kettlebells workout

I’ve gotten a number of questions from my newsletter readers about the fact that I’ve been using a kettlebells workout a lot lately and they are asking why.

I hadn’t used kettlebells much myself, not because they aren’t effective tools for building muscle and burning fat, but because I was focusing on free weights for my training, such as barbell squats, deadlifts, pull ups, etc. I would use kettlebell workouts once in awhile as a change of pace and for overall conditioning.

The reason I’ve used them a lot more lately is because, as my shoulder was taking forever to heal, I found myself being able to do exercises with kettlebells, while not being able to do much with free weights.

While I couldn’t do any shoulder work, or any chest work, or some back work, or even tricep work, due to my shoulder, I could do kettlebell swings. Then I could do kettlebell cleans, and eventually kettlebell presses (as long as I kept my elbow in). And now I can do kettlebell snatches with lighter kettlebells (more on kettlebell exercises).

I still can’t bench or do shoulder presses, tricep pressdowns, etc. so my new training routine is a full body routine that goes as follows:

Day 1 – Full Body Workout with free weights and bodyweight exercises

Day 2 – Off (or High Intensity Interval Training for Cardio)

Day 3 – Full Body Workout with kettlebells and bodyweight exercises

Day 4 – Off (or High Intensity Interval Training for Cardio)

Day 5 – Repeat Day 1

Yesterday was a Kettlebell Workout:

Cycle 1 (no rest between exercises, 1 minute rest between cycles, for 4 to 6 cycles)

Kettlebell Clean and Front Squat – 5/5 (5 reps on the left, 5 reps on the right)
Kettlebell Press – 5/5 (5 reps on the left, 5 reps on the right)
One Arm Kettlebell Swing – 10/10 (10 reps on the left, 10 reps on the right)

2 minutes rest before hitting Cycle 2:

Cycle 2

Kettlebell Snatches – 10/10 (10 reps on the left, 10 reps on the right)
Jumping Jacks – 30 (must complete in 30 seconds or less)
Burpees – 10 (full burpees with push up and jump)

You can adjust the intensity with the weight of the kettlebells you use. For example, if you are going more for a cardio and conditioning workout you might use the same weight for all three exercises in cycle 1.

Or, you might use a heavier weight for the kettlebell clean and front squat and a heavier weight for the swings than you do for the kettlebell press.

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