Kick Up Your Fitness With This Kettlebell Workout

This is a great, quick workout that introduces you to the most fundamental and important kettlebell exercises. Master these movements so you can do the following:

1. Progress to more challenging drills
2. Build muscular strength and connective tissue resiliency
3. Build muscular and cardiovascular endurance

This program is performed as a giant circuit. Perform all movements in a row for eight to 10 repetitions each, followed by a rest period. Repeat for a total of 24 minutes (about two to three times through).

WARM-UP

Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift

• Begin standing with your feet slightly wider than your hips, holding a kettlebell in both hands.
• Pinch your shoulder blades together as you tip from your hips to lower the kettlebell toward the ground. Keep your knees soft as you lower, but don’t bend them. Allow your chin to stay tucked to keep your spine neutral.
• Stop when your hands reach your knees, and squeeze through your glutes to stand. Repeat.

WORKOUT

Goblet Squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell at chest level.
• Sit your hips back and down into a squat, thighs parallel to the ground. Keep your chest lifted to keep from leaning forward.
• Press through your heels to return to standing and repeat.

Kettlebell Bottoms-Up Press

• Begin standing with your feet a little wider than shoulder width, holding a kettlebell at your chest.
• Press the kettlebell straight up toward the ceiling, lengthening your arms so your biceps frame your ears. Don’t let your shoulders sneak up to your ears.
• At the top, hold and then lower the kettlebell back down to your chest. Repeat.

Kettlebell Suitcase Lift

• Begin standing in a lunge position, with your right foot in front of you and your left toes on the ground behind you, chest lifted. Place a kettlebell on the ground next to your left side.
• Come down into a lunge, bringing both knees to 90 degrees, and grasp the kettlebell with your left hand.
• Press through your front heel to stand, bringing the kettlebell with you.
• Lunge down to place the kettlebell back on the floor. Perform four or five reps on each leg.

Kettlebell Swing

• Begin standing with your feet wider than your hips, holding a kettlebell in your hands.
• Hinge your hips back and drive them forward by squeezing your glutes to swing the kettlebell, letting your arms swing forward and upward. Keep your knees soft but don’t bend them, so that your hip movement does not become a squat.
• Keep your arms straight as you hinge and stand, letting the kettlebell reach shoulder height, then return between your legs.

COOL-DOWN

Half-Kneeling Hip Stretch

• Begin kneeling with your left knee on the floor and your right knee bent to 90 degrees in front of you, right foot flat on the floor. Curl your back foot under so your toes are on the floor, and place your hands on your hips.
• Press your hips forward, bending your right knee over your toes as you reach your hands up toward the ceiling.
• Stop when your knee is over your toes and hold this stretch.
• Bring your hips back to start, placing your hands on your hips and switch legs. Perform four to five reps on each side.

Standing Hamstring Stretch

• Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart. Bring your right foot forward so it’s about a foot in front of you.
• Hinge from your hips and reach both your hands toward your right foot, pulling your right toes up. Bend your left knee as much as needed to get a comfortable stretch along the back of your right leg.
• Return to stand and switch legs. Perform four to five reps on each side.

Photo credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund, Thinkstock; Tom Casey, box24studio.com

Model: Ashley Johnsen, GX24 Instructor, 24 Hour Fitness