Try this full body kettlebell workout

What you'll need: a kettlebell, an exercise mat, a bottle of water and a towel

How to perform the exercises

Steps

Warm up

Roll downs

• Standing at the end of your mat, tuck your chin into your chest and roll your body slowly down until you can touch the floor
• Walk your hands forward until you're in a plank position and rest here for 1-2 seconds
• Bend your knees and walk your hands back to your feet
• Slowly roll back up, untuck the chin and pull your shoulders back
• Repeat

Downward dog

• Standing at the end of your mat, tuck your chin into your chest and roll your body slowly down until you can touch the floor
• Walk your hands forward until you're in a plank position
• Push your hips back to a downward dog position
• Return to your plank position, bend your knees and walk your hands back to your feet
• Slowly roll back up, untuck the chin and pull your shoulders back
• Repeat

Spidermans

• Standing at the end of your mat, tuck your chin into your chest and roll your body slowly down until you can touch the floor
• Walk your hands forward until you're in a plank position and rest here for 1-2 seconds
• Bring your right foot forward towards your right hand, dropping your left knee to the ground if you need to. If you can, twist your right knee out towards the side
• Return to your plank position and push your hips back to a downward dog position
• Return to your plank position and bring your left foot forward towards your left hand, dropping your right knee to the ground if you need to. If you can, twist your left knee out towards the side
• Return to your plank position and push your hips back to a downward dog position
• Return to your plank position, bend your knees and walk your hands back to your feet
  
• Slowly roll back up, untuck the chin and pull your shoulders back
• Repeat

Picking your kettlebell up safely

• Stand with your feet hip width apart and your kettlebell between your feet
• Keeping your chest up and back straight, lean down towards your kettlebell by bending your knees, grab hold of your kettlebell and slowly drive back up through your glutes

Round 1

Hip hinge and deadlift

• Keep your chest up and look forward
• Hinge forwards at your hips keeping your arms and the kettlebell straight down
• Push back up by driving your glutes forwards
• Continue for 10 reps

Kettlebell swing

• Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart
• Swing the kettlebell down between your legs
• Swing the kettlebell back up until it's at shoulder height, keeping your arms straight, and then swing back down between your legs
• Continue for 10 reps

Sumo squat

• Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart and turned outwards
• Keep your chest up and look forward
• Squat down keeping your knees in line with your toes and then squeeze your glutes to stand back up
• Inhale as you squat down and exhale as you push back up
• Continue for 10 reps

Round 2

Sumo squat with high pull

• Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart and turned outwards
• Keep your chest up and look forward
• Squat down keeping your knees in line with your toes and then squeeze your glutes to stand back up
• As you reach the top, pull your kettlebell up so your elbows are higher than your hands and then return to neutral
• Continue for 10 reps

Squat press 

• Stand with your feet hip width apart
• Hold the kettlebell in one hand and perform a kettlebell clean so it is in the rack position. Reach your other hand out to the side for balance
• Squat down and as you push back up reach the kettlebell into the air
• Return the kettlebell to the rack position as you squat back down
• Continue for 10 reps
• Swap hands and repeat for 10 reps on the other side

Bent over row

• Hold the kettlebell in one hand and lean forwards, keeping your back straight
• Pull the kettlebell up, bending your elbow and rotating your hand so your palm is facing inwards
• Continue for 10 reps
• Swap hands and repeat for 10 reps on the other side

Round 3

Kettlebell side crunch

• Stand with your feet hip width apart, shoulders back and chest up
• Holding the kettlebell in one hand, lean your body to that side and then return to the centre
• Inhale as you lean to the side and exhale as you return to the centre
• Continue for 10 reps
• Swap hands and repeat for 10 reps on the other side

Windmill

• Stand with your feet hip width apart
• Hold the kettlebell in your right hand and perform a kettlebell clean so it is in the rack position
• Lunge forwards onto your mat so that your right leg is bent forwards and your left leg is behind you, with your left knee resting on the ground
  
• Rest your left hand on your chest
• Reach the kettlebell straight up into the air with your palm facing forwards
• Twist your left elbow towards your right ankle as far down as possible, twisting your body up to face your right hand and rotating your right arm so your palm faces backwards
• Twist back to the centre, with your right palm facing forwards
• Continue for 10 reps
• Swap hands and repeat for 10 reps on the other side

Russian twists

• Sit down on your mat with your legs bent
• Hold your kettlebell with both hands at chest level and lean backwards, keeping your back straight with your abs pulled in
• Rotate your shoulders to one side as far as you can, return to the centre and rotate to the other side as far as you can
• Continue for 10 reps

For a more challenging workout, continue for 2-3 more sets.

Cool down

• Tuck your chin into your chest and slowly roll your body down towards the floor, letting your head dangle down
• Rest here and take 5 deep breaths
• Grab the back of your ankles, bend your knees and then unfold and stretch, keeping your chest close to your knees. Repeat another 2 times
• Roll slowly back up, untuck your chin and drop your shoulders back and down
• Reach your right arm across the front of your body, take your left arm underneath the right tricep and pull your right shoulder down. Rest here for 5 deep breaths
• Lift your right arm up and bend your elbow so your hand is reaching towards your back. Use your left hand to push your right elbow down to try and touch your back with your right hand. Rest here for 5 deep breaths
• Reach your left arm across the front of your body, take your right arm underneath the left tricep and pull your left shoulder down. Rest here for 5 deep breaths
• Lift your left arm up and bend your elbow so your hand is reaching towards your back. Use your right hand to push your left elbow down to try and touch your back with your left hand. Rest here for 5 deep breaths
• Interlock your fingers in front of you and reach your arms out in front of you with your palms facing forwards. Tuck your chin under and curve your spine. Push into your hands and rest here for 5 deep breaths.
• Interlock your fingers behind you, straighten your arms with your palms facing forwards. Lift your chest and bend forwards, pushing your arms up into the air. Rest here for 5 deep breaths
• Release your fingers and let your arms drop down to your sides. Rest here for 5 deep breaths
• Bend your knees and slowly roll back up to the top, untuck your chin and drop your shoulders back and down

Try one of our many online workouts designed by our Personal Trainers with classes ranging from HIIT, full-body, strength and conditioning to more balanced classes like yoga and pilates. Start exercising now with our free Fitness and Wellbeing classes.

Last updated Thursday 16 March 2023

First published on Tuesday 28 April 2020