You only need one kettlebell and 15 minutes to strengthen your legs and improve your balance
Work your legs, glutes, core and more from home with this one-kettlebell workout
One kettlebell is all you need for a great lower-body workout at home. And if you’re looking for a fun, effective, and efficient kettlebell routine, read on.
Fitness trainer Roxanne Russell has shared a 12-move follow-along session on her YouTube channel which promises to work your legs and hips in just 15 minutes.
There are no repeats either. You’ll do each exercise for 60 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, and then move on to the next one, keeping things fresh and minimizing the risk of mid-workout boredom.
How to do Roxanne Russell's kettlebell workout
"This is a well-rounded 15-minute lower-body kettlebell workout that will work all the muscles in your legs and hips," writes Russell.
She includes plenty of unilateral (one-sided) exercises, such as the single-leg Romanian deadlift, arabesque deadlift, and lunge back, where you focus on working one leg at a time.
Working unilaterally can build a more balanced body and iron out muscle imbalances. It will also challenge your balance, calling your core muscles into action to keep you stable. And, if you enjoy running, unilateral work is great for building strength and stability in your legs, too.
But to reap all these benefits, you need to choose the right kettlebell weight.
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Russell recommends opting for a kettlebell that "is challenging for you" as "the heavier the weight the harder the workout". But don’t pick a weight so heavy that your form falters, as this will increase your risk of injury.
By committing to strength training workouts, always using weights that challenge you, and increasing the load when you’re ready, you will benefit from the progressive overload principle.
This means that your body will adapt to the stresses placed on it; gradually asking your body to move heavier weights for more repetitions will provide the stimulus needed to build strength.
Need help picking some weights for your home workout? Our guide to the best kettlebells can help
Harry Bullmore is a Fitness Writer for Fit&Well and its sister site Coach, covering accessible home workouts, strength training session, and yoga routines. He joined the team from Hearst, where he reviewed products for Men's Health, Women's Health, and Runner's World. He is passionate about the physical and mental benefits of exercise, and splits his time between weightlifting, CrossFit, and gymnastics, which he does to build strength, boost his wellbeing, and have fun.
Harry is a NCTJ-qualified journalist, and has written for Vice, Learning Disability Today, and The Argus, where he was a crime, politics, and sports reporter for several UK regional and national newspapers.
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