Looking for a beginner kettlebell workout that you can use to look and feel your best? Well, if you are, then good! You’re in the right place, and you’re going to get that and a whole lot more today.
You see, kettlebell workouts are workouts that I think are some of the most underrated.
In addition to that, they’re the most underutilized, in my experience!
But don’t worry… After finishing up here today, you’ll know everything you need to know and how you can use a beginner kettlebell workout to your advantage.
What You’ll Learn In This Article:
• What Beginner Kettlebell Workouts Are
• The Benefits of Kettlebell Workouts
• Kettlebell Exercises For You To Try
• How To Perform These Kettlebell Exercises
• Getting The Most Out of Your Kettlebell Workouts
What Is A Beginner Kettlebell Workout?
So, what are kettlebell workouts?
Well, kettlebell workouts tend to be ballistic-style workouts that combine cardiovascular, strength, and mobility training.
These are done using cast iron weights that are shaped like a cannon ball with a handle on them. That's what a kettlebell is!
When it comes to beginner kettlebell workouts, that just means the person performing the workout is still learning to navigate the exercises in the workout.
These are typically workouts that will be challenging for a beginner but still allow for room to progress!
Benefits Of Kettlebell Workouts
There are a whole bunch of benefits that can come with kettlebell workouts. These benefits can be especially helpful when somebody is new to kettlebell workouts.
Here are three of the biggest benefits that I have seen in my experience with beginner kettlebell workouts and with the people that I have helped:
• Improve Strength & Stability
• Quick & Effective Workouts
• Improve Body Composition
Improve Strength & Stability
With resistance training in general, you can see some improvement in strength and stability.
But this can be even more true with kettlebell workouts specifically (1, 2).
You see, the way that kettlebells are shaped helps engage multiple muscle groups at the same time. Typically, the exercises tie in the coordination and stability of your core and joints even more.
Quick & Effective Workouts
Kettlebell workouts can be done very quickly. I’ve even done kettlebell workouts in as little as 12 minutes that leave me feeling like I just worked out for an hour.
With that being said, just because they are shorter does not mean that they are not effective. They can test your cardiovascular health, strength, power, and more (2).
Regardless of how you do them, they can leave you feeling like you put in the work in ways that you may not have ever before.
Help Improve Body Composition
Body composition is something that can be important for all of us. Whether you want to gain muscle, lose body fat, or both, every single one of us wouldn't mind improving our physique in some way, shape, or form.
The good news about kettlebell workouts is that they can help improve body composition (3). This could help your clothes fit better and improve your overall health.
Now, it does not go without saying that nutrition is a huge piece of the puzzle. But when you pair a good nutrition plan for you and your goals with a good beginner kettlebell workout, that’s where the magic really begins to happen!
10 Kettlebell Exercises For You To Try
There are probably a thousand different variations of kettlebell workouts that you can do. The best part is that whether you’re a beginner or an expert, they can be super effective!
Here are 10 of my personal favorites:
• Kettlebell Swings
• Kettlebell Cleans
• Goblet Squats
• Russian Twists
• Halos
• Kettlebell Glute Bridges
• Kettlebell Chest Press
• Gorilla Rows
• Kettlebell Shoulder Press
• Plank Pull-Throughs
You can progress the difficulty of any of these exercises as well as regress them. At the end of the day, what matters most is how you perform them. Form will be super important for preventing injury and seeing the best results.
For that reason, I'll take you through each step by step to help you master the movements. That way, you'll put good work into each muscle group that these kettlebell exercises target.
From there, we'll move into a full beginner kettlebell workout you can try today!
How To Do These Kettlebell Exercises
Here are your step-by-step instructions on how to do these exercises. This way, you can use them in order to improve no matter what your goals are.
1. Kettlebell Swings
Muscle Groups Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs, Quads & Lats
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Stand, holding the handle of a kettlebell with both hands. Space your feet slightly outside of shoulder-width apart.
2. Throughout the entire movement, brace your core, keep your back flat, and keep your head and neck in line with your spine. This will create a straight line from your tailbone to your head.
3. Swing the weight behind you like you are hiking a football, bringing the weight between your legs. You should touch your forearms inside your legs. Hold the kettlebell tightly the entire time.
4. Swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height, using the power from your legs and hips to drive it upwards. You will stand up straight and squeeze your glutes together, locking out the knees and hips at the top.
5. When the kettlebell reaches chest height, allow gravity to bring the kettlebell to its starting position between your legs, but control it the whole way down.
6. Repeat this in one fluid motion for a set number of reps.
2. Kettlebell Cleans
Muscle Groups Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Back, Core, & Shoulders
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Stand upright and place a kettlebell between your feet. Make sure to space your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge forward at your hips and lower down to grab the kettlebell by its handle with one arm. Grip the handle of the kettlebell tightly, and make sure your shoulders are above your hips.
4. In one smooth motion, push your hips forward, lifting your upper body and the kettlebell. Keep your core engaged the entire time.
5. As your hips come forward, pull the kettlebell in a straight line upward. When the kettlebell reaches roughly shoulder height, rotate your hand to flip the kettlebell and cradle it in your arm. As the weight gets heavier over time, you may have to drop into a half-squat to get under the kettlebell and catch it.
6. Slowly reverse the movement, bringing the weight back to the floor. Repeat this for the same number of reps on each side of your body.
