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Be Strong and Lean With These Cardio Kettlebell Workouts

    Kettlebells are not only one of the most beneficial fitness equipment for strength training, but for cardio as well.

    Recent research compared treadmill and kettlebell workouts. The participants were training for the same amount of time. The results revealed that they had burned a similar amount of calories, but the heart rate was higher during the kettlebell workout.

    This means it develops the cardiovascular system more. In addition, we must not forget that it strengthens and tones the muscles better.

    Therefore, I strongly recommended doing kettlebell cardio workout if you want to burn fat and calories, improve your cardiovascular system and tone, and strengthen your muscles. It is a sort of all in one solution, there is no wonder why it is suggested by fitness experts.

    Home workout tip: Get an adjustable kettlebell for home and save space

    Here I have collected some of the best cardio kettlebell routines. You can find ones for beginners as well as ones with harder cardio exercises.

    Before beginning any of these routines, you should take time to warm up your muscles and stretch to avoid injuries, especially your shoulders.

    Moreover, you need to perform the motions correctly and keep the intensity to enjoy the benefits of the chosen routine.


    Cardio & Strength Training

    This is a 30 minutes program that starts with warming up and continues with a truly intensive session to work the entire body. The included heart pumping kettlebell exercises are especially useful to work the core muscles.

    This routine helps you to burn about 250-350 calories, but it is rather hard, so it is not the most suitable choice for beginners.


    Metabolism Boosting 5 Minute Kettlebell Cardio Workout

    This is another powerful routine that lasts only for 7 minutes, but it has a positive impact on the metabolism and this supports the fat and calorie burning process.

    If you want something fast, yet efficient, try this.

    It includes the following exercises.

    • Goblet Squat
    • High Pull
    • Kettlebell snatch
    • Single Arm Swing
    • Clean and Press
    • Halo
    • Kettlebell swing

    How-tos: Basic kettlebell exercises for beginners


    Ultimate Fat Burn Workout for the Entire Body

    And here is another routine from Fitnesblender, which is a bit longer, but it definitely burns calories. It is only one round with 10 intervals, working for 40 seconds and rest for 20.

    Kettlebell Cardio Exercises Used

    • Alternating Single Hand Swings
    • Crush Curls
    • Clean and Press (one full interval on each side of the body)
    • Halo Triceps Extensions
    • Burpee Jerks
    • Weighted Toe Touch Crunches
    • Reverse lunge drops + Rows
    • Two-Handed Kettlebell Swings


    20 Minute Cardio Workout with Kettlebell

    This is another valuable program with several activities which support fat loss. I like this video since it is well-instructed.


    Intermediate Strength Workout for Core

    In this video, there are a few movements that are harder so this program is better for those who have a decent fitness level. Of course, you can decrease the reps.

    Learn more: The best ab exercises with kettlebell


    Kettlebell Tabata Cardio for Burning Fat

    In this video, kettlebell exercises are combined with bodyweight ones boosting the fat burning process.



    More Kettlebell Cardio Routines

    cardio blast
    Combining kettlebell swings, bodyweight exercises such as burpees and sprint makes a killer routine. It burns tons of fat and boosts your endurance. The number of reps depends on you.
    hiit workout
    This is an excellent kettlebell HIIT workout with 32 rounds. Do as many reps as you can.
    circuit
    This is a complete kettlebell circuit with running, bodyweight and plyometric activities. The reps are moderate.
    kettlebell cardio workout

    And finally, here is kettlebell swing workout routine for men you can download as PDF.

    FAQ

    1. Is kettlebell a good cardio workout?

      Most of the kettlebell exercises are compound movements, which means more than one muscles groups are engaged during the motion. The more muscles are activated, the more energy and oxygen are required for them to function. That means these moves burn calories effectively and increase the heart rate. Of course, the effectiveness of the exercises depends on several factors, such as the wight, intensity, rest, etc.

    2. How do you do cardio with kettlebells?

      High-intensity interval training is the way to have a cardio workout. It means you have intensive sessions with short rest. For example, you have kettlebell swing for 30 seconds, rest for 25 seconds, and you make 10 circuits. Of course, you can do more than one kettlebell exercise, increase the length of the active session, shorten the rest, modify the reps depending on your level of fitness and goals.

    3. Is a 20 minute of kettlebell training enough?

      It’s hard to tell since it depends on several factors such as the intensity, the kettlebell weight, your body weight, the types of exercises, age, gender, your goal, etc.

      In my opinion, an intensive 20-minute kettlebell HIIT, which is quite short, is much better than a long but less intense training for an average person. A workout 4-5 times a week combined with a balanced diet can be very effective for fat loss.

    4. How heavy should my kettlebell be?

      Men with an average physique should start with a kettlebell that is between 16 and 26 pounds. Athletic guys can use heavier weights from the beginning, which from 26 lb up to 45 lb. Overweight or inactive guys should use a kettlebell under 18 lb.

      Inactive women should start with light weights between 9 to 12 lb. Women with an average fitness level between 12 to 18 lb. Athletic ladies can begin with an 18 lb kettlebell.

      Of course, the load depends on the reps.

    Is cardio or weights better for weight loss?

    From my personal experience, I recommend doing both for the best and fastest results. Lifting weight builds muscle mass, which leads to a faster metabolism and a shaped body. A cardio workout burns more calories at a given time. If you do both, you will have a healthy physique from every aspect.

    Will kettlebell swings burn belly fat?

    If you have belly fat, the first step is to modify your eating habits. We have fat because of the body stores unnecessary calories. If you eat the right way and exercise, you get a calorie deficit, so the body starts burning the excess fat. To sum up, just by doing kettlebell swing, it’s going to be hard to get rid of belly fat, although your core is going to be strong.

    Can I do kettlebell workout every day?

    That depends on your current level of fitness, the workout you do, and your aims. Frankly, I don’t recommend working out every day since the muscles and nervous system need time to recover. I always have two days of rest per week, although we are different. If you feel your performance or mood is decreasing, you should stop working out every day.

    Overall, using kettlebells for cardio is unquestionably beneficial and it can help a lot to lose fat. If you have not done any cardio workouts like these ones before I suggest you try for some weeks. You will see how effective they are.

    What do you think about the kettlebell cardio workout? Are they better than truly better than running?

    nv-author-image

    James Wright

    James (36) has been working out since he was 15 years old. He has a home gym where he pumps iron, does bodyweight workouts and boxing. He likes sharing his experiences with others who want to build a better physique.

    2 thoughts on “Be Strong and Lean With These Cardio Kettlebell Workouts”

    1. I lift weights, but I want to add cardio training to my routine to lose fat.

      I’m thinking about buying a rowing machine which is pretty expensive. On the other hand, I’ve got kettlebells, that are good for cardio, I know. But I haven’t done it before.

      What do you think? Is it worth to buy a rowing machine or start doing kettlebell cardio workouts?

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