Best Kettlebell Workouts For At Home Fitness

Four weeks of the best kettlebell workouts you can do at home. Full length workout videos that are easy to follow!

There are so many different kinds of equipment in fitness. There’s weight machines, resistance bands, dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, stability balls, and (my favorite) kettlebells.

Although they seem like a newer fad, they have actually been gaining popularity for some time now. They look…underwhelming. Like a rock with a handle, right? So what is all the hype about?

In fact, their very shape and structure is what has brought their popularity. The unique weight distribution of the kettlebell is what makes them so effective and fun to work with.

Unlike dumbbells, the kettlebell’s center of mass is at one point slighlty below the handle. Making the weight act unbalanced in your grip and advantagious for fast-paced movement.

I would love to give you the breakdown of why this is, but I am not an expert in physics. Just pick up a kettlebell and gently swing it to notice a big difference versus a dumbbell of the same weight.

It’s much more challenging to handle a weight that is farther from the body, like a kettlebell. Whereas the weight on a dumbbell is equal to the distance of the handle and distributed over 2 centers of mass.

This key characteristic is what gives the kettlebell all of its benefits for training.

Can you get a good workout with just kettlebells?

Kettlebells are a great option for effective workouts that improve cardio, strength, balance, and coordination.

Kettlebells have become the ultimate tool because they provide a diverse purpose in the gym. Being that they are a free weight, they are, by nature, a tool for strength. Anytime we load our muscles with an outside force, they respond by getting stronger.

But we can also utilize the kettlebell’s unique shape to increase our balance and coordination and therefore core and joint strength. This is done by handling the kettlebell by the base, or by the handle, in a high grip or low, or even holding the bell side up. Some exercises that emphasize these skills and are unique to the kettlebell are windmills, around the world, and turkish getups.

How can a tool made for strength training also be for cardio? Because of it’s shape! It’s design allows for fast-paced, momentous movement. The best examples of that are the swing and oympic lifts, like cleans and snatches.

The distribution and load of the weight allows the kettlebell to be used in powerful movements that require larger muscle groups or even the entire body. Full body work reduces isolation fatigue allowing for higher reps. Long repetitive work time that ellicits a response of increased heart rate and circulation is cardio training.

kettlebell deadlift exercise — Kettlebell Deadlift

Is it OK to use kettlebells everyday?

It’s ok to use kettlebells everyday you workout, just be sure to vary in your target muscle group, intensity, and volume to avoid burnout and minimize risk of injury.

This can be done by alternating your push and pull days, upper body and lower body days, following a split muscle group routine, alternating between strength and cardio days, or HIIT and low intnesity days.

Having a variety in your workout routine is a great way to keep your workouts fun and effective!

Check out my FREE 4-Week Kettlebell Workout Routine that is filled with the best kettlebell workouts that are quick and effective as you follow along at home. Each day has a full length kettlebell workout video that is unique and challenging for any fitness level!

What kettlebell exercise works the whole body?

Most compound kettlebell exercises work the entire body, especially high intensity kettlebell exercises such as,

kettlebell clean,
kettlebell squat clean,
kettlebell snatch,
kettlebell swing,
kettlebell clean and press,
kettlebell squat snatch,
kettlebell deadlift high pull,
kettlebell push press, and
kettlebell turkish get-up.

In fact, I have an entire post dedicated to High Intensity Kettlebell Exercises You Can Do At Home!

You can also work the entire body within one kettlebell workout by including kettlebell exercises for legs, kettlebell exercises for arms, and kettlebell exercises for core.

Are kettlebells good for losing belly fat?

Yes, kettlebells are a great way to increase body fat by increasing muscle mass, burning more calories per session, and increasing metabolism with high intensity exercises.

Remember, the key to losing belly fat is regular exercise, a well-balanced diet of minimally processed foods, and caloric deficit that allows for sustainable and gradual total body fat loss.

Is a 20 lb kettlebell too heavy?

A 20 pound kettlebell is a great weight for lower body exercises and intermediate to advanced levels. A lighter kettlebell may be optimal for upper body exercises and beginner levels.

