The Best Kettlebell Exercises For Beginners (revisited)

*If you’re a complete kettlebell beginner, please review the first part of this series here: Best Kettlebell Exercises For Beginners

It’s critical that you perfect your get up and swing technique before you start learning the moves covered in the article and videos below.*

You’ve perfected your form in the basic KB moves – the swing and the get up. You’ve even gone through a basic program that focuses primarily on these two exercises to lose weight, tone up, improve your posture, move freely, gain overall fitness, etc.  Where do you go next?

The next kettlebell exercises you should learn are the snatch and the clean and press.  First, check out the videos below – I’m confident that whether you’re a beginner or you’ve been training with kettlebells for some time, you’ll pick up at least a few technique tips that’ll improve your workouts.  Then, check out the workout below the videos I’ve put together that incorporates all of the basic kettlebell drills (and a few basic body weight moves as well).  Enjoy!

Kettlebell Snatch/Clean & Press Video Series – Technique Tips & Much More

The Clean – Technique Tips

The Press – Tip to Boost Your Power

Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch (three video series)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Kettlebell Basics Workout

*Warm up – Do five Turkish Get Ups on each side. Start easy – with no weight at all or a light weight – and work up to a heavier weight with each rep. Switch sides after each rep.

*Perform the first exercise in each pairing. Immediately move to the next exercise (or exercises) and complete the prescribed number of reps. Rest :30 and repeat each sequence a total of three times.

1a: 10 reverse lunges
1b: pull ups – until muscle failure

2a: 5 kettlebell clean and presses each side
2b: 25 body weight squats (explosive tempo)

3a: 10 kettlebell snatches each side
3b: 20 push ups

*Finish with static stretch of tight muscle groups

In summary, once you’ve perfected your technique with the two basic kettlebell drills – the swing and the get up – it’s time to move on to the snatch and the clean and press.  The videos and workout above will help you learn all the basic kettlebell exercises for beginners.

Train hard and talk soon –

Forest

PS – Remember – this is one workout to help you with learning your kettlebell exercises for beginners – not a complete plan.  Please make sure to work it into a solid and well-thought-out comprehensive program.

If you know how you’re going to work these moves into your existing routine, awesome!  But if not, here are a couple options to check out:

1. For total kettlebell beginners, click here

2. Once you’ve mastered the TGU and the swing, graduate to this program

The Kettlebell Complex – Your Fat Loss Secret Weapon

Mastered the kettlebell basics?  Ready for some variety in your program?  Time for the kettlebell complex.

Definition of the kettlebell complex – from DragonDoor.com:

If you’ve never heard of complexes before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a set, you sequence several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a set.

And some benefits of complex training – from steathbody.com:

  • Lean body mass improvement will be enhanced with this type of training.
  • You will stimulate your hormones to burn more fat and build lean muscle.
  • Full body exercises (such as swings, squats, snatches) have been shown in numerous research studies to stimulate growth hormone (GH).
  • The release of growth hormone will help to burn body fat and build lean muscle mass.
  • Resistance training, higher reps, full body exercise, and minimal rest between exercises are all proven methods to stimulate GH, which are all accomplished with complex training.

In short, if you’re looking to gain lean muscle, burn fat, and get into phenomenal physical condition, kettlebell complexes are for you. I just shot and posted up a video showing you one of my favorite KBC’s – check it out, and then read the written workout recap below it:

Video Recap

  • Do one top-down Turkish get up
  • Immediately follow this with five snatches
  • Finish your five snatches and go right to five clean, squat and overhead presses
  • Complete the complex with ten one hand swings
  • Repeat the complex for five to ten rounds total on each side

Also –  this post was in part inspired by a six week workout program I just finished up for my personal routine … and though it was brutally hard, I loved it 🙂  And I got some great results!  If you’re looking for a complete program built around kettlebell complexes, I highly recommend it – check it out by clicking here

Thanks for reading and train hard –

Forest

PS – If you liked this kettlebell complex workout, you’ll LOVE my free kettlebell email newsletter … plus, when you sign up, you’ll get a copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training!  Just drop your best email into the box at the upper right of the page to sign up now.

