16 best kettlebell exercises to make you stronger and more enduring

Why are kettlebell exercises good?

Kettlebells are a versatile projectile. You can work with them both in the gym and at home, perform workouts for strength and muscle size, or arrange circular cardio sessions for weight loss and endurance.

Since the heaviest standard weights weigh 32 kg, barbell movements are slightly more effective at pumping strength and muscle building. But at the same time, exercises with weights develop well 1. W. H. Otto, J. W. Coburn, L. E. Brown, B. A. Spiering. Effects of Weightlifting vs. Kettlebell Training on Vertical Jump, Strength, and Body Composition / Journal of strength and conditioning research
2. ACE Sponsored Research Study: Kettlebells Kick Butt / ACE Fitness leg power, core muscles, dynamic balance, grip strength and overall endurance.

Often these shells are associated only with squats or swings, but in fact, with kettlebells you can perform much more movements for all major muscle groups.

Below we will show you some cool exercises, and then we will give examples of specific workouts.

What exercises with kettlebells should be done

1. Swing the kettlebell with both hands

This movement is great for pumping gluteal muscles, and with intense exercise burns no less calories than running.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the bow of the kettlebell with both hands. Lean forward with a straight back, bringing the projectile between your legs in straight arms, and then powerfully straighten your hip and knee joints, performing a forward swing. When the kettlebell reaches the level of the collarbones, let it fall under its own weight and put it back between your legs.

You can also do American swings. In such a variation, you need to put more effort so that at the extreme point the weight is above your head.

2. Swing the kettlebell with one hand

This kettlebell exercise is used as a lead-in movement to the snatch. By double swinging, you waste less energy and can work longer.

Put legs shoulder width apart, take a kettlebell in one hand. Make a swing between your legs and, when the projectile reaches the end of the range, straighten your knees, while maintaining an inclination of the body.

After that, do a small dip and direct the kettlebell forward, powerfully unbending at the hip and knee joints. When the projectile reaches shoulder level, let it fall while bending your knees.

3. Overhead kettlebell lunges

This exercise develops strength in the shoulders and works great on the core and legs.

Raise the kettlebell, straighten your arm, and block your elbow. Try to keep your forearm close to your head for stability. Extend your other hand to the side to equilibrium.

Do lunges forward, backward or in the passage through the hall. Keep your back straight and do not fall on your forward leg.

You can also lunges with two kettlebells in your arms outstretched above your head. This will be harder for the legs, but easier for the core.

4. Turkish kettlebell lifts

This option is a godsend for those looking to increase shoulder stability and develop a sense of balance.

Lie on your back, lift the kettlebell in your outstretched right hand, and put your left palm on the floor slightly away from the body. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the floor; the left one should be straight.

Bend your left arm at the elbow and, resting on your forearm and right foot, lift your torso off the floor. Point your hand with the kettlebell up, as if you are going to reach the ceiling.

Then rise from the elbow and sit, continuing to hold the projectile over your head. Lift your pelvis off the floor and, resting on your left palm and right foot, move your left leg back and place it on your knee.

Lift your palm off the floor and straighten your body, reaching a position on one knee. Connect your legs and repeat everything in the reverse order: get down on one knee, place your palm on the floor, stretch your back leg forward, sitting on your buttocks, lower your free hand on your forearm and lie on back.

To begin with, take a light weight to learn all phases well without risk. get hurt.

5. Deadlift with kettlebell

This exercise will work well for the back extensors, glutes and hamstrings.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the kettlebell with both hands. Lean with your back straight and take your pelvis back, as if you want to reach the booty up to the wall or sit on a chair that is a step away from you.

Lower yourself until the kettlebell touches the floor, then return to the starting position and repeat. Maintain a neutral loin - no rounding and excessive deflection. Try not to bend your knees too much.

You can also complicate the exercise by placing your feet on two steps or chairs so that the kettlebell can drop below the level at which your feet are. But watch your back: it should not bend.

6. Row of two kettlebells in an incline

An excellent exercise for developing back muscles.

Place your feet narrower than your shoulders, take a kettlebell in each hand. Lean the body forward with a straight back and extend your arms with a weight down. Bend your limbs at the elbows and move the kettlebells towards the waist, being careful not to lift your shoulders. Lower your arms with the shells back and repeat.

7. Goblet kettlebell squat

Such squats will pump the hips well, and by holding the kettlebell, the upper body will also receive a load.

Place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, orient the toes of your feet to the sides. Flip the kettlebell upside down, wrap your palms around it and hold it close to your chest.

Lower yourself into a squat, slightly spreading your knees. There is no need to move the pelvis back, as during barbell squat on your back, otherwise the kettlebell will pull you forward and overload your lower back. Lower yourself straight, trying to keep your back straight and keep your heels on the floor.

