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25 of the Best Kettlebell Exercises to Build Muscle

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The 25 Best Kettlebell Exercises to Build Musclejose carlos cerdeno martinez - Getty Images

It mightn't look like much, but take it from us, the kettlebell is your ticket to faster fitness. Packing the same weighty punch as dumbbells, and well-suited to the heart rate-spiking benefits of HIIT, these cannonball-shaped weights develop power, endurance, muscle and strength simultaneously for heavyweight results.

Even today, the kettlebell is underused and undervalued by most of the gym-going community, but don't let that fool you. As MH hero Arnold Schwarzenegger says, 'The muscle doesn't see what you're holding in your hands.'

Compact, adaptable and versatile, the kettlebell is an ideal bit of kit for the home workout warrior.

Ready to add this tool to your armoury? We run through the benefits of training with a kettlebell, reveal the most effective kettlebell exercises and workouts to burn fat, build muscle and increase fitness, and share our cast-iron recommendations for the best kettlebells on the market. Let's get to work.


10 Best Kettlebell Workouts

  1. Test Your Whole Body With This 3-Move Kettlebell Workout

  2. This Kettlebell Workout Boosts Your Muscle and Mood

  3. 3 Smart Kettlebell Moves That Build Full-Body Muscle

  4. This 15-Minute, 6-Move Home Kettlebell Workout Is Perfect for a Gentle Return To Training

  5. Hit Your Shoulders, Back and Legs With This Kettlebell Flow

  6. This Low-kit Kettlebell Workout is The Perfect Leg Day Finisher

  7. Challenge Yourself to Build Full-Body Muscle In This 30-Minute, 2-Part Kettlebell Home Workout

  8. Friday Finisher: 20-Minute Kettlebell EMOM to Keep Your Fat-Burning On Lockdown

  9. Block Out 60 Minutes for This Heavy Hitting, 3-Round Kettlebell Workout

  10. Train Your Body and Mind with This Mood Boosting Kettlebell Workout


The Benefits of Kettlebell Exercises

The growing popularity of sports such as CrossFit and Strongman have helped drive kettlebell training and workouts into the mainstream, but the idea is nothing new. In the 19th century, circus strongmen used kettlebell weights — originally meant for weighing crops — to alter their physique, which gradually led to a rise in kettlebell training. Here's what they can do for you:

Kettlebell Exercises Will: Simplify Your Training

Owing to their design, kettlebells are one of the easiest weights to move around during your workout and can be stored away easily, from your car boot to your garden shed or garage. 'You don't need anything more than one kettlebell in combination with your bodyweight to effectively train for strength, build muscle and conditioning,' says online coach and personal trainer Tom Morgan. They're adaptable to your strength and fitness levels, too. Fitness brands such as Rogue and Bulldog stock kettlebells that vary in weights and sizes — from 4kg in weight all the way up to a whopping 68kg.

Kettlebell Exercises Will: Substitute Cardio

Usually, kettlebell workouts feature a high-rep range, meaning that multiple muscles are worked at once. If kept at a consistent pace, they can offer similar aerobic benefits to HIIT training. During a 2010 study, participants performing a 20-minute kettlebell snatch workout were found to burn 13.6 calories a minute, equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace. Similarly, by performing kettlebell circuits three times a week, you'll pump up your VO2 max by 6 per cent in just under a month, according to the NSCA’s TSAC Report.

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Kettlebell Exercises Will: Build Posterior Chain Strength

Exercises like kettlebell swings can help increase your heart rate and burn extra fat muscle, but when it comes to building strength throughout your posterior chain – the muscles on the backside of the body – they really come into their own. Plus, the shape and size means they’ll work your muscles differently to barbells and dumbbells. 'Kettlebells are best for swinging to develop your posterior chain,' says Rob Blair, PT at The Commando Temple. 'As these are your body's biggest muscles, you'll also torch calories.'

Kettlebell Exercises Will: Train You to Move Better

Kettlebells are an incredibly useful tool for those looking to build their base of strength and mobility, so if you're struggling with your barbell back squat, for example, utilising the kettlebell goblet squat is a good way of practising proper form with a safer exercise that can then be upgraded as your strength increases. 'Kettlebells give you the opportunity to move athletically with additional resistance from a variety of angles and more challenging positions,' explains Jon Lewis, a personal trainer with fitness outlet Industrial Strength.

