If you're looking for a versatile piece of equipment that you can use at home, you can't do much better than the kettlebell.
It's ideal for full-body workouts and much-loved trainer Joe Wicks recently shared a routine that will target a wide range of muscles and help you build strength with just four exercises.
Plus, it only takes 15 minutes, so it's great if you're short on time or can't make it to the gym.
How to do Joe Wicks' 15-minute kettlebell routine
This is an interval workout, which involves completing 40 seconds of each exercise followed by 20 seconds of rest. Perform the exercises in a circuit—so one after the other—completing three rounds of the circuit.
The only piece of equipment you need is a kettlebell, although you may wish to have more than one to hand so you can switch to a lighter kettlebell for the second movement. For the rest of the exercises it's best to use a fairly heavy kettlebell for you, because the exercises Wicks has chosen engage fairly big muscle groups. But make sure the weight is manageable so that you can do the exercises for 40 seconds with good form.
Speaking of good form, if you find the kettlebell hits your forearm too hard halfway through the second movement, brush up on your technique with this helpful beginner tutorial.
The benefits of compound movements
All the exercises in this workout are compound exercises, which simply means the movement uses more than one muscle group.
For example, the second exercise will recruit the quads and glute muscles in your legs, as well as the trapezius and deltoid muscles, which are located in your upper back and shoulders.
By incorporating compound movements, Wicks' workout is able to strengthen muscles all over your body in just 15 minutes, burning more calories and improving your cardio fitness to a greater degree than 15 minutes of isolation exercises could.
Plus, the compound movements in this workout are also functional exercises. This means they require you to perform some of the movement patterns we have to do every day, such as squatting, pushing and pulling.
Functional, compound exercises are particularly beneficial as you get older and your body naturally becomes less mobile and strong.
Try doing this workout two to three times a week to see the best results. And remember to gradually increase the weight of the kettlebell you're using over time, which will help you build strength.
