Want a great total-body workout that sculpts your shoulders, back, chest, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and abs? Pick up a kettlebell and start swinging! “This workout seems simple enough, but it’s a superfast and effective way to ensure you’ll burn calories and fat while building lean muscle,” says fitness expert Paige Hathaway.
Do each of the two exercises below for the given number of reps. Take a 10-second break after three cycles, then finish with two more cycles.
Kettlebell Swing
Hold the kettlebell between your legs using a two-handed, overhand grip.
Swing the weight forward and up, thrusting your hips to engage all your working muscles; allow the weight to naturally come back down to starting position.
Repeat for 20 reps.
Goblet Squat
Hold the kettlebell on sides of handles, close to torso with elbows pointing down.
Squat, bringing elbows just inside legs (aim to touch hamstrings to calves).
Keeping kettlebell at your chest, explode up, pushing through heels, contracting glutes.
Do 10 reps.
Think fast!
When it comes to getting stronger, short, explosive movements have a slow and steady beat, according to a recent study at Loughborough University in the U.K. The study compared subjects who did explosive reps (moving as fast and as hard as possible, about one second per rep) with a second group who did sustained contractions (about three seconds each); a third group acted as controls. After three months, researchers found the explosive group showed greater muscle adaptations and functional changes than the slower and control groups.