Kettlebell Exercises Will: Increase Your Range of Motion

Most kettlebell exercises require you to move through multiple planes of motion – from swings, presses and carries to more dynamic movements, where a dumbbell or barbell may be more difficult to use. 'When you don’t have a barbell to throw a load of weight onto, you have an opportunity to move through larger ranges,' says Morgan. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research also found that kettlebell training contributes to a healthier lower back, owing to the loading and movement patterns.

Kettlebell Exercises Will: Fix Muscle Imbalances

Many kettlebell exercises are unilateral, meaning you use a single arm or leg. 'This gives you the chance to train both sides equally, rather than relying on your stronger side to get through a movement,' says Morgan. 'It can help to address your weaknesses and make you stronger overall.' Training one limb at a time also has a beneficial effect on your balance, he continues. 'You're forced to stabilise yourself to manage the movement. For example, pressing overhead with one arm forces you to stabilise through your trunk.'

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Kettlebell Training Tips

Done right, kettlebell training will shore up your stability, but poor form can have the opposite intended effect. The most common injury that occurs using a kettlebell is in the lower back.

'Typically, it's with the kettlebell swing, because of its dynamic nature – moving back and forth quickly at the hip joint,' explains Wardingley. 'This exaggerated flexion and extension at the hip puts a lot of force through the lower back.'

Arching your back, failing to engage your glutes in an overhead press, and folding in a goblet position are also common culprits in kettlebell training, he says, so double down on your technique.

25 of the Best Kettlebell Exercises for Burning Fat and Building Muscle

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1. Kettlebell Swing

  1. Stand with feet set wider than shoulder-width and bend your knees to grab the kettlebell with both hands.

  2. Drive your hips, keep your back flat swing the weight up to shoulder height.

  3. Return to the start position and repeat without losing momentum.

Why? Initiated by a powerful hip thrust from your hamstring and glutes, opting for heavier weights (once the move is mastered, of course) for up to 90 seconds a set will vastly improve your anaerobic fitness, accelerating your heart-rate and ignite a fat-burn that the bench press can only dream of.

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Weights, Exercise equipment, Shoulder, Arm, Standing, Kettlebell, Joint, Sports equipment, Dumbbell, Leg,

2. Kettlebell Thrusters

  1. Hold two kettlebells by their handles so the weight is resting on the back of your shoulders.

  2. Slightly bend your knees and squat down, keeping your legs in line with your shoulders.

  3. Drive through your legs and straighten them, extending your arms as you do to raise the kettlebells above your head.

  4. Squat down and repeat.

Why? As one of the most criminally under-rated full-body exercises, the punishingly effective thruster offers a full-body blitz that other moves can't even get near. A move reserved for CrossFit zealots, this is not. By combining a front squat with an overhead press, you're transforming a drab move into a compound exercise that builds full-body power.

kb clean and press
kb clean and press

3. Kettlebell Clean and Press

  1. Stand holding two kettlebells by your thighs, knees slightly bent and legs shoulder-width apart.

  2. In one swift movement, slightly jump off the ground and raise your arms to extend above your head.

  3. Land softly on your feet with your knees bent as though you're doing a squat and extend your arms straight above you shoulder-width apart.

Why? Powerlifting moves needn't be restricted to barbells bending under crippling weight loads. Instead, the kettlebell clean and press offers the opportunity to increase grip strength, become stronger in overhead movements (your shoulder press will thank you) and will help you learn the lesson of maintaining a rigid core during all lifts.

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4. Kettlebell Snatch

  1. Holding a kettlebell in one hand between your legs, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

  2. Drive upwards through your hips and knees and as the kettlebell rises to shoulder height, rotate your hand and push it upwards until your arm is locked out.

  3. Squat down and return the weight to the start position. Repeat with one arm, then swap sides.

Why? Studying the benefits of the kettlebell snatch, the University of Wisconsin found that participants burned around 20kcals a minute while performing kettlebell snatches, during a work/rest split of 15 seconds on and 15 seconds off. Plus, the researchers found that participants performing the kettlebell snatch usually maintained 86 to 99 per cent of their maximum heart rate, making it an essential move for easy weight loss.

