If I could only use one fitness tool for the rest of my life it would be a kettlebell—this strength coach’s six-move kettlebell workout shows why

If I could only use one piece of fitness equipment for the rest of my life, it would be a kettlebell. This versatile tool can help you build strength, power and muscle, and it challenges your aerobic fitness when used in a HIIT workout.

Trainer Academy strength coach Domenic Angelino is also a kettlebell fan, and to help you jump on the bandwagon he’s designed a full-body workout you can do using just one weight.

"This workout is designed to build muscle while also increasing your muscular endurance," he says, which is your muscles’ ability to repeatedly exert force.

"This means that as you build muscle, you will also be getting better at working out itself. If your workout performance improves, your workouts will be more effective, which in turn leads to even more muscle building.

"It also helps you burn calories. Because it involves short rest periods and a moderately high number of exercise repetitions, your body will require a sizable amount of energy to complete the workout. This can help you lose weight if you’re eating less calories than you burn each day."

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Domenic Angelino, MS, CSCS, CPT

Domenic Angelino is a certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach. He holds a master’s degree in kinesiology, as well as further fitness qualifications from the American Council of Exercise and National Strength and Conditioning Association. He has been involved with several research projects, written a textbook on fitness and nutrition for a school system and worked with fitness apps, fitness influencers, athletes and educational institutions as an expert consultant. 

How to do Domenic Angelino’s kettlebell workout

• Kettlebell goblet squat 3x10-12
• Kettlebell swing 3x12-15
• Kettlebell overhead press 3x10-12
• Kettlebell front raise 3x12-15
• Kettlebell single-arm bent-over row 3x10-12
• Kettlebell upright row 3x12-15

Perform the exercises listed above in straight sets, completing all three sets of each exercise together and then resting for the amount of time specified below.

For example, to start the workout you will do 10-12 goblet squats, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat this three times before moving on to the kettlebell swings.

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1. Kettlebell goblet squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds

• Stand upright with your feet roughly shoulder width apart. Hold a kettlebell tight to your chest using both hands.
• Keeping your chest up and your back flat, push your hips back and squat as low as you comfortably can.
• Drive through your feet to straighten your legs and return to the starting position.

For more form tips, see our piece on how to do weighted goblet squats.

2. Kettlebell swing

Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 45 seconds

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell by the handle with both hands in front of your pelvis, palms facing your body.
• Soften your knees and, keeping your back flat, hinge at the hips to lean forward and allow the kettlebell to drop between your thighs.
• With straight arms, drive your hips forward and stand up straight so the momentum carries the kettlebell up to roughly eye level.
• Allow the weight to fall back between your thighs. That's one rep.

Need more advice on how to do the move? Read through our guide on how to do a kettlebell swing.

3. Kettlebell overhead press

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds

• Stand upright holding a kettlebell at your chest with a hand on either side of the bell.
• Press the kettlebell overhead so your arms are fully extended and your biceps end up by your ears.
• Control the weight back to your chest.

4. Kettlebell front raise

Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 45 seconds

• Stand upright with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Hold a kettlebell by the handle with both hands, palms facing your body, so it hangs in front of your pelvis.
• Keeping a soft bend in your elbows, raise the kettlebell in front of you until your arms are roughly parallel to the floor, then control the weight back to the starting position.

5. Kettlebell single-arm bent-over row

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 on each side Rest: 60 seconds

• Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell on the ground in front of you.
• Keeping your back flat, hinge at the hips to lean over until your torso is almost parallel to the ground. If in a gym, you can rest one hand and knee on a weight bench, as demonstrated in the image above.
• Grasp the kettlebell handle with your right hand so your right arm is extended towards the ground, then drive your elbow upward to row it to the bottom right side of your rib cage.
• Slowly control it back down until your arm is fully extended downward again and the kettlebell is just above the floor.
• Once all prescribed repetitions have been completed with your right arm, switch sides and repeat.

6. Kettlebell upright row

Sets: 3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 45 seconds

• Stand upright with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Hold a kettlebell by the handle with both hands, palms facing your body, so it hangs in front of your pelvis.
• Keeping the kettlebell close to your body, lift it straight up to your chin, sending your elbows out to either side as you do.
• Control the weight back to the starting position.

What are the advantages of kettlebell training?

Kettlebells are a versatile type of free weight that can be used for lots of different exercises, Angelino explains.

"They allow your body to move in an open-ended way while exercising, rather than through a fixed path," he says. "This results in your body involving more stabilizer muscles in each repetition, which makes the exercise more time-efficient."

In other words, you’re recruiting more muscles in your body with each movement, maximizing bang for your buck.

"Kettlebells are also designed in a unique way [with a handle that sits away from their center of mass]. This makes them good at two things: making exercises more unstable [which provides a greater challenge to your core and balance] and supporting exercises that involve high momentum, like the kettlebell swing."

Dynamic exercises like the swing require you to move quickly, making them a great option for developing strength and explosive power. If you use a lighter weight and perform a higher number of repetitions, the move can also provide a great cardio challenge.