15-minute full-body workout using a kettlebell

If you could only choose one piece of fitness equipment, it would be challenging to beat the kettlebell. This oddly shaped item, with a flat-bottomed bell and easy-to-grip handle, is a versatile tool for strength, balance and cardiovascular health training.

“Kettlebells are a fantastic way to improve fitness because they offer so many options,” John DeWitt, director of applied sports science at Rice University, wrote in an email.

Sara Montoya, a world kettlebell champion and trainer at PhaseFit, a kettlebell-focused gym in Albany, California, said weights can be especially useful for people with knee problems because they can raise the heart rate with less impact on the joints. than running or jumping.

Kettlebell training also improves balance, Ms. Montoya added, and strengthens the grip. If you have a kettlebell at home or see one at the gym and don’t know how to exploit it, try Ms. Montoya’s full-body workout that can be adapted to a variety of skill levels.

Review

Time: About 15 minutes

Intensity: Mediocre

Rounds: Complete three rounds of all exercises with a two-minute break between each round.

What you will need

Adapt to yourself

To focus on building strength, choose a heavier kettlebell for squats and deadlifts and rest up to a minute between each movement. For an additional cardio challenge, boost the number of kettlebell swings. To boost intensity, move faster and reduce the rest time between rounds. If necessary, boost the weight after three weeks.

Kettlebell press

Goals: Biceps, triceps, shoulders, core, glutes and hamstrings

Repetitions: Eight to ten per arm

Raise the kettlebell to shoulder height with one hand holding the handle and the “bell” resting on the back of your forearm, below your wrist. Holding the kettlebell close to your arm, raise it straight up so that your bicep is in line with your ear and your hand is facing forward, as if you were giving someone a high-five.

Make sure your arm is as straight as possible without leaning to the side when raising and lowering the kettlebell. Ms. Montoya often tells her clients to imagine their arms climbing up the elevator shaft. As you lift, tighten your glutes and stiffen your torso.

Czara’s squat

Goals: Legs, buttocks, torso, biceps and deltoids

Repetitions: Eight to 10

Start with a kettlebell at chest height. Hold onto both sides of the handle or turn the kettlebell upside down and place your hands on the base. Then slowly lower yourself back into the squat position, going as low as is comfortable.

Keep your weight on your heels and keep your torso as upright as possible. If you need extra support, place a chair behind you and slowly sit on it.

Pullover hip bridge

Goals: Chest, back, buttocks, lower body, torso

Repetitions: Eight to 10

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent. Wrap your hands around the base of the kettlebell, with the handle facing your head. Push the kettlebell up while straightening your arms. Lift your hips off the floor and squeeze your glutes, keeping your feet on the floor. Then slowly lower the kettlebell behind you until the handle almost touches the ground behind your head. Keeping your arms as straight as possible, slowly bring the kettlebell back above your chest.

Deadlift with a kettlebell

Goals: Glutes, hamstrings, core, shoulders, back

Repetitions: Eight to 10

Start with a kettlebell between your legs and your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Bend at the waist, pushing your hips back and keeping your back flat with a slight bend in your knees. Hold the kettlebell with both hands and stand up, keeping your back straight. When standing up, tighten your buttocks and shoulder blades. Then slowly lower the kettlebell to the ground, reversing the movement while keeping your arms straight.

Be careful not to round your back and avoid squatting to lift the kettlebell – you should exploit your hips.

One-arm kettlebell swing

Goals: Lower and upper back, triceps

Repetitions: Eight to ten per arm

Holding the kettlebell between your legs, bend at the waist as you would a deadlift, pushing your hips back and keeping your back flat. Bend your knees slightly and grab the kettlebell with your right hand, then pull it towards your chest. Focus on your back and shoulder muscles – squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top – and avoid rotation of your chest and shoulders. Lower the kettlebell until your arm is straight. Try to avoid touching the kettlebell to the ground until you have finished your reps, then repeat the exercise on the other side.

Two-handed kettlebell swing

Goals: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core

Repetitions: 10 to 20

Start with your legs shoulder-width apart, with the kettlebell on the floor between them. Bend at the waist, keeping your back flat, and grab the Kettlebell with both hands. Pick up the kettlebell and first send it back between your legs, then slide it forward, squeezing your glutes as if you were getting up from a chair and lifting the kettlebell to about chest height. Make sure your legs are driving the movement, not your arms. Stop at chest (or eye) height with a gentle bend in your arms, which will prevent the kettlebell from pulling you forward.

Hilary Achauer is a freelance health and fitness writer.

Coach on set: Amanda Katz.