Want a game changer? Did you know that a simple (but not easy) kettlebell workout can hit all the major muscles in your upper body within a quick 20-minute workout? Not only is it true, but you’ll probably enjoy the fresh approach to fitness that using kettlebells gives you, providing great full-body workouts and plenty of core engagement.

What Is a Kettlebell?

This misnomer neither describes a kettle nor a bell. However, it does describe one of the most versatile (and popular) fitness accessories to ever grace the floors of a gym. While they won’t win any beauty contests due to their odd shape, off-kilter center of gravity, and strange handle, they definitely win first place for ease of use, versatility, and functional fitness benefits.

A kettlebell looks somewhat similar to a cannonball and sports a thick handle on top. Because of its odd shape and off-center handle placement, your body is forced to compensate by engaging stabilizing muscles and activating your core.

Kettlebells come in many different weight increments as well, allowing everyone to start out slowly, with low weight, until they get acclimated to the movements and exercise routines.

What Are the Benefits of Working Out with Kettlebells?

Kettlebells are not only enjoyable, but they also pack a lot of benefits into each and every workout. Here are some of their many benefits.

Double your fun—training with kettlebells allows you to simultaneously work your body’s aerobic and anaerobic systems. Due to the nature of the movements (there are a lot of swinging motions involved), you’ll work up quite a sweat just going through the basic lifts and swings.

Less injury—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.

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 performance across the board.

Super convenient—the fact that kettlebells are so convenient makes them almost worth their weight in gold. You could have a set of kettlebells at home in various sizes and weights and literally train your entire body.

Pack a powerful punch—these little off-center weighted balls with handles can completely help you condition and reshape your body. Since the swing produces an unstable force, it makes you engage a lot more muscles (and your core) than you normally would with a machine, dumbbell, or barbell movement.

Versatile workouts—you can work individual muscles, muscle groups, or even use kettlebell movements to exercise and condition your entire body. More muscles worked in less time leads to higher metabolism and faster fat loss results.

The Basics of Kettlebell Training

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).

There are a couple of basic moves you can learn that will carry over into other kettlebell training workouts. These include the deadlift, the swing, the clean and press, and the snatch. These movements can be used in many different ways with your exercise routines, but for the upper body, you can focus more on the swings.

The deadlift is one of the foundations of kettlebell training. It’s definitely worth learning and learning correctly, as you will build upon it with later routines. However, for exclusively upper bodywork, the focus is more on swings and presses.

The swing does involve your entire body, but the focus is more on the upper body as it involves heavy use of shoulders, arms, core, and grip.

The clean and press is an upward acceleration of the kettlebell that involves the hips and is broken into two movements: one to bring the kettlebell up to chest level and the next to bring it up overhead.

Lastly, the snatch involves bringing the kettlebell overhead in one smooth movement.

You can combine all of these movements, or parts of them, to create a kettlebell workout that works for you.

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

No matter what your fitness level is, it’s always important to start with a solid warm-up to get your circulation going and let your muscles become flexible and ready to work. Before you get started with your workout, do a general warm-up, like 5 – 10 minutes on the treadmill, a mile or two on the bike, some jumping jacks, jump rope, or whatever gets you slightly winded and ready for action.

Once warmed up, start with a weight that is light enough to use so you can learn the movement patterns before progressing to a heavier weight. Do two rounds of each exercise for 10 – 15 repetitions each.

1. Russian swing—start with your feet about hip-width apart. Grab the handle with both hands, palms down, and with your arms in front of you. Bend your knees slightly as you drive your hips back and swing the kettlebell between your legs. As it reverses direction, use your glutes and core to thrust forward, bringing the kettlebell up to about chest level before allowing it to swing back down again.

2. Single-arm swing—this is similar to the two-handed swing but uses one hand. Start with your right arm and swing the kettlebell up. Once it descends, switch hands while the kettlebell is behind your legs, using your left arm to repeat the process.

3. Two-arm row—start with a kettlebell in each hand and bend your knees slightly. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and elbows close to your body. Bend your elbows as you bring the weights up and slightly back until you can’t bring them any higher. Squeeze your back and then slowly lower the weights back to the start. Repeat.

4. Figure eight—start with your legs about hip distance apart. With a kettlebell in your right hand, swing it around to the outside of your right leg and then back between the legs. Pass the kettlebell to the left hand and swing it around the outside of the left leg to keep this motion going.

5. Single-arm floor press—start by lying on your back on the ground with your legs straight. With a kettlebell in your right hand and palm facing your body, bend at the elbow to press the kettlebell straight up, rotating your wrist as you do so, so when your arm is fully extended, your palm faces your feet. (This helps you squeeze and engage your chest muscles.) Bring it back to the start. Repeat 5 times on the right and then switch to the left.

6. Slingshot—start with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a kettlebell in front of your body with your arms extended at hip level. Swing the kettlebell around the outside of your body with one hand and bring it behind your back. Next, reach back with the opposite hand to grab it, swinging the kettlebell to the front of the body. Continue for five reps and then switch directions.

7. Halo—using a small kettlebell and both hands, bring it up to face level and then maneuver it gently around your head. Start first with a clockwise movement for ten repetitions, then counterclockwise for ten repetitions.

8. Power plank with row—begin in an extended arm plank position. With your right hand, grasp a small kettlebell and bend your elbow to bring the kettlebell up to your side. Squeeze your back and then lower the kettlebell back to the floor opposite your left hand. Repeat five times on the right side and then switch to the left.

9. Kettlebell Bent-Over Row—start by placing one hand on a bench or sturdy surface for support, hold the kettlebell in the opposite hand, bend forward, and row the kettlebell toward your hip. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blade at the top of each rep. Alternate arms every 30 seconds.

10. Kettlebell Chest Press—start by lying on your back with your knees bent, and hold the kettlebell at chest height with both hands. Press the kettlebell straight up toward the ceiling, then slowly lower it back down.

Kettlebell training is essential for fat loss, strength training, explosive power, and muscle building. This simple (but not easy) kettlebell workout can hit all the major muscles in your upper body with a quick 20-minute routine to help you get fit fast. Make this a permanent part of your exercise routine.