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Shoulder, Standing, Weights, Arm, Exercise equipment, Kettlebell, Joint, Knee, Human leg, Calf,

5. Kettlebell Pistol Squat

  1. Hold one kettlebell with both hands just under your chin.

  2. Lift one leg off the floor and squat down with the other.

  3. Drive through the heel and bring yourself back up to standing position, without letting your leg touch the floor.

  4. Lower back down and repeat.

Why? Functional and an easy gym brag, the kettlebell pistol squat is the king of mobility moves. Ideal for oiling the stiff joints of desk-jockeys and gym bros, it'll also set your Instagram feed ablaze. Helping you master the holy trinity of fitness — stability, strength and mobility — it'll challenge your core (there's more to a six-pack than crunches and planks, after all) and will build sportive-worthy quads while increasing balance.

goblet squat
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6. Kettlebell Goblet Squat

  1. Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, clasping a kettlebell in each hand in front of your chest with palms facing each other.

  2. Bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat, keeping the kettlebells in the same position and ensuring you don't round your back by tensing your glutes throughout.

  3. Drive back up and repeat.

Why? When it comes to simple fat-burning, it's hard to beat the squat. As one of the royal compound moves (alongside the deadlift and the bench press), the kettlebell goblet squat builds huge lower-body strength and more powerful glutes that can be transferred to your deadlifts and your running technique.

exercises to build calf muscles
exercises to build calf muscles

7. Kettlebell Farmer's Walk

  1. Hold two kettlebells by your side.

  2. Keep your arms strong and walk short, quick steps as fast as possible.

  3. Turn around and walk back.

Why? Ideal for building grip and plugging onto the end of a tough workout, farmer's walks also pack heavy-duty muscle onto your upper-back while fighting lower-back pain and being a useful conditioning tool and fat-loss. There's nothing a kettlebell farmer's walk can't do.

8. Alternate Kettlebell Shoulder Press

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding two kettlebells at shoulder height.

  2. Press one of the weights above your head until your arm is fully extended.

  3. Lower and repeat with the other arm.

Why? All the benefits of a traditional shoulder press – that is, building functional strength in almost every single upper-body muscle in your body – without needing a dumbbell to get it done. It'll bolster your bench press and solidify your core, too.

9. Alternate Kettlebell Floor Press

  1. Lie on the floor holding a kettlebell in each hand.

  2. Press the kettlebells up towards the ceiling.

  3. Lower back to start position, one at a time.

Why? No bench? No problem. Get your chest pump with this move instead. While it may limit the range of motion you would achieve with a bench, you'll still build serious strength in the top portion of the lift – placing emphasis on your triceps and stabilising shoulder muscles.

10. Kettlebell Toe Touch with Pick Up

  1. With your legs shoulder width apart, hold a kettlebell in one hand and extend it above you.

  2. Slide the opposite hand down your leg, keeping your arm with the kettlebell in completely straight, and another kettlebell.

  3. Lift your body back up, raising the kettlebell to your thigh, then slowly move back down to place the kettlebell back on the floor. Return to starting position and repeat.

Why? It might not pump up your hard rate, but that doesn't mean it's ineffective – as you'll soon find out. Give your arms, abs and shoulders a complete workout with this move, which requires coordination, flexibility and tenacity in equal measure.

11. One Arm Kettlebell Swing

  1. Stand with feet set wider than shoulder-width and bend your knees to grab the ketllebell with one hand.

  2. Drive your hips, keep your back flat swing the weight up to shoulder height.

  3. Return to the start position and repeat without losing momentum.

Why? By doing kettlebell swings with one arm, you'll increase the demand you place on the shoulder stabilising muscles and correct any muscle imbalances. The result? Growing guns for fun, one arm at a time.

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12. Turkish Get-Up

  1. Lie down holding a kettlebell just above your right shoulder. Extend your right arm and push the kettlebell directly above you, then straighten your left arm out to your side.

  2. Bend your right knee and move it across your body, placing your foot on the floor. Keep watching the kettlebell, still at arms length above you, as you move into standing position.

  3. Slowly reverse the movement until you're lying down, then bring the kettlebell back down to your shoulder.

Why? The move involves virtually every muscle, while balancing the weight overhead will really test your shoulders and core.

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13. Sumo High Pull

  1. Stand with your legs wider than shoulder-width and place a kettlebell between them.

  2. Lower your body into squat position until your knees are bent to a 90 degree and both hands reach the kettlebell.

  3. Extend through your legs and raise the kettlebell to your chin, so your arms bend and elbows are in line with the top of your head. Squat down and repeat.

