TheAmericanCollegeofSportsMedicinerecommends2‐3daysper

weekofstrengthtrainingplus,non‐consecutivedaysoftheweek,andcardiovasculartraining

3‐5daysperweekforatleast30minutes.Thisexerciseprogramisperformedwithakettlebell

andbuildsstrengthandimprovescardiovascularendurance,ifperformedatafastpass.There

isabeginnerandanadvancedworkout;ifyouarenotfamiliarwithkettlebellsstartwiththe

beginnerworkoutandgraduallyadvancetotheadvancedworkout.AmericanCollegeofSports

Medicine’sstatsthatonceyourmuscleshaveadaptedand12repscanbeperformedeasily,you

canprogresstotheadvancedworkout.Progressioncanhappentwoways:1.Increaseweight

thatallowsyoutoperformamaximumof12reps(nosigni icantmusclefatigueandthelast

repisdif icult)2.Increasethenumberofsets.

Ifyouareovertheageof40andnotaccustomedtovigorousactivityand/orhaveamed-

icalconditionpleasecheckwithyourPhysicianbeforestartingaworkoutprogram.

Theseexercisescanbeperformedforreps:2‐3setsofeachexercise.8‐12reps

Whatisneeded:

1. Onekettlebell

2. Water

SafetyTips:

1. Traininanareathatisspaciousandfreeofcluttertopreventpropertydamageandorinjury

2. Ifkettlebellisrubber,trainonasurfacethatdoesnotallowthebelltobounce.

3. Goodtechnique

A).DONOTbendyourwrist.

B.)Trainatyourcurrentlevelof lexibility(rangeofmotion).

C.)DONOTsacri iceformtoincreasethenumberofreps.Ifproperformcannotbemaintaineddur‐

ingarep,releasethebelltothe loor,inacontrolledmanner.Beawareofwherethebellwilldrop,

watchoutforfeet(yoursandothers).

6. Selectappropriateweight(weightthatwillallow8‐12reps)

7. Alwayspracticesafety,nomattertheweightofthebell.Thiswillhelpyoucreategoodhabits.

KettlebellWorkout-BeginnerandAdvancedEmail:health.plus@vumc.org

BeginnerWorkoutSwing:

(Targets–Lowerbodyandhipextension)

1. Startbyplacingbellonthe loorandstand‐ingafootbehindthebell.

Stance: Feetslightlywiderthan

shoulderwidth Squeezeshoulderbladesto‐

gether.Openchest.2. Squat(sitback,similarsittinginachair)

andgrabbellwithbothhandsandswingbellbackbetweenlegs.

Form: Keepbackstraight(not

rounded) Keepweightinheels(canyou

liftyourtoes?) Keepfocusstraightahead

3. Swingbelltochestlevel(NOHIGHERthanchestlevel)

Form: Straightrelaxedarms.Your

armsonlyholdthebell.o ArmsDONOTliftthe

bell. Drivehipsforward.

o HipsdoALLthework.

Bellshouldbeinlinewithyourarmsandwrist.

o DONOTbendwrist4. Oncethebellisatchestlevel,reversethe

swingandthebellwillswingbetweenyourlegsandthenuptochestlevel

**Checkyourform:Twolines***

1. Head,upperbody,andlegs

2. Armsandkettlebell

Step 1   Step 2 

Step 3  

Step 4  

Step 2 

SumoDeadlift:

1. Startbycenteringthebellonthe loorbetweenyourfeet.

Stance: Feetslightlywiderthanshoulderwidth Feetturnedoutandkneesslightlybent

2. Bend(atthehips)forwardandgrabthebellwithbothhands

Form: Keepbackstraight(notrounded) Keepweightinheels(canyourliftyour

toes?) Keepkneesoverankles(feetturnedoutso

kneesarefacingthesamedirectionthefeetarepointing)

Keepfocusstraightahead3. Straightenyourkneesandhipsandpickupthebell.

