Meat and Potatoes Workout

Beginners Level

Meat and Potatoes is a basic workout where you are only using a single kettlebell. The exercises within this workout are chosen for their simplicity, making this a great introduction to conditioning with kettlebells. Make sure you warm-up fully before proceeding with this workout.

As much as this workout is aimed at beginners it’s suitable for all fitness levels. If you wish to make it harder you can always use a selection of kettlebells, heavier on the exercises you are strong on, or alternatively you could remove the 15 secs rest between exercises and just work all the way through with out stopping. As always try to ensure that your technique holds together when you’re tired. Don’t jeopardise good movement to falsely think you will get a better workout by speeding up. Good technique is always first and foremost at all my workouts.

Lying Floor Press

The Lying Floor Press is generally more challenging with kettlebells when compared with their dumbbell brothers. With the Kettlebell Lying Floor Press there is a constant pulling of the weight from the centreline of the body, which is great for the core and stabilizing muscles. Horizontal presses or chest presses are a familiar movement usually performed with dumbbells and barbells on benches.

Benefit

The Lying Floor Press is an excellent upper-body exercise to build strength, muscular endurance and power; perfect for muscle isolation whilst tying in the core and working the chest and arms.

INSTRUCTION

1. Lie on the floor. Hold the kettlebell with both hands round the ball and the handle resting near your collarbone, your elbows should be tucked into your side. Your shoulders should be positioned back and down with your abdominals tense. The legs can be flat out or bent at the knee. (See Fig. 1)
2. Press the kettlebell upwards in a straight line above the chest extending the arms, and generating the power through the chest, shoulders and arms. (See Fig. 2)
3. On the descent keep the elbows into the side and decelerate the kettlebell as it returns to the chest. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Goblet Squats

The Goblet Squat is a familiar movement pattern most commonly performed as a warm-up before squatting with a barbell. It’s generally accepted that the Kettlebell Goblet Squat is a valuable exercise in any athletes or everyday person’s training arsenal.

Benefit

The Goblet Squat is an excellent lower body conditioning exercise that will build fantastic posterior chain strength and muscular endurance as well as core conditioning and power.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with the toes pointing out. Hold the kettlebell in a comfortable, safe manner in-front of your chest. Either by the handles or with your hands round the ball. Tuck the elbows in and position the shoulders back and down. (See Fig. 1)
2. Sit back onto your heels lowering yourself to the ground, pushing your knees out. Remember to keep the back straight with the chest held high. Don’t let the Kettlebell drop down from in-front of your chest.
3. Descend into the lowest squat possible, your elbows should finish on the inside of the knees, with the knees pushed out, and the chest held high. (See Fig. 2)
4. Keeping your weight onto your heels, drive the hips upwards fully extending the hips and knees until a lockout is achieved.

Two Hand Swings

Two Hand Swings are one of the foundation movement patterns for all the ballistic based kettlebell exercises. If you can’t perform Two Hand Swings with correct technique you will not be able to progress to the other ballistic movements, such as the clean and the snatch. The swing teaches the key motions and principles behind these movements.

Benefit

Two Hand Swings are an excellent whole body conditioning exercise that will build fantastic posterior chain strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness as well as core conditioning and power.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand behind the kettlebell with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the waist and push your hips away keeping your knees over your ankles (think dead-lift). As you pull the kettlebell back, relax the arms and maintain a neutral position with the head.(See Fig. 1)
2. Push the kettlebell away from the body using the elastic energy in your hips to propel it upwards. Relax the arms, let the legs, hips and back do all the work. This should be a fluid motion.
3. On the upswing the kettlebell should reach chest height. At the top of the motion make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso. (See Fig. 2)
4. As the kettlebell goes into the downswing, bend slightly at the knees, forward at the hips, and push your hips backwards actively pushing the kettlebell between your legs. All the time making sure the back and head maintain a neutral position. This will help to develop flexibility in the posterior chain. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Basic Deadlifts

The Basic Deadlift is a familiar movement pattern most commonly performed with a barbell. If you are looking to improve your athleticism, sprinting power, total-body strength, whilst developing a powerful back then you need to include the deadlift in your training programme.

Benefit

The Basic Deadlift will build fantastic posterior chain strength, muscular endurance as well as core conditioning and power.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand over the kettlebell. Squat down and place both hands on the handle. Keeping your back straight come to a standing position. Make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso. (See Fig. 1)
2. Bend at the waist and push your hips away keeping your knees over your ankles. Lower the chest down making sure your back and head remain in a neutral position with the shoulders remaining back and down. Your arms should be straight with the kettlebell in front of the legs. You should feel a strain in the hamstrings. (See Fig. 2)
3. Relax the arms, let the legs, hips and back do all the work. This should be a fluid motion.
4. To return to the start position push up through the heels driving through with the hips, in a similar fashion to the swings, but without the arms coming away from the body. Your back, head and shoulders all remain in a neutral position. Make sure you finish with quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Overhead Press

The Kettlebell Overhead Press is generally more challenging exercise when compared with its dumbbell brother. There is a constant pulling of the weight from the centreline of the body, which is great for the core and stabilizing muscles.

