
08 Nov Kettlebell Program
This program is designed to be modular in format and can be adapted to different needs. For example, if you have heavier kettlebells or dumbbells, it can be done for low reps to target strength improvements. If you have lighter weights or want to target conditioning, you can do higher reps with less rest. In terms of equipment, it can be done with 1 or 2 kettlebells or it can be done with 1 or 2 dumbbells.
Workout 1
Movement |
Reps |
Single kettlebell front squat |
5 per side |
Single kettlebell push press |
5 per side |
Goblet lunge |
12 total reps |
Russian swings |
12 |
Turkish Get up |
2 per side |
All of the movements in the above workout are performed with 1 kettlebell or dumbbell.
Strength option – if you have a heavy kettlebell/dumbbell or 2 kettlebells dumbbells you can do this workout for 3-4 rounds with as much rest as you need between rounds.
Conditioning option – if you have a lighter kettlebell/dumbbell and you want to work on conditioning, you can increase the reps for each movement and the rounds to 5 and try to perform it as fast as you can.
Alternatively, you can do it as an AMRAP (anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes).
Workout 2
Movement |
Reps |
Single kettlebell thruster |
5 per side |
Single kettlebell floor press |
10 per side |
Single kettlebell row |
10 per side |
Snatch |
5 per side |
Waiter’s walk |
25m per side |
All of the movements in the above workout are performed with 1 kettlebell or dumbbell.
Strength option – if you have a heavy kettlebell/dumbbell or 2 kettlebells dumbbells you can do this workout for 3-4 rounds with as much rest as you need between rounds
Conditioning option – if you have a lighter kettlebell/dumbbell and you want to work on conditioning, you can increase the reps for each movement and the rounds to 5 and try to perform it as fast as you can.
Alternatively, you can do it as an AMRAP (anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes).
Movement alternatives: if you cannot do the snatch you can replace it with the single arm swing. If you don’t have the space to perform the waiter’s walk, you can do an overhead hold for 30 seconds.
Workout 3
Movement |
Reps |
Single kettlebell clean and jerk |
5 per side |
Goblet squat |
12 |
Front rack lunge |
6 per side |
Single kettlebell deadlift |
12 |
Suitcase carry |
25m per side |
All of the movements in the above workout are performed with 1 kettlebell or dumbbell.
Strength option – if you have a heavy kettlebell/dumbbell or 2 kettlebells dumbbells you can do this workout for 3-4 rounds with as much rest as you need between rounds.
Conditioning option – if you have a lighter kettlebell/dumbbell and you want to work on conditioning, you can increase the reps for each movement and the rounds to 5 and try to perform it as fast as you can.
Alternatively, you can do it as an AMRAP (anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes).
Movement alternatives: If you don’t have the space to perform the suitcase carry, you can do side bends instead.
Workout 4
Movement |
Reps |
Single kettlebell Romanian deadlift |
12 |
Single kettlebell strict press |
5 per side |
Overhead lunge |
6 per side |
Clean and front squat |
5 per side |
Front leaning rest |
30 seconds |
All of the movements in the above workout are performed with 1 kettlebell or dumbbell.
Strength option – if you have a heavy kettlebell/dumbbell or 2 kettlebells dumbbells you can do this workout for 3-4 rounds with as much rest as you need between rounds.
Conditioning option – if you have a lighter kettlebell/dumbbell and you want to work on conditioning, you can increase the reps for each movement and the rounds to 5 and try to perform it as fast as you can.
Alternatively, you can do it as an AMRAP (anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes).
Movement alternatives: If needed you can replace the overhead lunge with a front rack lunge. If you cannot do the front leaning rest, you can replace it with the plank. If the weight you have is too heavy for a strict press, do a push press.
Workout 5
Movement |
Reps |
Pause goblet squat (3 seconds in bottom) |
10 |
Single arm kettlebell row |
10 per side |
Single kettlebell push jerk |
5 per side |
Single arm kettlebell swings |
6 per side |
Weighted sit ups |
10 |
All of the movements in the above workout are performed with 1 kettlebell or dumbbell.
Strength option – if you have a heavy kettlebell/dumbbell or 2 kettlebells dumbbells you can do this workout for 3-4 rounds with as much rest as you need between rounds.
Conditioning option – if you have a lighter kettlebell/dumbbell and you want to work on conditioning, you can increase the reps for each movement and the rounds to 5 and try to perform it as fast as you can.
Alternatively, you can do it as an AMRAP (anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes).
Workout 6
Movement |
Reps |
Single kettlebell clean/front squat/lunge |
5 per side |
Push ups |
12 |
Overhead squat |
5 per side |
American swings |
12 |
Front rack carry |
25m per side |
All of the movements in the above workout are performed with 1 kettlebell or dumbbell.
Strength option – if you have a heavy kettlebell/dumbbell or 2 kettlebells dumbbells you can do this workout for 3-4 rounds with as much rest as you need between rounds.
Conditioning option – if you have a lighter kettlebell/dumbbell and you want to work on conditioning, you can increase the reps for each movement and the rounds to 5 and try to perform it as fast as you can.
Alternatively, you can do it as an AMRAP (anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes).
Movement alternatives: If you cannot do push ups on the floor, put your hands on an elevated surface. If necessary, you can replace with overhead squat with a front rack squat. If you don’t have the space to perform the front rack carry, you can do a front rack hold instead for 25-30 seconds.
Program setup
As you can see there are 6 workouts in this program. You can decide when to do these workouts based on your training schedule.
For example, you could do 3 times per week as follows:
Monday – workout 1
Wednesday – workout 2
Friday – workout 3
Monday – workout 4
Wednesday – workout 5
Friday – workout 6
If you do 4 times per week it would be:
Monday – workout 1
Tuesday – workout 2
Thursday – workout 3
Friday – workout 4
Monday – workout 5
Tuesday – workout 6
So, what happens when you complete the 6 workouts? Simple, you repeat them! However, you need to add some progression from the previous workout. There are several ways you can progress each workout:
Load – increase the weight on each movement (only valid if you have the extra dumbbells/kettlebells.
Reps – add 1-2 reps per movement from the previous workout
Rounds – add 1 round from the previous workout
Rest periods – decrease the rest periods between movements from the previous workout
Total time – decrease the total amount of time for the entire workout from the previous session
Increase time/reps – if you performed the session as an AMRAP, try to either increase the time from the previous session. Alternatively, do the same time but increase the total number of reps.
Please note that you only need to pick 1 or maybe 2 of the above progressions for each workout. Don’t try to do them all! You can keep doing these workouts for 4-6 weeks or when progress stops (ie you are no longer to add reps, rounds etc etc).
Hopefully the lockdown will be over at the end of November, but we will put out a new program in 1 month if necessary.