8. Farmer's Walking with Weights

A good exercise for developing endurance in the muscles of the upper body: forearms, shoulders and core.

Take weights in both hands, lower your shoulders, straighten your back and walk around the hall. You can also try driving with one shell - the muscles of the body will receive more stress.

9. "Pistols" with weights

"Pistols" already perfectly pump the hips and gluteal muscles, and with a kettlebell, the effect will only increase.

Take the shell and hold it in front of your chest in bent arms. Perform a squat on one leg, keep the second straight and do not touch the floor with the heel until you straighten.

10. "Mill" with a kettlebell

The exercise works well in the core, especially the obliques, and increases shoulder stability.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lift the projectile over your head with your arm outstretched. Smoothly lower yourself to the side, continuing to hold the kettlebell above you, until you touch the floor with your free hand.

Then, just as smoothly and under control, straighten up and repeat again. Do the same number of reps on both sides.

11. Kettlebell press

Excellent element for pumping shoulders and triceps. Compared to the barbell press, when using kettlebells, you will not only have to squeeze out the weight, but also stabilize the shoulders and shoulder blades, which will increase the load on the muscles.

Take a kettlebell, bend your elbow and press it to your body. In this case, the angle of the bow should hang at the base of the thumb, like on a hook, and the body of the projectile should be pressed against your forearm from the outside.

Tighten your abs to keep the body stiff and squeeze the weight up over your head. Return to starting position and repeat.

12. Deadlift of kettlebells to the chin

This exercise pumps both the lower and upper body, provides a good load on the shoulders and trapezoid.

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and place the kettlebell in the middle between your feet. Take your pelvis back, bend your knees slightly, bend over to the kettlebell with your back straight and grab the bow with both hands. Straighten at the knee and hip joints and lift the projectile in front of the body to about the level of the collarbones. Lower back and repeat from the beginning.

You can also do chin pulls without a deadlift if you want to pump only the upper body.

13. Kettlebell jerking

This exercise loads many muscle groups at once, builds strength endurance and can be an excellent substitute for a cardio session.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, take a kettlebell in one hand, and hold the other slightly away from your body. Make a small swing backward between your legs, accelerating it. At the end of the range of motion, straighten your knees. Then, with a small squat, direct the kettlebell forward and, when it is in front of the body, pull your shoulder up, performing a break.

When the kettlebell is thrown overhead, slide your hand into the handle so that the inner corner of the bow is at the base of your thumb and the body of the projectile rests on your forearm. Fix this position, and then slide the kettlebell around the forearm, bend your arm at the elbow and push it forward. When the projectile passes the level of the head, grab the bow with a straight grip and accompany it down, slightly bending your legs in knees. Repeat from the beginning.

The kettlebell snatch is a rather difficult exercise, so if you decide to do it, first learn more about the technique, or even better - take a couple of sessions with a trainer.

14. Dash with a lunge

The exercise is worth trying for those who are good at snatching. Such a bundle of movements will provide an additional load on the muscles of the cortex and pump well the legs.

Perform a dash of the kettlebell, and while the projectile is in flight in front of the chest, lunge forward. Slide your hand into the bow and complete the lunge with an outstretched kettlebell over your head. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other leg.

You can also try jerking with lunges back.

15. Taking kettlebells on the chest

Another element from kettlebell lifting. The exercise loads many muscle groups at once, is performed in a cyclical manner, and can be used as a cardio load.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the kettlebell with one hand. Lean forward with your back straight and place the projectile between your legs, bending your knees slightly. Keep your other hand away from your body.

Stretch powerfully at the hip joints, sending the kettlebell forward. When the projectile reaches chest level, bend your arm completely at the elbow and, with a slight dip, pass your hand through the arch so that the weight rests on your forearm.

After that, straighten your knees and fix the position. Then bring your shoulders back a little, drop the kettlebell down and again wrap it between your legs for a swing.

You can also try lifting two kettlebells. The exercise technique is similar to the one-arm version, with the only difference that you have to put your legs wider than your shoulders so that both shells pass between them during the swing.

16. Taking kettlebells on the chest with a lunge

As with the snatch, you can combine the chest with lunges to work better with your core and leg muscles.

Perform a single kettlebell lift as described above, then lunge backwards. Collect your legs and repeat on the other side.

If it works well, try combining the two movements into one. Lunge as soon as the kettlebell hits chest or top level bellywhile stepping back and pushing the brush into the bow.

How to choose a weight for kettlebell exercises

As a rule, the weight of weights starts at 8 kg, followed by shells of 12, 16, 24 and 32 kg.