Form: Armsarestraightandloose LegsdoALLthelifting

4. Repeatfromstep2Step 1 

Step 2   Step 3  

KettlebellClean:

1. Startbystandingoverthebell.(seestep1photoofSwingexercise)

Stance:FeetshoulderwidthapartSqueezeshoulderbladestogether.Openchest.

2. Squat(sitback,similartosittinginachair)andgrabthebellwithonearmandswingthebellbackbetweenyourlegs.

Form: Keepbothshoulderssquare.DONOT

droponeshoulderwhenyoupickupthebell.

Keepbackstraight(notrounded) Keepweightinheels(canyouliftyour

toes?) Keepfocusstraightahead

3. Swingbelltochestlevel(NOHIGHERthanchestlevel)andpullbelltowardsyourbody(Shoulderheight)

Form: Keeparmsloose

o Armsdonotliftthebell Drivehipsforward

o HipsdoALLthework DONOTbendyourwrist Thebellshouldrollovertheforearm.DO

NOTletthebellcrashintoyourforearm.4. Thebell,elbow,andtorsoarealigned.

Form: Keepbothshoulderssquareandpressed

down.DONOTliftshouldersuptowardears. Squeezearmpit Tricepistouchingribcage Thebellispositionedbetweenforearmand

bicep Keepabstightandexhale(oncebellisposi‐

tionedonthearm)***DONOTBENDYOURWRISTS***

5. Reversethecleanandbellisby yourside6. RepeatfromStep3

**Controlthebellwhenyoupulltheittowards

yourbody.**DONOTletthebellhitthe

chest.

Step 2  Step 2 

Step 3   Step 4  

Step 3 & Step 4   Step 5 

KettlebellPress:

1. Cleanthekettlebelltoshoulder(seestep1photoofSwingexercise)

****SameformasdescribedinKettlebellClean****2. Holdbellatshoulderforafewseconds

Keepshoulderspresseddown(donotlifttowardears)

Dothistodiminishthemomentumpro‐ducedbytheclean.

Keepfocusstraightahead DONOTbendyourwrist

3. PressbellupForm:

Thinkofpushingyourselfawayfromthebellinsteadofpressingthebellup

Keepkneeslocked Gripthe loorwithyourtoes Contractthighmusclestoliftkneecaps DONOTletlowerbackarch

o Squeezemidsectionandglutes Asyoupressthebell,squeezefreehandina

istorsqueezeasmallballinyourhand***Especiallywhenyourarmisfullyextend‐edaboveyourhead

Holdthebelloveryourhead,motionless,forafewseconds

4. Bringthebellbacktostartingposition(atshoulderheight)

5. RepeatfromStep3

Step 2 

Step 3 

Step 3 

Step 4 

FrontSquatwithKettlbell:

1. Standwithfeetshoulderwidthapartholdingthekettlebellwithtwohands(bythehornsorthebell)andsqueezeshoulderbladestogether

o Feetareparalleltooneanother2. Squat(sitback,similartosittinginachair)whileholdingthebellin

frontofyouForm:

o Keepbackstraight(notrounded)o Keepweightinheels(canyouliftyourtoes?)o Hamstringsshouldbeparallelwiththe looro Keepfocusstraightaheado DONOTletkneesbowin(rollontoyourarch)needFLAT

FEETandkeepkneesoverankle3. Oncehamstringsareparallelwith loor,pressheelsintothe loorand

straightenlegsandreturntostandingpositionandrepeatfromtheirststep

Step 1   Step 2  

AdvancedWorkout

Step 1   Step 2 

Step 2  Step 3  

Step 3  

SWING:

1. Startbyplacingbellonthe loorandstandingafootbehindthebell.

Stance: Feetslightlywiderthanshoulderwidth

Squeezeshoulderbladestogether.Openchest.

2. Squat(sitback,similarsittinginachair)andgrabbellwithONEhandandswingbellbackbetweenlegs.

Form: Keepbackstraight(notrounded) Keepweightinheels(canyouliftyourtoes?)

