One kettlebell, three moves, and 10 minutes are all you need to build full-body strength
Develop functional strength, raise your heart rate, and improve your cardio fitness with this short kettlebell routine
I love it when a workout is effective and fast. After all, who consistently has a spare hour or more in their day to exercise?
That's why I love this routine; it takes less than 10 minutes and there's minimal equipment involved (all you need is a kettlebell and a yoga mat). To make it even more time-efficient, there are only three moves to learn.
This workout comes from husband and wife coaching duo Andrew and Kate Bustos (Bustos Training). In the video below, you can see Andrew demonstrating each move; watch carefully before you try doing it yourself, to make sure you have the technique nailed.
To get started, complete the three exercises as a circuit. Work your way through three rounds in total, resting as little as possible between moves, and you'll finish the session in the time it takes to make your morning coffee.
Bustos doesn't state specific rest periods between each movement, but choose a time frame that works for you. A common pattern is 15 seconds of rest between each exercise and 30 seconds between each set.
Watch this Bustos Training full-body workout
A post shared by Andrew & Kate (@bustostraining)
A photo posted by on
You might be wondering what dumbbell weight you should choose for this workout. As a general rule, you want to find it difficult but not impossible to lift the weight for the duration of the routine, and it should never be so heavy that your form deteriorates. Bustos recommends using anywhere between 8kg-24kg, but this will vary from person to person.
If you're not used to exercising with weights, your muscles may ache the next day. Don't fret, this is totally normal and is a process known as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Get the Fit&Well Newsletter
Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox.
This happens after strength training exercises which cause tiny little tears in the targeted muscles (it's not as horrible as it sounds, we promise). To repair these tears and build your muscles back up stronger than before, you need to fuel your body with enough protein.
You can up your daily intake of this nutrient through high-protein foods, such as meat, lentils or chickpeas. Or try adding one of the best protein powders for weight loss into your daily routine, which allows you to get a protein boost without extra fats or sugars.
Lois Mackenzie is a Fitness Writer for Fit&Well and its sister site Coach, covering strength training workouts with weights, accessible ways to stay active at home, and training routines for runners. She joined the team from Newsquest Media Group, where she was a senior sports, trends, and lifestyle reporter. She is a dedicated runner, having just completed her first marathon, and an advocate for spending time outdoors, whether on a walk, taking a long run, or swimming in the sea.
Lois holds a Master's degree in Digital Journalism, and has written for Good Health, Wellbeing & The Great Outdoors, Metro.co.uk, and Newsquest Media Group, where her reporting was published in over 200 local newspapers.
-
Want to get more out of your walks? Try this trainer's five ways to upgrade your walk to a walking workout
Walking I tried them all—here's what I thought
By Lou Mudge Published
-
I tried the Pulse of Potential Sleep Guided Journal for two weeks and the benefits were surprising
Sleep Can a journal really improve your sleep? I put it to the test
By Holly Treacy Published