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Kettlebells are the perfect tool for a 15-minute, busy-guy workout. After all, kettlebells look like something your kids might have left lying around the house—which is where you’re likely squeezing in a workout these days. Plus, a 15-minute kettlebell workout is great for burning plenty of calories in minimal time.
Kettlebells also boast a few advantages over dumbbells. Picking up a kettlebell mimics the motions of your everyday life, whether it’s grabbing luggage, dishes from a cabinet, or those same things the kids left lying around the house. Because the kettlebell is unbalanced, it better challenges your stability than dumbbells or barbells, engaging more stabilizing muscles and promoting better posture.
Related: The Busy Man’s 15-minute Dumbbell Workout
You can do a kettlebell workout in minimal space, and it’ll make you feel more primal than throwing around dumbbells. Kettlebells look like they’d be at home in the Middle Ages—so you can channel your inner William Wallace even if you’re just minutes away from driving the carpool in a minivan.
The 15-Minute Kettlebell Workout: How to Do It
We’ve designed this workout by alternating lower-body and upper-body movements or pushing and pulling exercises. That way you can make the most of your time with minimal rest.
- Perform these six exercises as a circuit workout. Do the assigned reps of each exercise, then move to the next exercise. Once you’ve finished every exercise, that’s one round of the circuit.
- Do two rounds of the circuit total, resting only between each round.
- If you have more time, you can do more rounds of the circuit.
Good luck—and enjoy your sweat session.
Pete Williams is a NASM-certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of a number of books on performance and training.
1. Goblet Squat
Why it works: Many guys have a tendency to squat improperly when they place a traditional barbell across the back. By holding a kettlebell in a goblet squat, the weight acts as a natural counterbalance as you sit back. This encourages you to activate your glutes and get into a proper squat stance, even if (like many guys) you have limited hip mobility.
How to do it: Hold the kettlebell with two hands against your chest as if preparing to drink from it (like a goblet). Squat by sitting your hips back and down, keeping your weight in the middle of your feet. Maintain contact between the kettlebell and your chest. The knees should touch the elbows. Extend powerfully through your hips.
Prescription: 10 reps
2. Kettlebell Swing
Why it works: This full-body movement requires little space. For the purposes of a 15-minute workout likely done at home, it’s the perfect move.
How to do it: Squat as you lower the kettlebell along an arc under and between your legs. Drive your hips and swing the kettlebell up until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Prescription: 10 reps per side
3. Overhead Rotational Squat
Why it works: This exercise simulates everyday movements where we reach for bulky, unbalanced stuff from different angles across all three planes of motion.
How to do it: Start by holding a kettlebell in one hand pressed straight above the same-side shoulder. Squat and rotate your shoulders to the same side as the kettlebell, as you reach straight down to touch your foot with the other hand. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Prescription: 10 reps per side
4. One-arm Kettlebell Press
James Michelfelder
Why it works: This strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders by forcing you to activate the stabilizer muscles around the rotator cuff to hold the kettlebell in position. If you’re struggling with the angle, hold the kettlebell by the bell; if you’re up for a challenge, hold it by the handle and put the bottom up.
How to do it: Hold up a kettlebell with your arm in a 90-degree angle to your side. Your fist should be at eye level. Press the kettlebell up until your arm is fully extended.
Prescription: 10 reps per side
5. Farmer’s Carry
Why it works: This is already an effective core-strengthening exercise when done with dumbbells or weight plates. But the kettlebell better mimics how a farmer might carry two buckets of milk or water, and the unbalanced weight makes stabilization even more essential.
How to do it: Stand between a pair of kettlebells as if they were suitcases. Squat at the hips—no bending at the back—and lift the kettlebells. Start by walking a short distance—perhaps once or twice around the room—gradually working your way to longer distances.
Prescription: One “lap” per round (you choose the distance)
6. Man Maker
Why it works: You might not be looking for a more difficult burpee, but the manmaker is such an exercise.
How to do it: Start in a pushup position, grabbing the handles of kettlebells. Perform a pushup and then a one-armed row with each hand. Perform another pushup. Then bring your legs forward into squat position (like a burpee). From here, you can release the kettlebells and jump (like a burpee). That’s one rep.
Prescription: 10 reps