3. Goblet Squasts
Muscle Groups Worked: Quads, Glutes, Core, Lats & Back
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Stand with your feet spread hip-width to shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward.
2. Hold the weight at your chest, right below your collarbone. You can hold it by the bell with both hands or flip it and grasp the handle in both hands.
3. Brace your core, puff your chest out slightly, pull your shoulders down and back, and look straight ahead.
5. Inhale, then push your hips back, bending your knees as you lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep the weight nice and close to your body.
6. Press through your mid-foot and heel, then squeeze your glutes to stand back up, completing the movement. When you reach the top, exhale before starting the next rep.
4. Russian Twists
Muscle Groups Worked: Abs, Back & Shoulders
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Sit back in an elevated position with your feet off the ground. Your body should form a V.
2. In a controlled fashion, twist your torso from side to side, touching each side of the floor as you twist to either side.
3. Hold a kettlebell to add resistance and get even more out of your exercise.
4. Breathe slowly in through your nose and out of your mouth through the entire movement. Make sure to repeat for an even number of reps on each side.
5. Halos
Muscle Groups Worked: Shoulders, Back & Core
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Stand upright while holding a kettlebell right in front of your chin.
2. Bring the kettlebell clockwise around your head, keeping the kettlebell close through the entire movement.
3. Return the kettlebell to the starting position.
4. Repeat counterclockwise and for as many reps as programmed on each side.
6. Kettlebell Glute Bridges
Muscle Groups Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings & Core
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Grab a kettlebell and put it at the side of your body. Lie down with your back flat on the floor and bend your knees, planting your feet flat on the ground.
2. Grab your dumbbell and lay it directly on top of your hips.
3. Brace your core and lift your hips off the ground by squeezing your glutes and pushing through your feet.
4. Drive your hips forward until you form a bridge with your whole upper body. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the top. Hold for at least three seconds.
5. Lower your body back to the ground and repeat this for as many reps as programmed.
7. Kettlebell Chest Press
Muscle Groups Worked: Pecs, Shoulders & Triceps
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Lie with your back flat on the floor. Bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the floor.
2. Grab a kettlebell in each hand. Keep your upper arms fixed to your side and on the floor. This is the starting position.
3. Press the kettlebells above your chest with your triceps and chest.
4. Lock out your arms at the top and squeeze your chest.
5. Lower the kettlebells back to the starting position, bringing your upper arms back to the floor.
6. Repeat this for reps.
8. Gorilla Rows
Muscle Groups Worked: Back, Shoulders, Biceps & Core
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Stand with your feet a little bit wider than shoulder-width apart and with a pair of kettlebells between your feet.
2. Hinge your hips forward so that your chest is basically parallel to the ground, and grab a kettlebell with each hand. This is the starting position.
3. Begin to pull them upward toward your belly. Pause at the top.
4. In a controlled manner, lower the weight back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for as many reps as programmed.
9. Kettlebell Shoulder Press
Muscle Groups Worked: Shoulders, Back, Triceps, Upper back & Core
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Sit on a bench set up at a 90-degree angle with a pair of kettlebells held at or just above your shoulders.
2. Press the weight straight up overhead. Your elbows can flare at any angle that feels best for you. The more they point straight to the side, the more middle-shoulder focused these will be.
3. The more your elbows point forward, the more emphasis is on the front shoulder and the chest.
4. Pause and squeeze your shoulders and triceps at the top. Then, slowly return to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for as many reps as programmed.
10. Plank Pull-Throughs
Muscle Groups Worked: Core, Hips, Shoulders & Back
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Begin in a hand plank position with a kettlebell off to one side.
2. Reach under your torso with the hand on the opposite side of the weight.
3. Grab the weight and pull it to the other side.
4. Keep your hips and shoulders level through the entire movement.
5. Repeat on the other side, doing this for an even amount of reps on both sides.
Now that you know how to do all of these exercises individually, how can you go about building a beginner kettlebell workout?
Designing A Beginner Kettlebell Workout
You can use these kettlebell workouts no matter who you are and what your experience level is.
The best part about beginner kettlebell workouts is that you can be an advanced lifter and still challenge yourself!
Here’s just one example of a beginner kettlebell workout that you can use:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squat | 3 | 10 |
| Gorilla Rows | 3 | 8 Each Side |
| Kettlebell Chest Press | 3 | 10 |
| Russian Twists | 3 | 20 Each Side |
| Kettlebell Glute Bridges | 3 | 10 |
Again, this is just one example of how you can throw an effective workout together. The options are endless, and there are plenty of ways that you can progress them too!
Getting The Most Out Of Your Kettlebell Workouts
Whether you’re a beginner or not … Kettlebell workouts can be a great way to change up your workouts or even challenge you in a different way.
But no matter where you are on your journey, getting everything dialed in can seem like a lot…
Between nutrition, training, supplements, and more, there’s a lot to unpack. Especially as a beginner. At times, it can even feel like it can be too much to manage.
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References:
(1) "Transference of Kettlebell Training to Strength, Power, and Endurance." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 27, no. 2, 2013, pp. 477-484.
(2) "Enhancing Athletic Performance: A Comprehensive Review on Kettlebell Training." Cureus, vol. 16, no. 2, Feb. 2024.
(3) "Body Composition and Strength Symmetry of Kettlebell Sport Athletes." Biology, vol. 12, no. 3, Mar. 2023, pp. 440.