Why? Similarly to the Turkish get-up, this move requires a large range of motion and employs almost all of the muscles in your posterior chain.

chainsaw row
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14. Chainsaw Row

  1. In a split stance, and with the kettlebell on the floor, row the bell forcefully, leading with the elbow while keeping your torso low.

  2. Lower the kettlebell back to the floor, allowing a second to elapse before starting the next rep.

Why? The dead-stop component of this exercise allows for a powerful, concentric pull and a strong, muscle-building contraction in the lats.

burpee over kettlebell
burpee over kettlebell

15. Burpee Over Kettlebell

  1. With a kettlebell on the ground beside you, hit the deck, and lower your body until your chest touches the floor.

  2. Stand back up and jump powerfully over the bell.

  3. Drop into another burpee and repeat.

Why? An intense, full-body move, and would any list of best exercises be compete without burpees?

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leg, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, glove, muscle, contact sport, trunk, striking combat sports,

16. Kettlebell Front Squat

  1. Swing two kettlebells up into the rack position and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

  2. Push your hips back and descend slowly for 5 seconds before pushing back up forcefully.

Why? The kettlebell front squat is a perfect move for anyone who don’t yet have the wrist or shoulder mobility to do the same move with a barbell.

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17. Kettlebell Overhead Carry

  1. Clean a pair of kettlebells into the front rack position and press them overhead until your arms are locked out.

  2. March for 20m, turn and head back.

Why? A safe and effective overhead press takes good shoulder and upper back mobility, while the walk will boost your balance and core strength.

new exercise
new exercise

18. Kettlebell Kneeling Clean to Windmill

  1. Kneel with an upright posture and neutral spine. Grab the kettlebell with the hand opposite to your kneeling leg.

  2. To clean into the rack position, contract your glutes and extend your hips, rather than just relying on your arm. Keep your elbow high to further engage your shoulder.

  3. Press the weight over your head and pause. Keep your spine straight and arm extended, then hinge at your hips to lean forward. Push your glutes back slightly.

  4. As you hinge, reach your empty hand between your knees and look up. Raise your torso and lower the weight to the rack position, then the ground.

Why? 'The first part activates your shoulders, lats, and core. The windmill works on your hinge, which taps into your glutes and hamstrings,' says Hollywood PT Don Saladino.

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19. Kettlebell Swing Clean

  1. Begin with the kettlebell on the floor, one foot in front of you.

  2. Hinge at the hips and reach forward to the kettlebell handle.

  3. Pull the handle between your legs and snap the hips forward.

  4. Let the momentum created from your hips swing the kettlebell close to the body as you pull your elbow into your waist.

  5. Finish with the kettlebell in the front rack position on your chest with the thumb touching your collarbone.

  6. Reverse the swing between your legs and repeat the reps from swing to front rack position.

Why? The swing clean is the basis of many kettlebell moves therefore it is a useful skill to learn. You can position them in kettlebell flows to increase your metabolic rate and get your heart racing.

american kettlebell swing
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20. American Swing

  1. With a kettlebell between your legs, hinge at your hips, swinging the weight backward.

  2. Drive your hips forward to explosively blast it up directly above your head.

  3. Let the momentum return you back into the hinge position and straight into rep two.

Why? The American swing places more emphasis on the shoulders and trap muscles. With higher rep ranges, the American swing is a great move to boost your aerobic capacity whilst getting a shoulder pump.

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21. Single Arm Z Press

  1. Begin seated on the floor with both legs spread apart, straight out in front of you.

  2. Keep your core locked and chest open.

  3. With one kettlebell in the front rack position, press the weight directly overhead.

  4. Control the descent of the rep back to the front rack position ready to repeat.

Why? The single arm Z press works the core harder and takes all possible momentum out of the movement. This means that your legs can't help you power the kettlebell overhead, resulting in a strict overhead press. With an additional emphasis on hamstring and groin mobility, the Z press is quite the multitasker.

