The Perfect 3-Day Kettlebell Workout Plan

Kettlebells are an incredible tool for constructing muscle, boosting strength, and unleashing explosive power. When people consider kettlebells, they almost robotically consider the classic kettlebell swing. There’s nothing improper with that, but they then set the kettlebell down and move on with their workout. Don’t stop there. You are missing out on a wealth of incredible kettlebell exercises that would elevate your workouts To indicate you, we’ll lay out a 3-day kettlebell workout you possibly can do anywhere!

Quick History Of Kettlebell Training

Kettlebell training has turn out to be extremely popular prior to now few years as an alternative choice to the standard barbell and dumbbell training. Nevertheless, kettlebell training just isn’t recent and has been around for hundreds of years.

Interestingly, kettlebells were initially developed within the 1700s to assist measure crops. Their use as a training tool began later in the game of Strongman within the 1800’s. Their effectiveness eventually led them to be adopted by the final fitness population in Russia across the 1900’s.

Although kettlebell use exploded in Russia, it wasn’t until the Nineties that Pavel Tsatsouline, a former trainer of Soviet Special Forces soldiers, brought kettlebell training to the US.

Kettlebell training began to catch on, coincidentally with the rise of “functional training,” corresponding to Crossfit. This catapulted kettlebell training from an obscure training tool to being present in almost every gym worldwide.

Moreover, kettlebell training is so effective that it has turn out to be a standard selection for lifters searching for a minimalist training style. This includes using kettlebells for home workouts or taking one to the beach for muscle-building within the sun.

How To Workout With Kettlebells

Although kettlebells seem to be specialized pieces of kit, they don’t seem to be. You utilize kettlebells like you’ll a pair of dumbbells and follow the identical principles.

This includes the next:

• Similar rep scheme
• Exercise order
• Exercise variation
• Training different systems

3 Types Of Exercises For Your Workout

This section will cover some kettlebell exercises and general advice on rep schemes.

1. Kettlebell Swings

As mentioned quite a few times, kettlebell swings set kettlebells aside from other training equipment. They involve swinging a kettlebell by performing a robust hip extension, which propels the kettlebell up.

You are going to use 3 different ones.

Kettlebell Swing

This classic kettlebell swing requires you to make use of each hands to grab a single kettlebell. Standing over a kettlebell, you grab the handle with each hands.

To start, your position will resemble a deadlift. An important points are:

• Hips flexion together with your hips pushed back.
• Straight back with shoulders pulled back
• Vertical shins

You let the kettlebell swing back barely from this position, then perform a robust hip extension to swing it as much as eye level.

Once you perform these, you must not use your arms much. Consider your arms as ropes attached to the kettlebell, and the movement is coming from the hip extension – form of like swinging your legs on a swing.

A standard error is squatting the kettlebell. Once you swing, only allow minimal forward movement in your knees. Many of the power comes out of your hips fully extending and “popping” the kettlebell up.

Single Arm Kettlebell Swing

The one-arm kettlebell swing is the very same thing as a kettlebell swing, except you may use one arm (You almost certainly could have guessed that). Apart from that, every part is similar biomechanically.

That said, since the kettlebell is on one side, it’s going to produce more stress on the core to keep up stability.

You’ll be able to perform one hand at a time or alternate hands throughout the swing. Should you do that, you turn hands at the highest of the swing because the kettlebell transitions from going as much as coming down. There can be a moment when the kettlebell can be “floating,” which is if you switch hands.

Kettlebell Swing From Dead Stop

The kettlebell swing from a dead stop is analogous to the above, except you only perform the primary big swing after which let the kettlebells come back to the bottom and reset. Because the kettlebell doesn’t construct up inertia from movement, this primary swing is more difficult and requires more force.

You might also perform this with two kettlebells if you happen to want.

2. Kettlebell Power Exercises

Along with kettlebell swings, your program will use various power exercises, specifically…

Push Press

The kettlebell push press is performed in the identical manner as a dumbbell push press.

Single Arm Push The biomechanics are the identical.

The procedure is similar as above, but now you may use only one arm at a time because the load is offset, requiring more core stability.

Squat Jump

To perform a squat jump, hold two kettlebells all the way down to your side. You then drop right into a quarter squat followed by a maximal jump.

3. Kettlebell Strength & Hypertrophy Exercises

The last group of kettlebell exercises you may use are typical strength and hypertrophy exercises. This includes movements corresponding to:

• Single-leg Romanian deadlift
• Goblet squat
• Glute bridge floor press (Decline floor press)
• Gorilla rows

Kettlebell Full Body Split

This 3-day kettlebell will use a full body split, meaning you may train every muscle group during each session thrice per week.

Most research suggests that training a muscle group twice per week is perfect.¹ For instance, if you happen to train a muscle using 10 sets throughout the week, this may be divided into two different sessions.

Dividing the amount makes the very best use of the work/recovery cycle: You train in the future, go home, rest for 2-3 days, after which train again.

At the identical time, it’s going to lead to the highest-quality workload. Doing your entire work during one session can construct up fatigue, ultimately leading to less work because you’re drained.

That said, training a muscle thrice per week may also be effective if the general total volume is kept at an appropriate level. Due to this fact, each muscle group can be trained with 1-2 exercises every session.

The Best 3 Day Kettlebell Workout

Now that you just understand kettlebells and the essential training variables a bit higher, we’ll lay out your 3-day kettlebell workout.

