Total Body Kettlebell Circuit Workout

Look at what Santa brought me.

This kettlebell is quickly becoming one of my new favorite fitness toys. It’s perfect for strength or metabolic resistance workouts at home when I don’t have time to get to the gym. Lately my at home strength workouts have been mostly bodyweight workouts with some work on my pull-up bar thrown in. I like using my Dynamax ball and gliding disks too, but sometimes I’m just craving a heavier strength workout, you know? And now that I’m lifting heavier, my home dumbbell sets are too light! I have a set of eights, tens, and fifteens, so my new 25 pound kettlebell is a welcomed addition to my home equipment collection. It’s also just a great way to switch things up since I haven’t always done a lot of kettlebell work in the past. It really is one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment out there, and it lets you do strength and cardio at the same time. Score.

On New Year’s Day, since the gym wasn’t opening until noon (what!?), I opted to give my new bell a go at home. I created this circuit and busted it out in our dining room. Words to the wise: this is probably not the best routine to do on your hardwood floors. Whoops.

This workout is designed to be done circuit style where you move from one move to the next with little to no rest in between each exercise. Do 10 reps of each move, and rest when you get to the end of the circuit. Repeat for a total of 3-4 rounds through. Of course, always listen to your body and take breaks as needed.

When I did this three times through, it took me about 25 minutes to complete, not including the warmup. If your kettlebell is on the lighter side, it would probably take you shorter. My 25 pound bell was too heavy for those situps to single arm presses, so I dropped down to my 15 pound dumbbell for those instead — just to help you guys gauge weight! Now of course I want to go buy more kettlebells in multiple sizes, but I’ll try to contain myself (gotta save for the wedding!).

Readers, let’s chat! Do you work out with kettlebells? What’s your favorite kettlebell exercise? What is your favorite fitness toy?

Hopefully there will be a lot more F&F kettlebell style workouts to come! If you give this one a whirl, post your sweaty kettlebell selfies to social media and tag me @fitnessandfeta. I want to see you rock it!

The Overhead Burn Workout

Morning! Just wanted to share a new workout with you guys today. This is one that I taught for the beginning of class last week, but it’s one that would make for an extremely effective 15-20 minute workout during the busy holiday season.

I hope this one isn’t too confusing. Basically, if you are working out with a friend, partner 1 starts with the circuit and goes through 10 reps of each exercises while partner 2 does barbell push presses for however long it takes partner 1 to finish the circuit. Then you will switch so partner 2 does the circuit while partner 1 does barbell push presses. The next round will be exactly the same except that the overhead exercise will be a barbell overhead hold instead of a push press. You will continue alternating in this pattern for 15-20 minutes or until both partners have done equal amounts of rounds.

This makes for a great shoulder burn because of all the overhead moves! If you want to do this one solo, just do the overhead moves for 30 seconds on your own before going back to your main circuit. But since tomorrow’s Holiday Hustle suggested check in is something active with a friend, I thought I’d help you guys out!

Enjoy!

–Let’s chat–
About how much I’m LOVING barbell push presses lately. Anyone else? What exercise always makes your shoulders burn?

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday so far! To follow along with my Holiday Hustle challengers, check out #ffholidayhustle on social media. Everyone’s breakfast pics today look so YUMMY!

Decreasing Row and Medicine Ball Core Strength Workout

Hi friends,

I have another new workout to share with you guys today. Since I lifted on Sunday and am planning to take my friend Emily’s spin class tomorrow morning, I wanted to do a more cardio based workout yesterday and leave a second lift day for today. When I got to the gym yesterday, I knew I wanted something fast but not the treadmill for a long time. While I did run a mile on the treadmill for my warmup, I threw together a workout that revolved around the row machine instead.

This one is pretty self-explanatory! You alternate between the row machine and the medicine ball core circuit, decreasing the distance rowed with each round. The three moves for the circuit are 10 situps with a medicine ball overhead press, 10 Russian twists holding the ball, and 10 total slow mountain climbers with your hands on the ball. I used a 20 pound ball, but definitely adapt this to your own fitness levels. No medicine ball? You could do the first two exercises with a dumbbell and the third with bodyweight or by holding onto two dumbbells. No dumbbells? Just adapt to bodyweight. No row machine? You can really alternate anything here — a decreasing walking distance, a decreasing running distance, decreasing jump rope time, decreasing number of burpees… battle ropes… med ball slams… see where I’m going with this?

Make it your own, have fun, and get sweaty!

–Let’s chat–
What’s your cardio choice when you are just not in the mood for the treadmill? Does anyone have any good row workouts to share?

Even though some of us may be psyched to have the day off from work today, take a second to remember the fallen and pay a tribute to those who still fight for our freedom. ❤