Work out your lower body (and even engage some upper body muscles) in a quick 20-minute kettlebell workout. These interesting, albeit oddly shaped, additions to the dumbbell area of your gym are bound to become your new best friends. With all the benefits kettlebells provide combined with their sheer convenience, you just might find yourself addicted to these challenging and effective (yet fun) workouts.

What Makes a Kettlebell Unique?

You’ve most assuredly seen these strange-looking orbs in your travels through various gyms or fitness facilities. Basically, heavy metal balls with handles on the top, kettlebells put a unique twist on formerly mundane moves. The fact that their center of gravity is anything but “centered” makes your body use both major and supporting muscles in new and different ways.

What Are the Benefits of Working Out with Kettlebells?

Kettlebells are a fun, fresh way to get in compound movements. Aside from the mental break from dumbbell monotony, a kettlebell workout also boasts a lot of benefits like:

• Feel fired up again—just when you were feeling bored at the gym, it’s kettlebells to the rescue. They’re bringing back the fun to your previously boring and monotonous workouts.
• Get your head in the game—believe it or not, a good kettlebell workout requires focus. In order to properly swing the kettlebells and transfer them from hand to hand, you have to stay engaged. This also helps you bolster mind and body connections.
• Increase flexibility—why are you less susceptible to injury when you work with kettlebells? Since swinging a kettlebell uses so many muscles in your body and fully engages your core, you quickly become more flexible as well as stronger.
• Increase mobility—swinging these heavy objects forces your muscles to go through full ranges of motion they might not otherwise experience.
• Coordination and agility—extreme balance skills are required to stay upright throughout the movements of a kettlebell workout. Not to worry, though, if you’re not starting out strong in the balance department. You’ll build coordination, agility, and yes, balance, the more you practice.
• Functional fitness—the moves may not look like something you do every day, but you’d be surprised at how well these moves, practiced consistently over time, can help you increase your strength and perform better across the board.
• Aerobic and anaerobic workouts—you’ll get the benefit of both at the same time while doing a kettlebell workout. Not only will you improve strength, but you’ll be out of breath in the process as you go through the fast-paced, moderately heavy swings and lifts.
• Learning something completely new—approaching your training from a place of learning new things is not only refreshing, but it’s also a great way to slow down and give your body a break from the heavy lifting as you become proficient at the new and unusual kettlebell movements.

Try This 20-Minute Kettlebell Lower Body Workout that Even Beginners Can Do

If you’re new to kettlebell training, or it’s been a while since you darkened the steps of a gym, then it’s important to start out slowly. Opt for the lightest weight available to you until you’re able to get the movement patterns down (or until they come back to you).

Always start with a solid warm-up of 5 – 10 minutes to get your circulation going and warm up those muscles. For each exercise, aim for two sets in a row of 12 – 25 reps, adjusting your weight so you can maintain proper form.

Goblet Squat—start by standing up straight and holding the kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands, keeping your elbows close to your body. Point your toes out slightly to the sides. Next, squat down, letting the weight drop straight down as you bend your knees and let them track in the direction of your toes. Once you’ve squatted down completely, push back up to standing by straightening your legs and driving through your heels.

Kettlebell Deadlift—start by grasping the kettlebell in front of you with both hands. Keeping your feet about a foot apart, hinge backward with your hips, putting a slight bend in your knees as you lean forward and lower the weight toward the ground. At the bottom of the movement, feel a good stretch through your hamstrings, and then push forward from the hips to straighten your back and legs.

Kettlebell Swing—this will work most of your major muscles (upper and lower body). Start with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart. Grasp a kettlebell in front of you with both hands. Next, hinge back slightly with your hips, bending your knees, and swing the kettlebell back between your legs. Then, explode forward, squeezing your hips and glutes, and bring the kettlebell up in front of you to chest level before letting it come back down to the starting position again.

Kettlebell Bulgarian Split Squat—start with your left foot elevated on a bench behind you. You can use one or two kettlebells (your preference). Holding the weight in your hand(s), bend your right knee and squat down, lowering the kettlebell(s) (along with your back knee) toward the ground. Push back up through your heels, using your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core to return to the starting position.

Kettlebell Reverse Lunge—start with a kettlebell in each hand and your feet about hip-width apart. Take a large step backward with your right leg and bend your knees to get into a lunge position, feeling a good stretch through your glutes and hamstrings. Push back up to standing with your right foot and repeat on the opposite side.

Kettlebell Step-Up—begin by holding a kettlebell with both hands at chest level. With your right foot, step up onto a platform or low- to medium-height bench. Drive through your left heel to help power the straightening of your right leg as you come to the full standing position on the bench. Slowly bend your right knee to lower your left foot back to the ground. Do 3 – 5 repetitions for your right leg and then switch sides. These are tough, so take your time and get the movement right, starting with very light weights and working your way up over time.

Kettlebell training is a great addition to any workout program, and by including this quick 20-minute lower-body workout and this 20-minute upper-body workout at least once a week, you’ll start noticing some great results rather quickly. And, you might even enjoy yourself in the process!