Kettlebell Exercises

The 15-Minute Ultimate Kettlebell Workout

Build more muscle (and burn more fat) with this new way to pump iron
By Jill Yaworski menshealth

Pick Kettlebells for a Better Burn

If you think kettlebells are just glorified dumbbells, keep reading. "A kettlebell's center of gravity actually shifts during the course of the exercise," says Jason C. Brown, CSCS, owner of Kettlebell Athletics in Philadelphia. In that way, it's like many of the objects you lift every day (overstuffed briefcases, lopsided grocery bags, unruly toddlers), and repeated use provides much the same benefit: functional, real world strength. "A kettlebell's unique shape also allows you to transition from one exercise to the next without putting it down," says Brown. (Search: Will I get different benefits from kettlebells, dumbbells, and barbells?) Trainers call this nonstop strategy "kettlebell flow," and the results speak for themselves: a better metabolic burn and more muscle in significantly less time. And for a killer routine that only requires one exercise, check out the awesome 9-minute kettlebell routine. 

Video: How to get more from your workout

Do this: Perform the following workout as a "ladder." Begin with 1 rep of each exercise on your right side, moving from one to the next without rest. Next, do 2 reps of each on your right side, then 3, and so on up to 5 reps. Rest for 2 minutes, and then repeat the ladder on your left side. If your grip isn't strong enough to complete a full ladder on one side, alternate sides, resting for 1 minute between rep levels.

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