Kettlebells have a colorful past. They began as a Russian dry goods measuring tool. And somehow they developed into the Soviet Union’s national sport and a favorite training tool of classic strongmen, the Russian military, U.S. Secret Service, FBI Counter Assault Team and celebs like Gerard Butler (for the movie 300).
These little-handled cannonballs aren’t done making history. They’re found a resurgence among athletes, CrossFit trainers, and physical therapists. Among the many purported advantages of this ancient, unassuming weight, it turns out that kettlebell training can burn 700 to 1,200 calories an hour.

What You Need to Know Before Trying a Kettlebell

The advantages of kettlebell training are almost too many to count. It works your whole body. It can be both a strength and cardio workout. It’s cheap, movement-based and easy to do anywhere. Kettlebell training complements any fitness program by increasing core stability, aerobic capacity and shock absorption. According to the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation and fitness professional Joe Vennare, the kettlebell’s shape makes it both harder on your muscles and easier on your joints than a dumbbell or barbell.
Before you start swinging away with these little miracle-workers, keep in mind that the benefits come with great risk. It’s harder to hurt yourself using standard gym equipment that isolates particular muscles than performing ballistic movements with a heavy object. Good form is key, as is face-to-face training from an experienced kettlebell coach.

Beginner and Intermediate Kettlebell Exercises

A 2013 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that a 30-minute workout of two-handed kettlebell swings and sumo deadlifts burned as many calories and pushed heart rates up higher than a 30-minute moderate-intensity walk on the treadmill. Kettlebell swings and squats are compound, multi-joint movements, which means they engage large sections of your body at the same time. Using more and bigger muscle groups is key to burning calories quickly.
Go here to learn how to do two-handed swings and sumo deadlifts. A combination of these exercises is all you need for a whole-body, calorie-burning kettlebell workout. If you want to master intermediate-level techniques, mix things up with kettlebell high-pulls and lung presses.

Kettlebell High-Pull

Stand with your feet just wider than hip-width apart and the kettlebell between them. Bend your knees and keep your hips back as you hold the handle with both hands. Pull up the kettlebell to your shoulders, straightening your knees and raising your elbows. Your hips are pushing the weight while your core is engaged. Bring the weight down gently to the ground.

Kettlebell Lunge Press

Standing straight, hold the kettlebell in front of your chest with one hand, elbow bent. Lunge forward with the opposite leg, raising the kettlebell straight up over your head. Reverse the motion, returning to a standing position with the weight back to your chest.

300 Calories in 30 Minutes: The Ultimate Beginner-Intermediate Workout

To get a cardio workout equivalent to walking two 15-minute miles and a weight-training workout at the same time, alternate 10 reps of swings or high-pulls with 10 reps of sumo deadlifts or lunge presses for 10 minutes. Break for three minutes. Repeat the cycle two more times.
Congratulations! You just burned 300 to 350 calories, and will wake up with a sore (and stronger) body in the morning.

Advanced Kettlebell Training

In 2010, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) performed a study at the University of Wisconsin with 10 volunteers with kettlebell training experience. The subjects performed a 20-minute high-intensity kettlebell workout. On average, the test subjects burned 13.6 calories per minute aerobically and 6.6 anaerobically, for a total of 20.2 calories per minute. That’s equivalent to running a six-minute mile or cross-country skiing up hill.
Like most six-minute-mile runners, the test subjects all had experience training with kettlebells. It’s so important that you’re fully prepared to learn “the snatch” that some trainers recommend practicing easier moves for months or even a year before trying it. If you’ve mastered the kettlebell swing, Turkish getup, and high pull, and you have consulted a professional trainer on your form and appropriate kettlebell weight, you might be ready to try the kettlebell snatch workout.

The Kettlebell Snatch

Stand shoulder-width apart with the kettlebell in one hand. Drop the kettlebell between your knees, squatting slightly. As you push your hips up into an upright stance, swing the kettlebell up in front of you and over your head. Be careful to allow the kettlebell to land gently against your wrist without slamming into it.

400 Calories in 20 Minutes: The Kettlebell Snatch Workout

The kettlebell snatch workout is a simple plan that’s difficult to perform. First, warm up with three sets of 10 basic kettlebell exercises. Next, set your timer to 15-second intervals. For the next 15 minutes, alternate 15 seconds of continuous snatches with 15 seconds of rest. Finally, spend five minutes on a cool down.
You can do this same workout using kettlebell cleans, getups, and swings. The key to its calorie-burning power is that it’s high-rep, whole-body interval training with the resistance of the kettlebell.