Getting started with Kettlebells is so difficult, it’s not as simple as going to a gym and doing a muscle group movement you’ve seen done hundreds of times by other people. Kettlebell workouts are a lot more intense and there’s technique to learn along the way. In this article I am going to personally do my best to help you get started with kettlebell workouts to lose weight and gain muscle. Below you will find 5 Kettlebell workouts I personally do. I can attest to the effectiveness of these exercises as I have been using them in my kettlebell workouts for over six months.
If there are any exercises you are unsure of you are best to ask an instructor at your local gym to show you proper technique and form. This will prevent potential injury and will ensure you feel comfortable using Kettlebells. Remember Kettlebells is all about using correct form and building your fitness. There’s no need to rush here, take your time, do the workouts properly and you will get the results you want.
Beginner Friendly Kettlebell Workout
3-5 rounds depending on your fitness, increase the reps or weight if you want to improve.
- 10x Kettlebell swings
- 10x Bent over rows (10x each side)
- 10x Deadlifts
- 10x Deadlift high row
This workout is a full body workout with a particular focus on glutes, back and shoulders. Take 2 minute rests between each round.
Beginner Kettlebell Home Workout
4 rounds depending on your fitness, increase the number of reps, rounds or weight if you want to improve.
- 12x Kettlebell swings
- 6x Squats
- 8x Bent over rows (per side)
- 12x Push ups
This workout is a full body workout with a particular focus on hamstrings, glutes, back and chest. Take 2 minute rests between each round.
Upper Body Kettlebell Workout
4 Rounds depending on your fitness, increase the number of reps, rounds or weight if you want to improve.
- 15x Kettlebell swings
- 6x Shoulder press (per side)
- 5x Chop & lifts (per side)
- 10x Upright rows
This workout is a full body workout with a particular focus on cardio and upper body muscles. Take 2 minute rests between each round.
Kettlebell 6kg, 8kg or 28kg – World Wide Shipping!
30 Minute Kettlebell Workout
Keep going for 30 minutes with 2 minute breaks per round, increase the number of reps, rounds or weight if you want to improve.
- 10x Kettlebell swings
- 6x Squats
- 6x Presses (per side)
- 10x Push ups
This workout is a full body workout with a particular focus on cardio, legs and upper body muscles. Take 2 minute rests between each round.
Lower Body Kettlebell Workout
4 rounds to begin with but increase the number of reps, rounds or weight if you want to improve.
- 10x Deadlifts
- 10x Kettlebell swings
- 10x Cleans
- 10x Squats
This workout is a full body workout with a particular focus on glutes, back and shoulders. Take 2 minute rests between each round.
Buying a Kettlebell: Buyers Guide
Before you get started with any workouts I suggest purchasing a Kettlebell or at least a gym membership with access to Kettlebells. This will mean you can follow the brilliant workouts I have listed below. When buying a Kettlebell some quick things to look out for from someone who actually owns kettlebells (Me): Make sure the kettlebell has a textured grip (smooth grip means it will slip!), make sure it has some type of color coding to it so you know the weight by color and lastly make sure the grip handle is wide enough for two hands.
To save you some time searching for the “right” kettlebell I have found an online store which does worldwide shipping and has high quality kettlebells with all the features I suggested above. Please see the below Kettlebell which I think is the best you will find for the price and features.
Expert 6 Week Programme for Kettlebell Workouts
If you feel like you need a set programme with expert advice then I definitely suggest checking out the Onnit 6 Kettlebell training programme.
Get real results. Onnit made sure to test it with as many different people as possible from athletes to average levels of fitness, this is for everyone.
Not sure on whether it’s worth it? I get it, I wasn’t sure either but then I scrolled down and read the reviews from their customers.
Common Kettlebell Questions and Answers
Can overweight people do Kettlebell Workouts?
Absolutely you can! In fact kettlebell workouts are even better for you than working out on machines or random free weights. As an overweight person you will likely want to take care of your cardio (heart health) first and that will then let you workout for longer and lose weight even faster. Remember we don’t lose weight to get healthy, we get healthy to lose weight. Some tips for if you are overweight, start very low in kettlebell weights, focus on the movement rather than the lifts, practice discipline doing a kettlebell workout every other day. You will definitely get aches and pains from working out, don’t worry this is natural. Don’t wait until they disappear, just give it 1 – 2 days and go again. If you need to go slower that’s fine just don’t give up.
I don’t have Kettlebells what do I do?
There’s a couple of solutions here it’s entirely up to you. Buy a kettlebell from an online store which will deliver to you or simply join a gym and use the kettlebells they have at the gym. Either of these options will get you access to kettlebells. I don’t personally suggest using dumbbells instead due to their shape is not built for moving around like a kettlebell.
I don’t know what workout to do with Kettlebells
Choose one of the workouts above in this article that I have suggested. My very first workout was the top one and I did that for the first 3 weeks of doing Kettlebell workouts. Kettlebells are full body workouts so a lot of the workouts are very similar and are mainly about getting you to move your body in a functional healthy way to promote natural muscle gain, cardio improvement and weight loss.
Will I lose weight with Kettlebells?
With Kettlebells you will initially notice your body is a lot more achy and your muscles are in pain a lot more than conventional workouts. This is because your whole body is being used in these workouts. As your body create more active muscle tissue it will force your body to need more calories to maintain itself and as a result you will burn a lot more daily calories than you would doing any other conventional workout at the gym. I lost weight so much faster when I started kettlebell workouts than when I did any other type of exercises at the gym.
Will I gain muscle with Kettlebells?
You will definitely gain muscle with Kettlebells especially in areas you are not used to having muscles. For me this was my thighs, abdominals and glutes. Kettlebells workouts are aimed to workout your full body muscles so you will find that after some time of doing kettlebell workouts your posture improves and you feel more comfortable in your own skin. If you are worried about getting “too big” then try not to worry. Kettlebells are functional movements and there’s no way you will get too big doing kettlebells. Doing kettlebells long term will give you a healthy athletic look.
How many times a week should I train with Kettlebells?
That’s entirely up to you, my best advice is trial and error until you find a type of workout that suits you best. For me personally as a 31 year old man in good shape I find Kettlebell workouts 3-4 times a week is brilliant for my body. I also like to do chest press and lateral pulldowns on each workout before I start my kettlebell workouts as I find this supplements some muscle groups that kettlebells don’t target as well as the individual exercises.
Leave a Reply