Swings, squats, deadlifts and a farmer's drive can be done with heavy kettlebells - 16-32 kg. For movements in which you need to hold the projectile over your head in an outstretched hand, you should choose lighter projectiles - 8-12 kg. At least until you get used to the position.

Also, light kettlebells are useful for mastering the jerk, chest lifting and Turkish lifting with a kettlebell. Do not take heavy apparatus until you are sure of the correct execution technique, otherwise you may end up with an injury.

In general, with weight selection for any exercise, focus on your feelings and level of fitness. If you can complete the approach (circle or interval) and at the same time feel tired in the muscles, the weight is chosen correctly.

How to design a kettlebell workout

Kettlebell exercises can be combined with strength training for all muscle groups and a circular interval session for burning fat and developing endurance. We will show both.

Power training

We will present the exercises with kettlebells for two training days. Alternate between them to evenly load all muscle groups.

To warm up, do joint exercises, 5 minutes of light cardio like jumping rope, and a few dynamic stretching movements - an example can be found here.

Next, do the following kettlebell exercises.

First day:

1. Goblet squats - 3 sets of 15-20 times.
2. Deadlift - 3 sets of 20 reps.
3. Weights press - 3 sets of 8 times from each hand.
4. Row of two kettlebells to the belt in the slope - 3 sets of 10-12 times.
5. Russians crunches on the press - 3 sets of 20 reps.

Second day:

1. Bulgarian split squat with two kettlebells in hand - 3 sets of 10-15 times from each leg.
2. Swing kettlebell - 3 sets of 20-25 times.
3. Bench press of two weights lying on the floor - 3 sets of 6 times.
4. Kettlebell Rows to the chin - 3 sets of 8 reps.
5. "Mill" with a kettlebell - 3 sets of 8-10 times on each side.

Adjust the number of repetitions, focusing on your level of fitness and the weight of the equipment that is available.

Tabata with weights

This set of kettlebell exercises was performed in one scientific experiment.Comparison of Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Responses in Kettlebell High-Intensity Interval Training Versus Sprint Interval Cycling / Journal of strength and conditioning research with the participation of young healthy men. Scientists have calculated that in just 12 minutes of such work, about 144 kcal can be spent, as well as provide a load on all major muscle groups.

The workout consists of four exercises. The weights in parentheses are the weights that the study participants worked with, but you can take less.

1. Sumo squats (18-22 kg) - 2 rounds.
2. Swing kettlebell (16-22 kg) - 2 rounds.
3. Pressing up on the chest (10-22 kg) - 2 rounds.
4. Sumo deadlift (16-22 kg) - 2 rounds.

Set a timer and do a sumo squat for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds and repeat from the beginning. After that, move on to swinging the kettlebell and perform movements in the same format: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of break and repetition.

When you finish the last exercise of the complex, rest for the prescribed 10 seconds and start over. Make three complete circles (one is shown in the video below).

Crossfit-complexes with kettlebell

We will present two interesting complexes (WOD) from crossfit.

Arnie

Execute for a while:

• 21 Turkish lifts with a kettlebell in the right hand;
• 50 kettlebell swings;
• 21 squatting with an overhead kettlebell in the left hand;
• 50 kettlebell swings;
• 21 squatting with an overhead kettlebell in the right hand;
• 50 kettlebell swings;
• 21 Turkish lifts with a kettlebell in the left hand.

In descriptionArnie WOD is advised to perform a complex with a projectile of 32 kg for men and 24 kg for women, but it's better to focus on your capabilities. Choose a weight with which you can make at least 30 swings without stopping.

Freddy Krueger

You need to complete these exercises as quickly as possible:

• 21 kettlebell swing 32/24 kg (for men and women, respectively);
• 21 burpees;
• 15 kettlebell swings;
• 15 burpees;
• 9 kettlebell swings;
• 9 burpees.

As in the previous complex, the weight should be chosen according to your capabilities. It is much better to take a kettlebell weighing 12-16 kg than to lose it in intensity.

How to do kettlebell exercises

Depends on what format of work you choose, as well as on your level of activity and the total weekly volume of training.

If you want to build strength and use kettlebells for home workouts, do 2-3 times a week and take at least 1 day of rest between the two sessions.

Also, do not do more than two intense interval sessions per week: they put a lot of stress on the nervous system and increase the risk of injury when working on fatigue. However, we are talking about really hard workouts in which the heart rate jumps to values ​​close to maximum. Quieter and shorter cardio sessions can be performed every day.

And be sure to take this load into account if you are doing others. sports. If you overdo it with intensity and weight and the nervous system gets tired of kettlebell lifting, the performance in the main sport may decrease.