Whenever you see a ‘full-body workout’, chances are squats and lunges are on the agena. It makes sense; these compound moves are excellent for building both bilateral and unilateral strength in the lower body, home to some of our biggest muscle groups. But while some people can’t get enough of them, they’re other people’s idea of hell. If you’re in the latter camp, this 30-minute full-body kettlebell workout from fitness trainer, Roxanne Russell, might be more up your street — no squats, no lunges, and it’ll only take you 30 minutes.
In her post, she explains that the workout “targets your legs, glutes, abs, arms, back, and chest.” A kettlebell works just as well as a dumbbell for building strength, but the key is applying progressive overload over time — making the exercises gradually more challenging by increasing the kettlebell weight, shortening your rest periods, or slowing down your reps (a smart option if you don’t have heavier weights available).
We love the simplicity of this workout; you’ve got exercises to challenge your core, as well as your posterior and anterior chain muscles. If you’re not sure how to perform any of the movements, you can follow along with Roxanne via the YouTube video above. Perform each exercise for 60 seconds, followed by a 30-second rest. “It might feel like 60 seconds is a long time, but we’re going to go nice and slow with the movements,” says Roxanne. Ready? Here’s the workout:
- Staggered Romanian deadlift
- Single arm curl and press
- Overhead tricep extensions
- Alternating gorilla rows
- Stiff-legged deadlifts
- Windmills
- Deadlifts
- Halos
- Single arm chest press
- Glute bridges
- Pullovers
- Hip flexor lifts
- Hamstring bridges
- Plank pass through
- Toe taps
If you enjoyed this kettlebell workout, then here’s another full-body session for you to try later during the week. Make your final workout this kettlebell core one, and then that’s you sorted for the week. More time on your hands? Why not squeeze in this third (and final) four-move full-body strength workout – all that’s required is 30 minutes and a pair of dumbbells.