Benefit

The Kettlebell Overhead Press is a great exercise to develop flexibility, strength, muscular endurance and power in the arms, back, shoulders and core.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the kettlebell with both hands round the ball and the handle resting near your collarbone. Make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso. (See Fig. 1)
2. Keep the legs locked out and press the kettlebell upwards in a straight line extending the arms and generating the power through the shoulders. Your glutes, abdominals and quadriceps should all be tense. (See Fig. 2)
3. On the descent elevate the shoulder slightly to help decelerate the kettlebell and absorb the impact as it returns to the rack position. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Hand to Hand Swings

The Hand to Hand Swing is one of the foundation movement patterns for all the ballistic based kettlebell exercises. If you can’t perform any of the swing variations with correct technique you will not be able to progress to the other ballistic movements, such as the clean and the snatch. The swing teaches the key motions and principles behind these movements.

Benefit

The Hand to Hand Swing is an excellent whole body conditioning exercise that will build fantastic posterior chain strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness as well as core conditioning and power.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand behind the kettlebell with your feet shoulder width apart. The grip should be neutral. Bend at the waist and push your hips away keeping your knees over your ankles (think dead-lift). Pull the kettlebell back, relax the arm and maintain a neutral position with the head. (See Fig. 1)
2. Push the kettlebell away from the body using the elastic energy in your hips to propel the kettlebell upwards. The grip should remain neutral. Relax the arm, let the legs, hips and back do all the work. This should be a fluid motion.
3. On the upswing the kettlebell should reach chest height. At the top of the motion make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso. The hand should be prepared to transfer the kettlebell over to the other hand. Make sure the transfer happens at chest height, never transfer the kettlebell on the down-swing. (See Fig. 2)
4. As the kettlebell goes into the downswing, and you have swapped hands, bend slightly at the knees, forward at the hips, and push your hips backwards actively pushing the kettlebell between your legs. All the time making sure the back and head maintain a neutral position (See Fig. 3). Repeat the movement from point 2.

Single Arm Rows

The Kettlebell Single Arm Row is one of the most recognised movement patterns. More often than not performed with dumbbells. The Kettlebell Single Arm Row is a cool variation and offer the same benefits with the added effect of core conditioning.

Benefit

The Kettlebell Single Arm Row is an excellent upper-body conditioning exercise that primarily works the muscles of the back, such as the lats, rhomboids, and mid and lower traps, but rows also works the legs, core, and hips.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand next to the kettlebell. Take a step back with the left leg and position the foot so it is pointing away from the body, this will help to create a stable base. Bend the knee of the right leg and rest the right elbow on it to help with stability. (See Fig. 1)
2. Pull the kettlebell up towards the hip with the left arm, keeping the elbows into the side. All the way through the lift ensure that your glutes, abdominals and lats are all tense. (See Fig. 2)
3. Return the kettlebell to the start position by reversing the motion without letting it rest on the floor. Your shoulders should remain back and down throughout the motion with the back straight at all times. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Side Lunges

The Side Lunge is one of the best functional exercises around. Functional exercises are exercises which work your body in multiple planes of motion like activities of daily living. Alongside squats, lunges, the Side Lunge is particular should be one of the base exercises in your fitness program regardless of your goals.

Benefit

The Side Lunge is an excellent lower body conditioning exercise that can help improve lower-body strength and muscular endurance in multi planes as well as improving your core conditioning, balance and stabilization for any specific movement patterns.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Hold the kettlebell by the handle with both hands. Make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso. (See Fig. 1)
2. Step to the side with one leg and descend into the lowest lunge possible aiming to allow the bottom of the kettlebell to touch the floor on the inside of the foot. Make sure you keep the opposite leg straight. Your feet should remain parallel and facing forward. (See Fig. 2)
3. Keep the weight onto the heel of the leg you stepped to the side with, drive the hips up and step back in to return to the start position.
4. Repeat the movement from point 2 on the opposite side.

One Hand Swings

One Hand Swings are one of the foundation movement patterns for all the ballistic based kettlebell exercises. If you can’t perform One Hand Swings with correct technique you will not be able to progress to the other ballistic movements, such as the clean and the snatch. The One Hand Swings teach you the key motions and principles behind these movements.

Benefit

One Hand Swings are an excellent whole body conditioning exercise that will build fantastic posterior chain strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness as well as core conditioning and power.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand behind the kettlebell with your feet shoulder width apart. The grip should be neutral, your fingers underneath the handle and the thumb positioned on top. Bend at the waist and push your hips away keeping your knees over your ankles (think dead-lift). As you pull the kettlebell back, relax the arm and maintain a neutral position with the head.
2. Push the kettlebell away from the body using the elastic energy in your hips to propel the kettlebell upwards. The grip should remain neutral (thumb up). Relax the arm, let the legs, hips and back do all the work. This should be a fluid motion.
3. On the upswing the kettlebell should reach chest height. At the top of the motion make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso.
4. As the kettlebell travels into the downswing, bend slightly at the knees, forward at the hips, and push your hips backwards actively push the kettlebell between your legs. All the time making sure the back and head maintain a neutral position. This will help to develop flexibility in the posterior chain. Repeat the movement from point 2.