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22. Kettlebell Reverse Crunch

  1. Begin lying on the floor with the kettlebell above your head and your knees bent.

  2. Push your back into the floor and hold onto the handles of the kettlebell.

  3. Lift the legs and continue to elevate your lower back off the floor whilst maintaining core engagement.

  4. Slowly reverse the movement back down to the floor, ready to repeat.

Why? The reverse crunch is an excellent exercise to work the entirety of the core. The nature of the slow completion of the reps builds time under tension for maximum abdominal strength.

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23. Kettlebell Plank Pass Through

  1. Begin in the high plank position with a kettlebell on one side, next to the outside of your palm.

  2. Reach across underneath your torso with the opposite hand to the side of the kettlebell.

  3. Drag the kettlebell under your body to the other side, ready to repeat.

Why? The kettlebell plank pass through works your core isometrically by challenging it anti-rotationally. This means that you have to fight to keep your torso locked and straight as you move the kettlebell from side to side.

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24. Half Kneeling Press

  1. Begin with one knee up and one knee down, kneeling on the floor with the kettlebell in the opposite hand to the knee that is raised.

  2. With the kettlebell in the front rack position, press the weight directly overhead.

  3. Resist the weight on the descent of the rep back to the front rack position, ready to repeat.

Why? The half kneeling press places additional focus on the core as you are pressing an offset weight. When the weight pulls you to one side, off balance, your core must work harder to keep you stable. The nature of the knees being on the floor takes any additional momentum out of the move, forcing your shoulders to do most of the work. Research published by the IOS Press found that trunk stability improved without particular directional preference in response to unilateral core training. Meaning the half kneeling press might be a great addition to your program for core strength.

renegade row
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25. Renegade Kettlebell Row

  1. Begin in the high plank position with your hands gripping onto two kettlebell handles.

  2. Maintain a locked core and a straight line from your heels to the top of your head.

  3. Alternately row one kettlebell at a time towards your hips.

Why? The renegade row is undisputedly one of the best full-body kettlebell exercises with a large emphasis on core training. It delivers tremendous bang for your buck in just one move.


Beginners Kettlebell Workout Plan

Paused Goblet Squat x 8-12 reps and 3-4 sets

  1. Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, clasping a kettlebell in each hand in front of your chest with palms facing each other.

  2. Bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat, keeping the kettlebell in the same position and ensuring you don't round your back by tensing your glutes throughout.

  3. Pause here for a beat, drive back up and repeat.

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Allie Holloway

Half Kneeling Kettlebell Press x 6-10 reps each side and 3-4 sets

  1. Begin with one knee up and one knee down, kneeling on the floor with the kettlebell in the opposite hand to the knee that is raised.

  2. With the kettlebell in the front rack position, press the weight directly overhead.

  3. Resist the weight on the descent of the rep back to the front rack position, ready to repeat.

squat lunge
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Kettlebell Lunge x 8-12 reps and 3-4 sets

  1. Hold the kettlebell in the goblet position.

  2. Step one foot back and sink the knee towards the floor as the front knee bends.

  3. Push through the back foot back to standing, ready to repeat on the other side.

kettlebell row
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Single Arm Kettlebell Row x 8-12 reps each side and 3-4 sets

  1. Send one foot behind you into a long lunge position with the back leg straight, a forward lean with the torso supported with your hand on the opposite knee.

  2. With the kettlebell in the opposite hand to the front knee, row the weight towards your hip in an arc shape.

  3. Reverse the movement, ready to repeat.

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Farmers Walk x 30 metres and 3-5 sets

  1. Hold two kettlebells by your side. Keep your arms strong and walk short, quick steps as fast as possible.

  2. Turn around and walk back.


Kettlebell Finisher: Descending Ladder Workout

Working in a descending ladder, you’re going to move back-and forth between two movements, starting at 20 and reducing the reps by 2 for each new round until you hit the ground. Try not to break during any of the sets.

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Goblet Squat: 20,18,16,14....Reps

  1. Grip the weight to your chest, then sink your hips back and descend into a squat. Your elbows should come in between your knees at the bottom.

  2. Drive back up by tensing your glutes at the top. The weight might be pressed against your chest, but it’s vital to keep breathing.

Kettlebell Swing: 20,18,16,14....Reps

  1. Holding the kettlebell between your legs, initiate the movement by hinging your hips back like you’re trying to push a door open with your glutes, swinging the weight back, before driving your hips forward to lift the kettlebell to shoulder height.

  2. Let the momentum bring you straight back down into rep two.

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