These workouts are supposed to be utilized in a nonconsecutive manner, with 1-2 days of rest in between. This will seem like:

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday
• Monday/Thursday/Saturday
• Tuesday/Friday/Sunday

You get the concept. Should you follow those rules, it doesn’t matter what days you utilize, making it flexible for anyone.

Listed below are two ways to run each session.

1. You’ll be able to run through the exercise in a typical, consecutive manner.
2. You might also run through each session like a big circuit. In actual fact, this kind of training is common with kettlebell workouts and is an amazing approach to emphasize conditioning.

Bear in mind you possibly can also alternate between these two methods corresponding to:

• Alternate on a weekly basis – 1 week use traditional sets, then 1 week use circuit
• Alternate sessions

Regardless, depending in your time, you should utilize 3-5 sets per exercise or run through 3-5 cycles.

Kettlebell Workout 1

 Kettlebell Workout 2

 Kettlebell Workout 3

You will notice that many exercises have a big rep range. That is just because not everyone has a whole range of kettlebells. We don’t desire to prescribe 6 reps if someone only has a small kettlebell with which they’ll do 12 reps.

Due to this fact, take the rep schemes as a guide. Probably the most crucial part is you work as much as a 7-9RPE or work up just until failure.

Progressing This Kettlebell Workout

Progressing with a kettlebell workout should theoretically be done like every other style of training workout – you only wish to do more work time beyond regulation, normally by increasing the load or total reps.

As such, it’s obvious that this may be more easily done if you happen to had a wider range of kettlebells of various sizes. This is able to can help you progress since you possibly can simply use a heavier kettlebell easily.

Nevertheless, we understand that everybody may not have access to a group. Due to this fact, your progressive overload can be limited. You’ll have two options:

1. You’ll be able to increase the reps and sets over time. This can steadily increase the workload.
2. You’ll be able to decrease rest time between sets and exercises. While this does not increase the workload, it still increases intensity by requiring the identical amount of labor to be done in the identical period of time.

Eventually, you’ll reach a degree where you must put money into some heavier kettlebells.

Advantages Of Kettlebell Training

Kettlebell training is a incredible training method, whether used alone or as a part of your workout. Should you’re not using kettlebells, listed below are some reasons you must.

1. Versatility

You are cutting yourself short if you happen to’ve only used kettlebells for swings. In point of fact, you should utilize a kettlebell virtually in the identical manner as a dumbbell.

On account of its design, the kettlebell is remarkably versatile and could be utilized in various exercises. Some examples of kettlebell training include:

• Kettlebell swings
• Power exercises
• Strength and hypertrophy

Heck, you possibly can even use kettlebells to enhance body weight exercises. For instance, you possibly can hang a kettlebell out of your foot and do chin-ups or dips. You might also use a kettlebell for offset or raised pushups.

2. Add Unique Movements With Kettlebells

Kettlebell swings are essentially the most common exercise for a superb reason: they’re unique to kettlebells. You might technically use a dumbbell similarly, nevertheless it’s not the identical, as your grip can be dampened.

These swings can only be done with kettlebells. It just so happens they’re among the finest movements to enhance and strengthen hip extension.

3. Kettlebells Produce Insane Power Production

You need not perform Olympic movements to supply power—you possibly can just use kettlebells. In actual fact, you possibly can perform quite a few kettlebell exercises to supply power.

For starters, kettlebell swings are essentially power exercises. They require you to supply high amounts of force to swing the kettlebell quickly. Doing this relies on explosive hip extension, which is similar movement utilized in deadlifts and vertical jumps.

4. Kettlebell Training Builds Awesome Conditioning

One other aspect that distinguishes kettlebell training from traditional forms of coaching is its ability to enhance conditioning, specifically swings.

Kettlebell swings require maximal efforts repeatedly for an prolonged duration. This increases what’s often called anaerobic conditioning or anaerobic endurance.

Anaerobic endurance is barely different from what we normally associate with endurance, corresponding to long runs. As mentioned, it improves your body’s ability to repeat maximal efforts constantly.

Anaerobic conditioning is crucial for nearly all of sports. For instance, MMA is all the fashion today. Should you listen to a match, you see it’s composed of light-intensity periods interspersed with high-intensity bouts.

But even if you happen to don’t play traditional sports, that is crucial. Using kettlebells to enhance your anaerobic endurance will increase your exercise capability and can help you perform maximally throughout a workout.

5. Burn Calories

Who would have thought swinging around a 20kg piece of metal would burn calories!?  But seriously, they is usually a very effective tool to construct calories.

Some studies suggest a 20-minute kettlebell workout can burn as much as 260 calories!²

Nevertheless, we will mix these burned calories with the rise in your conditioning and anaerobic capability. You will quickly realize just how useful kettlebell training could be.

6. Can Use Anywhere

Last, you should utilize kettlebells anywhere. You’ll be able to bring one to the park or also have a sunset workout. You need to use them in your own home, the gym, literally anywhere.

Final Thoughts

You now have an incredible 3-day kettlebell workout you possibly can do anywhere. Whether you are seeking to completely change your training or simply add a little bit variety to your overall program, the kettlebell training found here could, and certain will, make a large difference in your physique and conditioning.

Try our full collection of kettlebell workouts

References

1. Schoenfeld, Brad J., et al. “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Evaluation.” Sports Medicine, vol. 46, no. 11, 21 Apr. 2016, pp. 1689–1697, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8.
2. Schnettler, Chad. “Energy Cost and Relative Intensity of the Kettlebell Workout.” Wisconsin.edu, 2024, minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/46602, http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/46602. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.