One could, in theory, perform swings and get ups almost exclusively for a period of several of months and likely make some great progress. I think you’d be hard pressed to find more than a few pairs of exercises that this statement would hold true for (one exception to this would be the core Power to The People workout – Pavel uses the deadlift and the side press exclusively.  This program works like crazy for getting you strong, by the way).

On the other hand, I’m well aware that just practicing the basic kettlebell exercises over and over can eventually get a little … well … boring.  I’m going to give you a workout that incorporates some basic body weight moves with swings and goblet squats (a squat holding a kettlebell in front of you at chest height).  This workout provides some much-needed variation to your routine, still allows you to work on your basic kettlebell drills, and if done for time is a hell of a workout.

Here’s a quick demo:

So to quickly recap:

Start with 20 push ups

Do 20 KB swings – these can be two handed, one handed, or hand to hand

Perform 20 full sit ups

Do 20 more swings

Finish with 20 KB squats

Repeat three times with as little rest as possible.

Incorporate this workout into your routine only after you’ve learned the swing well.  This means that you can execute the movement safely and efficiently.

This workout performed once a week should provide some nice variety and leave you smoked in 15 or 20 minutes flat!  Enjoy.