With COVID-19 still at large, it might be safer to practice your lunges and squats at home. But you may assume this means skipping overhead presses, deadlifts, and your beloved barbells.
Thankfully, the kettlebell can replace the barbell and dumbbell for a home workout that hits all the right notes (well, all the right muscle groups).
In this article, we'll show you the benefits of kettlebell workouts and the best kettlebell exercises to try.
Kettlebell training helps improve your strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination. It’s also great for targeting your core muscles, especially the abdominals and lower back. Here are four major benefits of kettlebell workouts:
The posterior chain refers to all the muscle groups on your body's backside: upper back (lats, traps, rhomboids), lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Whether it's picking groceries off the floor or nailing that 300-pound deadlift, these muscles are essential to your everyday movements and athletic performance.
Unfortunately, most of us have a weak posterior chain, no thanks to our desk-bound jobs, resulting in lower back pain and poor posture.
Fortunately, kettlebell workouts can help strengthen your posterior chain. The kettlebell swing, for instance, actively recruits muscle groups in your lower back, hips, and hamstrings. Similarly, kettlebell goblet squats target your back, core, and lower body.
Kettlebell training also helps with pain management. A 2011 study published in The Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment, and Health showed that performing full-body kettlebell exercises thrice weekly reduces neck, shoulders, and lower back pain.
If grip strength is holding you back from a deadlift personal record, try kettlebell exercises.
Kettlebells are distinct from barbells and dumbbells in that the majority of the weight is distributed below the handle. In the bottoms-up carry, you'll intuitively strengthen your grip to prevent the free weight from sliding into a rack position.
Single-arm kettlebell exercises like the kettlebell snatch also improve your grip strength, as well as your coordination. To compensate for the heavier weight concentrated on one side, tighten your grip on the bell and brace your core muscles throughout the movement.
A kettlebell is compact and easy to transport, making it ideal for a home workout. Get in your kettlebell push-ups before storing it in your closet, which you can't really do with an unwieldy Olympic barbell and weight plates.
Being space-efficient, it's easy to keep multiple kettlebells of different weights in your balcony. Different kettlebell weights also give you the flexibility to switch up your workout routine (see next section).
Kettlebell workouts can be a great form of concurrent training. In the mood for cardio? Do multiple sets of high-rep kettlebell exercises (using a low to moderate weight) to get your heart rate pumping and lose weight.
For muscle-building or strength training, switch the lighter kettlebells for heavier ones and go low-rep. Kettlebells are also great for a seamless workout routine — you can transition smoothly from a goblet squat to a swing to a deadlift. No more fumbling with the weights on your barbell.
Now that we’ve sung the praises of kettlebell workouts, it's time to put them into action. Here are some of the best kettlebell exercises to include in your routine:
If you're having trouble with your barbell back squat, the kettlebell goblet squat can help you learn the correct movement pattern so you not only lift better but also minimize lower back injuries.
Targeted areas: Whole body
How to:
Variations:
The kettlebell swing is an explosive exercise that accelerates your heart rate when it’s done right.
Targeted areas: Whole body
How to:
Variations:
The kettlebell halo is an upper-body exercise perfect for resolving neck cricks and shoulder pain.
Targeted areas: Shoulders (delts, traps, rhomboids), core, and forearms
How to:
For a modified dumbbell bench press at home, try the kettlebell floor press instead.
Targeted areas: Shoulders, triceps, chest, and core
How to:
The kettlebell deadlift is ideal if you don't have a barbell lying around.
Targeted areas: Posterior chain and core muscles
How to:
If standard push-ups have become boring, the kettlebell push-up will add some new twists to your routine.
Targeted areas: Shoulders, triceps, chest, and core
How to:
Variations:
To engage your entire body, here's a sample kettlebell workout (with bodyweight exercises). Perform each circuit three times before moving on to the next circuit. Rest 15-20 seconds between exercises and 1-2 minutes between circuits.
Warm-up
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
Circuit 3
For a DIY full-body kettlebell workout, check out this guide.
Whether you're at the gym or in your living room, if you want to burn fat or build muscles, the best kettlebell workouts can do just the trick.
To get the most out of your kettlebell workouts, take a pre-workout supplement 20-30 minutes before you exercise. PreSeries BULK Pre-Workout from Transparent Labs helps build muscle and reduce soreness, so you can spend less time on the couch and more time with your kettlebells.
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