A personal trainer says this 20-minute kettlebell workout saves time by 'comfortably' working multiple muscles at once
You can skip the long gym sessions this summer - a PT has just revealed how to do a full-body 20-minute kettlebell workout at home
Kettlebells are one of the more underrated pieces of fitness equipment to have at home. The unique shape challenges balance as much as the weight challenges strength, turning even the most basic exercises into a full-body workout.
That's why even just a 20-minute kettlebell workout can get the job done. "Kettlebells are incredibly versatile," says Jessica Robinson, a level 3 personal trainer and Mirafit ambassador. "They can be used for both strength training and cardiovascular conditioning within the same session. You can perform controlled strength exercises such as deadlifts, goblet squats, and shoulder presses, as well as explosive, dynamic movements like kettlebell swings and snatches. These ballistic exercises are a unique benefit of kettlebells and are often more effective and comfortable to perform than with dumbbells."
With no sign of the heat letting up, I know I'm not the only one who has resorted to doing as little as possible. I asked Jessica for her quick workout recommendation, and she created one exclusively for woman&home to boost strength, mobility, and cardiovascular fitness in just a few moves.
20-minute kettlebell workout
Complete each exercise for the given number of repetitions, before moving onto the next one. Do each exercise one after the other, one round after the other, working continuously for 20 minutes. If you need to take a break, do so.
Kettlebell swings
- Stand shoulder-width apart with a kettlebell between your legs.
- Hinge (push your bottom to the back of the room, keeping a soft bend in your knees and your back straight) at the hips and grab the weight with both hands.
- Drive your hips forward in one powerful move, using the momentum (not your arms) to swing the weights to chest height.
- Keep your elbows tight to the sides of your body, and your core braced.
- Control the weight's return to the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise nine times, then move on to the next one.
A basic kettlebell like this one is a relatively affordable way to improve your fitness at home. Having them two of them helps balance out the weight, but even one means you'll be able to do most full-body exercises.
With an adjustable kettlebell, you can switch the weights in and out for upper- and lower-body exercises, and graduate as you get stronger. This one from Mirafit goes from 8kg to 16kg.
Front squats
- Hold two kettlebells in the front rack position - grab the handle and turn the kettlebell upside down, resting the bells against the outside of your forearms and shoulders. Keep your elbows bent and pointing forward slightly.
- Keep your elbows at around 90 degrees, and your core braced.
- Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your chest tall throughout.
- Repeat the squat 15 times, then move onto the next exercise.
Mountain climbers
- Begin in a high plank with your shoulders positioned over your hands.
- Alternate driving each knee towards your chest whilst maintaining a stable pelvis and torso.
- Repeat this exercise 21 times before taking a short rest or moving into the kettlebell swings again.
A thick yoga mat is one with more than 4mm of cushioning. This one made the top of our list for best thick yoga mats thanks to the comfortable design, sweat-proof materials, and array of colourways.
Is a 20-minute kettlebell workout enough?
Working continuously with a kettlebell for 20 minutes is more than enough exercise to see changes in your cardiovascular fitness and strength if you do it often enough. The NHS recommends 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise every week. If you did this 20-minute kettlebell workout four times per week, you'd meet this.
Many people weigh up kettlebells vs dumbbells when they are choosing exercise kit for their home workouts. Jessica says that kettlebells are "often more effective and comfortable" than dumbbells.
"Kettlebells are an excellent tool for home workouts because they are versatile, space-efficient, and suitable for people of all fitness levels," she says. "One of their biggest advantages is that they allow you to perform full-body exercises, making your workouts more time-efficient by training multiple muscle groups at once."
Kettlebells also don't take up very much space at home and can replace some larger pieces of equipment.
