BEST Kettlebell Full Body Workout Routine for Beginners

 

BY: YURI ELKAIM

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If you haven’t yet added kettlebells to your weekly workouts, you’re missing out on one of the greatest tools in your weight loss arsenal.

Kettlebells have a long history with strength training, but now crafty exercise enthusiasts have adapted specific kettlebell exercises for weight loss and proving that this nifty iron ball is one of the most versatile and beneficial pieces of exercise equipment.

The problem is, not many people truly know how to unleash the full benefits of kettlebell training. Not for long. In this post, you’ll discover 14 kettlebell exercises for weight loss and I’ll even bring in some helpful tutorial videos to help you do them properly.

Why Are Kettlebell Exercises Good?

Their popularity began in Russia, the birth place of smart strength training. Since then kettlebells have exploded in the West. Their unique handles force you to use safer hand positioning, as well as engage more of your core muscles for extra stabilization.

These “cannonballs with handles” are also extremely versatile and can be used for cardio, strength training, burst training and more. With the right exercises, a kettlebell can really provide everything you need for weight loss and improved strength. Let me give you 3 specific benefits for using kettlebells.

1. Kettlebell Exercises Improve Your Strength and Power

One study compared jump squats (a very impactful exercise not recommended for most people) with kettlebell swings to measure maximal and explosive strength. The researchers found that kettlebell swings improved maximal strength and explosive strength similar to that of the jump squats. (1)

That’s a big finding because jump squats can be very dangerous unless you’re a seasoned professional who knows exactly what you’re doing. Conversely, kettlebell swings have little to no impact on your joints and are safe for anyone to do.

So if you’re into sports or any other endeavor in life that requires more lower body strength and power – like getting off the couch or walking up the stairs – then a good kettlebell swing can be your best friend.

2. Kettlebell Exercises Improve Your Posture

A kettlebell swing (shown further down in this post) is the ultimate posterior chain exercise. This means it recruits and trains almost all of the muscles on the back side of your body—your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

This important for good posture since most people spend the majority of their time sitting which puts these very muscles to sleep. If you’re a desk jockey and want to avoid looking like the hunchback of Notre Dame then strengthen the muscles on the back side of your body and improve your posture with a kettlebell swing. (2)

3. Kettlebell Exercises Can Help You Lose Weight

In general, any exercise that engages a lot of muscle will have a great “oxygen cost”. Basically, the more muscles working, the more oxygen they require to do the work. And since oxygen intake is directly related to caloric burn, the cardio benefit from full body kettlebell exercises make them a great weight loss tool along with increasing your cardio endurance. (3) 

Here are few more benefits of kettlebell training from RKC expert and good friend, Chris Lopez:

Getting Started with Kettlebell Training

There are hundreds of kettlebell exercises, but I don’t want you spending all day googling your way through them only to be left with a massive list of confusing options.

With the goal of total body toning and strength training in mind, I’ve pulled together a 14-exercise Kettlebell Workout. It includes 14 different kettlebell exercises and will take you through a routine of cardio and strength in circuit training style.

This workout provides the catalyst needed to reshape muscles, and works in constant movement for a calorie-burning cardio benefit. 

If you’re new to kettlebells, don’t dive in full force. Go through each exercise as a trial,  become familiar with them, especially if you’ve never seen them before.  As you go through this trial, make a note of the weight you may want to use with each exercise.

You can feel good knowing kettlebell exercises provide some extra safety compared to other forms of weight training, but you’ll still want to feel each one out and get comfortable with each move.

For most beginners, I would suggest choosing a 12kg kettlebell which will be suitable (initially) for most lower body movements. Upper body exercises might require a slightly lighter weight.

With practice, you’ll figure the best weights for each exercise and notice that you’ll quickly need more weight as you get more familiar with the routine. Done correctly, this full body workout can be exactly what you need to get in shape by summertime—a testament to the impressive and almost immediate effect kettlebells can have on your fitness and ability to lose weight.

[Related Article: 10 No-Equipment Bodyweight Workouts That Burn Fat]

14-Exercise Kettlebell Workout for Weight Loss 

Note: I’ve included pictures for most of these exercises and if you do just one set of each in a circuit fashion with little rest between each, you’ll be in for a heck of a workout. I’ve laid out the workout for you further below.

1. Kettlebell Swing

Muscles worked: Posterior chain – back, hips, glutes, legs – and core

This is the fundamental kettlebell movement that should be part of everyone’s training program. Too many benefits to ignore. Watch the video below for detailed explanation on how to do it properly.

How to do it:

With your back flat and core engaged, lean forward and place both hands on the kettlebell. Your feet should a bit wider than hip-distance apart. Maintain a slight bend to the knee and drive the hips back. Then, in a fluid motion, explosively drive the hips forward while swinging the kettlebell, keeping the glutes and core engaged.