A good rule of thumb is, if you cannot complete the set of exercise without breaking form, the weight is too heavy. The weight should challene you within the set, but not force you to lose safe and proper exercise technique.

How to make an effective kettlebell workout?

You want to start by deciding if you are looking to build muscle/strength, improve cardio, or conditioning. Do you want to work in longer bouts at a lower intensity and steady pace? Or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) style with shorter intervals of work time? You will need to adjust your intensity inversely to the duration/volume of the workout.

Typically, you will use a heavier bell if you want a higher intensity or a lighter bell if you want a lower intensity. The higher the weight, the more challenging the movement becomes and more work that is required of your muscles.

However, adjusting the variation of the exercise or exercise choice can also determine what weight to use.

For example, if you want a HIIT workout with power movements, but you are still novice, you may still want a lighter bell. That way you can stay powerful and effective in your movements since you don’t have time to waste.

Or you may have to choose exercises based on how many reps you can perform in the given time frames you want to work in.

Like if your kettlebell is quite heavy, but you want a lower-intensity, endurance workout. In that case you might need to stick with more basic exercises that utilize the full body or predominantly lower body muscles. That way you can knock out more reps at a time before fatiguing.

10 of the best kettlebell workouts

Try any of these killer kettlebell workouts to stay fit at home.

Cardio & Core Kettlebell Workout | Circuit Training – Boost your cardio and jump in for this effective core kettlebell workout. Using circuit training we will cycle through 7 core focused kettlebell exercises that will get your heart rate up with long work and short rest breaks for a high repititon workout.

Full Body Kettlebell Circuit Workout | Strength & Conditioning -Join me for a killer full body kettlebell workout. Using circuit style programming, we will cycle through 4 small circuits that will hit every muscle group for an athletic strength and conditioning routine. This home workout video is designed to boost your cardio while challenging your muscular endurance with compound strength and power exercises.

30 Minute Kettlebell Workout | Full Body – Hit strength, cardio, power, and core in this 30 minute home workout. This kettlebell workout uses supersets in an AMRAP format to hit each major muscle group for a full body effort.

Lower Body Kettlebell Workout | Strength Training At Home – Increase lower body strength with this 36-minute kettlebell workout. We will use compound exercises to sculpt and define the glutes and legs with a traditional strength training style. This home workout can be done by all levels.

Full Body Kettlebell Strength Workout | Conditioning – Boost performance with this full body kettlebell strength workout. Stay strong, lean, and conditioned at home using just a kettlebell. Working through 4 different supersets that get your heart pumping with total body exercises that improve overall strength and conditioning. This home workout uses 40 second work intervals and 20 second rest intervals for a killer sweat.

Level Up Kettlebell Circuit Workout | Full Body | Strength & Conditioning – Grab your kettlebell and let’s get started with this full body strength and conditioning workout. In 25 minutes we will work through two simple circuits that will LEVEL UP in intensity and activation. Hitting the full body for a challenging hybrid workout to take your fitness to the next level.

Kickbox & Kettlebell HIIT Workout | Cardio & Strength | Full Body – Turn up the heat with cardio kickboxing and kettlebell strength. This full body workout is designed to boost metabolism with HIIT formatting and challenge your fitness. An all in one workout that requires just a kettlebell and your best effort.

Kettlebell Full Body Workout | Circuit Training | Strength & Power – Build strength through the entire body while sneaking in your cardio for the day. Combining strength and power exercises for a fast paced circuit workout that will move quickly and hit all aspects of your fitness. Grab a kettlebell and let’s get started!

Total Body Kettlebell Workout | Circuit Training | Strength & Endurance– Boost your conditioning with this hybrid kettlebell training. These full body exercises utilize the intensity of your kettlebell to get the cardio benefits of circuit training.

SWEATY KETTLEBELL Full Body Workout | Strength & Conditioning | High Intensity– This kettlebell workout will boost your metabolism in just 30 minutes. Working through an AMRAP style workout, this high intensity training will use strength and conditioning exercises for an aerobic challenge that will have you fighting muscular fatigue.