons it serves as a great mobility drill and core strengthener.”
View this post on Instagram
20 Minute AMRAP Kettlebell Workouts – BURPEE GOBLET SQUAT
Simple and effective. Take two movements that cover a wide range of movement patterns and put them together into a complex like this to get the entire body moving.
.
Burpee – upper pushing, hinging
Goblet Squat – Upper back, squatting
.
Warm Up
10 Burpee Goblet Squats
30sec Active Bar Hang
200m Run
x 3-4 Rounds
View this post on Instagram
Have fun with these kettlebell exercises!