Remember: The motion should come from the hips, not the arms nor the quads (this isn’t a squat), as the body returns to standing. Lower the weight back down between the legs and keep this swinging motion going for desired reps.

The above video also explains how to do the kettlebell press (listed below) with proper form as well.

2. Kettlebell Press

Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders, glutes, core

How to do it: 

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell (in your right hand) tucked into your shoulder. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core to stabilize your body and press the weight above your head. Slowly return to shoulder height and repeat for 6 to 8 reps then switch sides.

3. Kettlebell Reverse Lunge Press

Muscles worked: Shoulders, back, arms, abs, glutes, legs

How to do it: 

Stand up straight while holding the kettlebell above your head with your right hand. Lunge backwards with your left leg while keeping the kettlebell pressed above your head. Return to standing and lunge back with your right leg. Return to standing and lower the kettlebell to your chest if needed. Repeat 4 times on one arm, then switch arms. 

4. Turkish Get Up

Muscles worked: everything

How to do it:

Lying on the floor, safely move the kettlebell into a locked out position straight up with your right hand. Your shoulder should be tight in the socket. Your right leg will be bent, while your left leg is straight out in front. Have your left arm to the side of your body for support. Pushing off your right foot, roll onto your left hip and up onto your left elbow. Push up onto your left hand.

Holding yourself up on your left hand and right foot, bring yourself up off the ground, and thread your left leg back to a kneeling position. You are now left knee on the floor, right foot on the floor, and implement locked out overhead in your right hand. From the kneeling position take in a deep breath, tighten up, and lunge forward to a standing position. Reverse the process to come back down to the floor.

Aim for 4 reps on each side. It’s challenging!

5. Kettlebell Sumo Squat

Muscles worked: legs (groins, glutes), core

How to do it: 

Start standing with feet wide and feet slightly angled. Hold the kettlebell in front of your hips with both hands. Keep your shoulders back and core tight. Lower down into a squat, then push back up to standing, Repeat for 10-12 reps.

6. Kettlebell Chest Press

Muscles worked: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core

How to do it:

Lie on the ground with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Grab a kettlebell by your side and, with the palm facing in, press the weight straight up. Bring the kettlebell back down to the starting position, and repeat for 6 to 8 reps. Then switch arms.

7. 1-Leg Romanian Deadlifts

Muscles worked: shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, core

How to do it: 

Stand on your left leg (with your right leg lightly hovering off the floor) and kettlebell in your right hand. Lower the kettlebell toward your left foot by hinging at the hips and keeping your torso and back leg in a straight line. Contract your left glute and hamstrings to pull yourself back to standing. Do 8 reps then switch sides.

8. Single Arm Kettlebell Swings

Muscles worked: Posterior chain – back, glutes, hamstrings – shoulders, core

How to do it:

This movement is just like the two-handed swing, but uses one hand at a time. Swing the kettlebell up with one arm, but still swing the other arm to help drive momentum. Alternate hands when the kettlebell is behind the legs; aim for 10 to 12 reps with each arm.

The Workout

This workout will walk you through 15-20 minutes of kettlebell exercises + kettlebell cardio separated into two phases interspersed with short duration, high intensity cardio.

Phase one will target your upper body. Phase 2 targets the lower body. In both phases, keep in mind that your entire body is still working to stabilize itself so these aren’t true “isolation” exercises.  

When starting this routine, begin with a weight that allows you to comfortably complete 8-12 repetitions. 

Warm Up Cardio:

1. Kettlebell Swing (2-3 min with light weight)

Upper Body Circuit:

2. Kettlebell Bent Over Rows
3. Chest Press (6 per side)
4. Single Arm Kettlebell Press (6 per side)
5. Bent Over Reverse Flys
6. Standing Bicep Curls
7. Turkish Get Ups (4 per side)
8. Cardio: Weighted Kettlebell Stair Climbs (2-3 min with moderate weight)

Lower Body Circuit: 

9. Kettlebell Cleans
10. 1-Leg Romanian Dead Lift
11. Kettlebell Swing
12. Kettlebell Reverse Lung Press
13. Single Arm Kettlebell Swing
14. Kettlebell Sumo Squat

Download this workout printable below

As You Can Probably Tell…

You can do kettlebell workouts from anywhere—at home, in the gym, and even on the road as an increasing number of hotels offer kettlebells in their guest gyms. Just another reason it’s time to get you a kettlebell routine that works.  

Free Workout Printable

Grab another variation of the above workout – with a few more kettlebell exercises added in – in easy-to-print 1-page FREE download. I’ve included step-by-step photos of 10 favorite kettlebell exercises as well.