The kettlebell basics don't look great on social media, but they work. What are "the basics," you might be asking? They're your day-to-day compound exercises, which are multi-joint, multi-muscle moves that are functional and make you stronger and more resilient, not just in the gym, but in everyday life.
And to make these moves matter, we need to use a principle called progressive overload alongside consistency to see results. That means rather than random, one-off workouts, we stick to a routine for a period of time and adapt it as we get fitter and stronger to keep the body and its many muscles challenged.
So yes, with the right methods, you don't need a gym to build strength or muscle. As long as your muscles are challenged enough (and consistently), you can grow and strengthen all over. And while I wouldn’t rely on this three-move killer kettlebell workout alone to meet all your needs, it can be used within an existing program to sculpt a stronger, more powerful and enduring engine over time.
Get ready, this one is spicy.
What is the kettlebell workout?
I’m a trainer who has worked with kettlebells probably more than any other gym kit for the last few years. They allow you to have lots of range of motion and challenge your balance, stability, power and strength. They can be used for kettlebell flows and complexes, meaning you'll never get bored with working with them.
Watch the video below for the lowdown on each move of this workout, and read on to learn how you can do it yourself.
1. Staggered stance deadlift with row
Deadlifts strengthen the muscles along your posterior chain, like your back, glutes and hamstrings. The hip hinge works the hip flexors, and your core also works hard for stability. It's functional because it mimics how you might lift something heavy off the ground.
Rows work your back and biceps and develop pulling power, so this is a great combination for your postural muscles. The staggered stance will drill into your standing front leg, with your back leg offering balance. Keep a soft bend in the back leg and maintain a flat, straight back.
2. Kettlebell high heel squat
If you haven't already used a high heel squat to boost mobility and work your quads and calves hard, you must. This is a great squat variation for building stronger ankles, working core stability and balance and moving with control and stability.
It's still a squat, so you're strengthening your lower body and core, while holding a weight close to your chest increases resistance, especially challenging at the bottom of the squat position.
If you prefer, you could squat down, then lift your heels and drive to stand, or lower with your heels lifted, then place them down and drive to stand. If you can, keep your heels raised the whole time, just like you're wearing heels.
3. Kettlebell clean and press
The press strengthens your shoulders, triceps and upper chest using a vertical push that improves overhead power and engages your core to help drive the movement.
Cleans are pretty much a full-body exercise as you drive up from the bottom, through your legs, hips and core (the abs, erector spinae and obliques, namely), while you use one arm to pull the weight upward.
Your arms and shoulders shouldn't be doing all the work through, so keep the weight close to your midline and think about zipping upward with power. Your back (traps, lats), shoulders (deltoids) are also active.
Set a 15-minute timer and complete the following AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)
Every round you complete, drop a rep. The second round is 9 reps, the third is 8, and so on. I've offered 10 reps as a starting point, which is a guideline only, and you can adjust according to your experience.
If you manage to get to 1 rep, can you go back up the ladder?
- Kettlebell deadlifts with row: x10 reps per leg
- Kettlebell clean and presses: x10 reps per arm
- Kettlebell high heel squats: x10 reps.
For load, ensure the last few reps feel challenging to complete; increase load if it feels too easy. This is about building endurance and constant tension, so rest as and when you need it and lift heavy if you can. You're never going above 10 reps in a row at any time of any move, so you should aim to be sitting around 7/8 out of 10 for intensity.
Revisit this workout and re-test yourself as you get stronger. Good luck!
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