 

Kettlebell Workout For Arms

Before I break down this kettlebell workout for arms, I want to make one thing clear:  I’m NOT a big believer in direct arm work.  This is primarily because during most pushing, pulling and lifting movements (like those performed during all the basic kettlebell exercises), your arms and shoulders work together while your spine, abs and hips stabilize your body to maintain alignment and to initiate force production.

In other words, your arms get worked enough doing the basic kettlebell moves – the swing, Turkish get up, squat, clean, press, and snatch – to not need exercises like curls and extensions.

HOWEVER – I know some of you STILL want more direct arm work.    A lot of folks, men especially, that come from a ‘bodybuilding – type’ training background, have a lot of aprehension – even get scared – at the lack of direct arm work kettlebell training involves.

So I put together a quick and effective kettlebell workout for arms for you to satisfy your arm pump cravings.  It’ll have you ready for the club/beach/other tight-sleeved adventures in your immediate future.  Enjoy!

Kettlebell Workout For Arms (the exercises)

1. Halo

Hits your arm, shoulders and core.  Here’s a nice video demo of the move:

2. Around-The-World

Works the forearms and grip strength.  This video provides a good description of the movement:

3. Figure 8

You’ll feel this one in the biceps if you do it correctly … here’s how:

Kettlebell Workout For Arms

  • halo
  • around-the-world
  • figure 8

Perform each exercise for :60 continuously.  Switch to the next exercise in the circuit without rest.  Make sure to switch sides – go both directions – on the halos and figure 8’s.  Rest for :30 once you’re done with the entire circuit and repeat for a total of 2-4 rounds.

I’m not a big believer in direct arm work.  But I know a lot of you will still do it, no matter what I say 🙂  So for today’s article, I put together a quick and effective kettlebell workout for arms to satisfy your arm pump cravings.  Hope you enjoyed it and talk soon –

Forest

PS – For more advanced kettlebell exercises and workouts like this one, check out:

1. The Kettlebell Basics Premium Workouts Mega Bundle – 24 weeks worth of advanced-level kettlebell workouts, including video instruction

2. Kettlebell Basics Weekly Workouts – Fresh KB workouts & videos delivered to you on an on-going basis, including kettlebell arm workouts like this one … along with meal planning tips, motivation and much more

Kettlebell Cardio Workout

Kettlebell cardio workout for ‘ya today –

But before I break it down, a quick question:  how do you define “cardio”?

It might conjure up images of folks pedaling away on recumbent stationary bikes at the health club, catching up on the latest E! channel celeb gossip …

Or you might think of running or biking outdoors …

But odds are you probably DON’T think of cardio and lifting weights of any kind as one in the same.  So my goal with this kettlebell cardio workout is to PERMANENTLY change the way you think about cardio …

Let’s start with some defining facts about cardio from healthstatus.com:

Cardio exercise is any exercise that raises your heart rate …  Cardio exercise uses large muscle movement over a sustained period of time, keeping your heart rate to at least 50% of its maximum level …  You need a minimum of 20 minutes of continued elevated pulse to get the best results …

So – if we elevate the heart rate, utilize large muscles of the body, work at a reasonable and sustained intensity, and do it for a continuous period of time, we’re good to go – no matter our implements/training tools of choice.

Kettlebells happen to be a great tool to elevate the heart rate quickly.  And if we work at a high – but sustainable – intensity with them for a continuous period, we get a killer kettlebell cardio workout.

Kettlebell Cardio Workout

This is a perfect short, intense workout you can throw in to mix things up with your existing cardio routine – or even replace it all together.  It can be done in about 10-15 minutes, and only requires one kettlebell.  Check out the video first, then see the video recap below for workout details:

Video Recap

  • 5 one arm swing (right)
  • 5 one arm clean, squat and press (right)
  • 5 one arm swing (left)
  • 5 one arm clean, squat and press (left)
  • Rest 10-15 seconds, repeat for 5-10 total rounds

Chances are you do cardio of some kind to stay in shape, train your heart, etc.  But there’s also a good chance that you think of “cardio” as a long, slow and boring activity.  The kettlebell cardio workout outlined in this post is a great starting point to change your mindset – and to get you faster and more efficient results!

Train hard and talk soon –

Forest Vance, RKC II

PS – If you liked this kettlebell cardio workout, you’ll LOVE my free kettlebell email newsletter … plus, when you sign up, you’ll get a copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training!  Just drop your best email into the box at the upper right of the page to sign up now.