Here’s How To Kettlebell Like A Boss

Only have a few minutes to work out today? Sometimes life gets in the way and we have less time than anticipated. This happens quite a bit with exercising. Even if you make plans to attend the gym for a full hour, traffic or work can cut your time down to only 20 minutes. However, working out for 20 minutes is much better than heading home to sit down in disappointment. Don’t be upset that your time was cut short or feel like you did nothing, 20 minutes is better than nothing.

The problem with short workouts is that they give the feeling of motion, which can be satisfying, although sometimes you would rather move and burn some excess energy. Enter the Kettlebell. Popularized by fitness guru Pavel Tsatsouline who is actually credited for bringing the kettlebell to the US. The Kettlebell can be use to blast more than just a few extra calories.

There are a variety of exercises that can be done with the kettlebell – Swings, Snatches, Over Head Press, Goblet Squats, Deadlifts, Farmer’s Walks, Turkish Get-Ups and even Bicep Curls. Most of these exercises will stem from learning the basics and the Kettlebell Swing (The most powerful Kettlebell exercise of them all). First, you must learn to swing properly before going into other more advanced moves like Kettlebell Snatches or Kettlebell Cleans. There is a bit of variety when it comes to swings, you can do them with one arm, both arms, or interchange arms while doing the movement. You can do any variation of the movement for time, reps, or until you just can’t anymore.

First things first, let us break down the kettlebell swing:

1. Place the Kettlebell on the floor and stand behind it.
2. Place both hands on the top of the handle.
3. Hike the bell back between your legs so that your forearms touch your inner thighs.
4. Thrust your hips forward as you exhale.
5. The bell is only to come up to chest level as you squeeze your glutes forcefully.
6. Make sure the bell never makes contact with the ground until you are done.

There are a few notes to keep in mind:

1. Your back should be neutral throughout the entire motion.
2. Hinge from your hips NOT your upper back.
3. The kettlebell handle should pass ABOVE your knees. (Do not try to sweep the floor)
4. Be sure to tighten your glutes and abs at the top of the swing.
5. Keep your eyes focused roughly six feet in front of you.
6. Inhale on way down and exhale on way up.

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Okay, now one to the workouts. Here are a few quick Kettlebell Swing workouts. You can do any of these workouts with any variation of the swing and even combine variations during one workout. Keep it challenging and keep it fun.

• 5 minutes of continuous swings – For those who like a challenge do two and a half minutes per arm.
• Set your timer for 10 or 15 minutes and do 10 swings at the top of each minute. Trust us, this adds up.
• A 1:1 ratio of work to rest such as 30 seconds of swings followed by a 30 second rest for 10 continuous minutes.
• Set a timer for 10 minutes. Stat with 5 swings and add 5 for each minute until you get to 25, 30, or 35 swings depending on your skill level. So minute 1 is 5 swings, minute 2 is 10 swings, and so on.

Kettlebells are great because you can get some kickass workouts, but don’t overestimate your ability, many are humbled by this simple piece of exercise equipment. Think of swings as a skill and do not try to push your limits until you have a good understanding of how to do it properly. Not feeling confident? Get a trainer to help you out. We are always here to help you reach your goals and push you through your fitness plateaus.