Keepfocusstraightahead3. Swingbelltochestlevel(NOHIGHERthan

chestlevel)Form:

Straightrelaxedarm.Yourarmonlyholdsthebell.

ArmDOESNOTliftthebell. Drivehipsforward.

HipsdoALLthework. Bellshouldbeinlinewithyouarmandwrist.

DONOTbendwrist4. Oncethebellisatchestlevel,reversethemovementandbellwillswingbetweenlegs(step2).Repeatfromstep2

***Checkyourform:Twolines***1. Head,upperbody,andlegs2. Armsandkettlebell

Step 1 

Step 2   Step 3  

SumoDeadlift:**UseheavierbellORusewith2bells**

1. Startbycenteringthebellonthe loorbetweenyourfeet.

Stance: Feetslightlywiderthanshoul-

derwidth Feetturnedoutandknees

slightlybent

2. Bend(atthehips)forwardandgrabthebellwithbothhands

Form: Keepbackstraight(notround-

ed) Keepweightinheels(canyour

liftyourtoes?) Keepkneesoverankles(feet

turnedoutsokneesarefacingthesamedirectionthefeetarepointing)

Keepfocusstraightahead3. Straightenyourkneesandhipsandpick

upthebell.Form:

Armsarestraightandloose LegsdoALLthelifting

4. Keepbellinhandsandrepeat

Step 1 A  Step 1 B 

Step 1 C  Step 1 D 

Step 1 E   Step 2  Step 4   Step 5 

1. Repeatstepsandformfortheclean

**ControlthebellwhenyoupulltheittowardsyourbodyDONOTletthebellhitthechest.**2. Standing(withbellatshoulder)pressthebell

aboveyourheadForm: Thinkofpushingyourselfawayfromthe

bellinsteadofpressingthebellup Keepkneeslocked Gripthe loorwithyourtoes Contractthighmusclestoliftkneecaps DONOTletlowerbackarch

o Squeezemidsectionandglutes Asyoupressthebell,squeezefreehand

ina istorsqueezeasmallballinyourhand

Especiallywhenyourarmisfullyex-tendedaboveyourhead

Holdthebelloveryourhead,motionless,forafewseconds

3. Reversethepressandreturnthebellbacktoshoul-der

4. Thenstraightentheelbowtoplacethebelldownbyyoursidewithastraightarm.

5. Repeatfromstep1B.

CleanandPress:

Step 1  

Step 3 

Step 4 A 

Step 4 B  Step 4 C  

Step 2  

**Useheavierbell**

1. Standwithfeetshoulderwidthapartholdingthekettlebellwithtwohands(bythehornsorthebell)andsqueezeshoulderbladestogethero Feetareparalleltooneanother

2. Squat(sitback,similartosittinginachair)whileholdingthebellinfrontofyouForm:o Keepbackstraight(notrounded)o Keepweightinheels(canyouliftyour

toes?)o Hamstringsshouldbeparallelwiththe

looro Keepfocusstraightaheado DONOTletkneesbowin(rollontoyour

arch)needFLATFEETandkeepkneesoverankle

3. Oncehamstringsareparallelwith loor,setthebellonthe loor

4. PerformasquatthrustFormA. Placehandsoneachsideofbellandjump

feetbacktogetherinaplankpositionKeepspinestraight.DONOTlethipsdrop.

B. JumpfeetbackintosquatpositionSitbackKeepweightinheelsFocusstraightahead

C. GrabbellwithbothhandsandstandupDrivehipsforwardKeeparmsstraight

5. Repeatfromstep2

FrontSquatwithPlank:

WorksCited

Martone,Jeff.KettlebellInstructorCerti icationLevel1.LenoirCity:TacticalAthlete,2008.Print.

Pavel.Enterthekettlebell!StrengthSecretoftheSovietSuperman.St.Paul:DragonDoor,2006.Print.

Thompson,WalterR.,etal.ACSM’sGuidelinesforExerciseTestingandPrescription.Philadephia,2010.

Print.