Kettlebell strength workouts: a full-body plan

A kettlebell is one of the most useful pieces of kit you can own. One bell trains your legs, back, shoulders, arms and core, fits in a corner and works in a living room. Here's how to use it for strength, not just sweat.

The exercises that matter

• Kettlebell swingGlutes, Hamstrings
• Kettlebell goblet squatQuads, Glutes
• Kettlebell rowLats, Upper back
• Suitcase carryObliques, Forearms
• Kettlebell curlBiceps
• Single-leg Romanian deadliftHamstrings, Glutes

The swing is the signature move: a powerful hip hinge that trains glutes and hamstrings hard. Goblet squats cover the legs, rows the back, and suitcase carries the core and grip.

Workout A

• Goblet squat: 4 sets of 8 to 12
• One-arm row: 3 sets of 8 to 12 each side
• Swing: 5 sets of 15
• Suitcase carry: 3 walks of 30 to 40 metres each side

Workout B

• Single-leg Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 8 each side
• Push-up (feet on the floor or raised): 4 sets of 8 to 15
• Swing: 5 sets of 15
• Curl: 3 sets of 10 to 15
• Plank: 3 holds of 30 to 45 seconds

How heavy?

Many men start with 16 kg and many women with 8 to 12 kg, but the real test is the goblet squat: choose a bell you can squat 10 times with good form and a couple of reps left. Swings can usually go heavier than squats.

When the bell gets light

• Add reps, up to about 15 to 20 on squats and rows.
• Slow down: three seconds on the way down makes any weight harder.
• Go one-sided: split squats and single-leg deadlifts double the load on each leg.
• Add a pause at the bottom of squats.
• Buy the next bell up. Two bells of different weights cover most people for years.

Tip: Swings are a hinge, not a squat. Push your hips back, snap them forward, and let the bell float. Your arms just hold on.

Kettlebell plans in Liftsmith

Tell Liftsmith which kettlebells you own and it builds every workout from them, plus your body weight and anything else you have. It adds reps or tougher variations when a bell gets light, and tells you why it picked each one.