6 Kettlebell Workouts That Build Strength and Fitness With One Bell

In one study, twelve rounds of 30-second kettlebell swings, twice a week, raised jump height as much as jump-squat training did: about 20% in six weeks. That session is one of the six kettlebell workouts below.

Before you pick one, get two things right: the weight you start with, and the order you learn the kettlebell exercises in. Both are covered first.

Pick your kettlebell workout

What weight kettlebell to start with

These are StrongFirst's starting weights, and StrongFirst says not to start heavier. "Strong" means a woman who does strict push-ups with ease, or a man who benches over 100 kg (225 lb).

For swings, coaches go heavier. Pavel Tsatsouline says 24 kg suits most men. Dan John's swing challenge uses 24 kg for men and 16 kg for women.

The long-term target is StrongFirst's "Simple" standard: 100 swings and 10 get-ups with 32 kg for men, and 24 kg swings and 16 kg get-ups for women.

The kettlebell exercises to learn first, in order

Our suggested order, based on Pavel Tsatsouline and StrongFirst's coaching.

1. Deadlift. Push your hips back and stand up with the bell. The swing is a fast deadlift, so learn this first.
2. Goblet squat. Hold the bell at your chest and sit between your knees.
3. Two-hand swing. Hike the bell back between your legs and snap your hips forward. The bell floats to chest height.
4. Press, row and carry. One arm at a time.
5. Get-up. Slow, one step at a time.
6. One-arm swing, once the two-hand swing is solid.

How to do a kettlebell swing with good form

• Hinge, don't squat. Your knees shouldn't drive forward as you stand up.
• Keep your back flat and your heels down. The handle passes above your knees on the backswing.
• Breathe in on the way down, out hard on the way up.
• Lift with your hips, not your arms or shoulders.
• Rest until your next set will look as good as your first.
• Get two or three sessions with a certified instructor before training alone. The authors of an ACE study recommend this.

6 kettlebell workouts, beginner to advanced

Every one uses a single bell and comes from a named coach or a published study. Tap a button to copy it, then paste it into sweatcue.

How often to do kettlebell workouts

The studies above showed gains from two sessions a week. Healthline suggests 2 to 3, and the programs below range from once a week to most days: the swing EMOM starts at once a week, and Dan John's challenge runs 2 days on and 1 off.

Do kettlebell workouts work? What the research shows

The studies were small and short, and most used young or trained people.

Do you need one kettlebell or two?

One is enough to start. StrongFirst puts two-bell training "far in the future". Every workout on this page uses one bell. Dan John's Armor Building Complex is a good next step once you own a pair.

Run them in sweatcue

sweatcue times the work and rest, calls each set and counts your rounds, so you can keep your eyes on the bell.

Paste in any workout above. It keeps the weight you used for next time.

More workout guides

Kettlebell workout FAQ

What weight kettlebell should a beginner use?

StrongFirst says 8 kg for most women and 16 kg for most men, 12 and 24 kg if you're already strong.

Do kettlebell workouts work?

Yes. In the studies above, two sessions a week raised strength, power and aerobic fitness within 6 to 8 weeks.

Is kettlebell training cardio or strength?

Both. Swing intervals and snatches raise your heart rate high. Presses, squats and get-ups build strength.

Can you build muscle with kettlebells?

Yes, if you take sets close to failure and keep adding weight or reps. In studies, light and heavy loads built similar muscle when sets went to failure (Schoenfeld 2017).

How many kettlebell swings should I do a day?

Start with sets of 10 and build to 100 in a session, as in Simple & Sinister. Dan John's challenge goes up to 500.

Is a 20-minute kettlebell workout enough?

Simple & Sinister takes about 16 minutes and the swing intervals take 12.

Sources

1. StrongFirst: Which kettlebells you need
2. StrongFirst: Simple & Sinister standards
3. StrongFirst: Andy Bolton, kettlebells and powerlifting
4. Pavel Tsatsouline on the kettlebell swing (Art of Manliness)
5. Dan John's 10,000 swing challenge (Lift Vault)
6. Dan John's 10,000 swing workout (T3)
7. Coach: Kettlebell workout for beginners (Katrin Schlee)
8. BarBend: Best kettlebell workouts
9. Healthline: Kettlebell workout
10. Lake and Lauder 2012, swings vs jump squats (J Strength Cond Res)
11. ACE: Kettlebells kick butt (8-week study)
12. ACE: Kettlebells, twice the results in half the time (snatch study)
13. Jay et al. 2011, kettlebells for neck and back pain (Scand J Work Environ Health)
14. Schoenfeld et al. 2017, light vs heavy loads (J Strength Cond Res)
15. Breaking Muscle: Dan John's Armor Building Complex