You may think you need two hours in a state-of-the-art gym to get a great full-body workout, but really all it takes is 20 minutes and a single kettlebell.
the best kettlebell (opens in a new tab) are our top pick for these types of workouts, as their easy-to-grip handles and ergonomic shape lend themselves well to compound exercises (opens in a new tab) like the clean squat. However, any weight (either one of the best adjustable dumbbells (opens in a new tab) or even a full water bottle) will work in most cases.
Now that you’ve got your gear sorted, it’s time to introduce you to our Featured Fitness Trainer Workout. rhiannon bailey (opens in a new tab). As mentioned above, this session only uses one kettlebell and takes only 20 minutes, but you’ll still work your upper and lower body while raising your heart rate and revving up your metabolism.
Keeping things simple, it’s also made up of just four movements: clean squats, kettlebell swings, push-up transfers, and Russian twist extensions. If any of these exercises are new to you, watch Bailey’s video below to see how each one should be performed. Then, when you’ve mastered the technique, try the exercise.
Bailey challenges participants to complete the four exercises as a circuit, performing each move for 40 seconds before resting for 20 seconds. He repeats this five times to get to the 20 minute mark and consider the workout complete.
Watch Rhiannon Bailey’s Full Body Kettlebell Workout
Bailey’s training is an example of high intensity resistance training (opens in a new tab) or HIRT, a twist on the popular HIIT (opens in a new tab) (or high-intensity interval training, to give its full title).
It shares the time-efficient and minimalist traits of its predecessor, using bursts of high-intensity activity followed by short rest periods to burn calories and improve fitness. However, add heavy items (like kettlebells or dumbbells) to bolster your muscle-building credentials.
This is a great session if you’re short on time and can’t get to the gym, or just want a full workout at home to work up a sweat while working multiple muscle groups. Due to its intense nature, we recommend using this as your daily session and possibly opting for a less demanding activity the next day to allow your body to recover.
If you’re looking for inspiration for a slightly less strenuous follow-up activity, you might want to try a session from our cycling fitness plan (opens in a new tab) or give some of these anti aging yoga moves (opens in a new tab) behind.
