You don't need to hit the gym to strengthen your arms, shoulders, back, and chest muscles: This 15-minute workout strengthens your upper body using just the best kettlebells and five exercises.
The workout should be done at a submaximal effort, meaning you won't be hitting your max for the full 15 minutes. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't aim for a high intensity: try to work at about a 7 or 8 out of 10 at all times, and increase it in the last few minutes.
Below, find out how to perform each kettlebell exercise, the benefits, and a 15-minute workout you can try at the gym or at home.
What are the 5 kettlebell exercises?
These five moves are designed to work muscles throughout your body, engage your core, and strengthen your upper body. Here's how to do each one, with tips for perfecting your technique, getting the most out of your workout, and avoiding injury.
1. One-arm clean and press with kettlebell
The one-arm clean and press works the legs, glutes, hip flexors, core, shoulders, arms, and back, and the press strengthens the pecs, anterior deltoids, and triceps. Performed at high speed, the clean and press will get your heart rate up and help you develop your kettlebell technique.
- Place a kettlebell between your feet and position your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Use an overhand grip on the kettlebell, rotate your hips and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
- Engage your heart
- Lightly send the kettlebell between your legs, then push the kettlebell upwards
- Pull the bell toward you with a bent elbow and catch it on your shoulder in a front rack position. Snap your hips forward and squeeze your glutes as you stand up
- Avoid turning the bell on your wrist and let it rotate on your upper arm. Keep your elbow locked close to your body
- Press the kettlebell overhead, keeping your wrist and elbow stacked above your shoulder
- Lock the arm, then lower the bell to your shoulder and reverse the movements back to the floor.
2. Vertical rowing with kettlebell
You can hold a bell in both hands or a kettlebell in each hand to perform upright rows depending on the weight you want to use. Kettlebell upright rows strengthen the lateral and anterior deltoids, biceps, and middle and upper back, especially the trapezius and rhomboids.
Remember to gently bring your shoulder blades together and contract your back muscles during a rowing motion. Avoid rotating your shoulders inward while rowing.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a kettlebell in front of you with an overhand grip.
- Bend your elbows and push the kettlebell up toward your chin, keeping the bell close to your body
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, pause, then lower the kettlebell back to the starting position.
3. Gorilla row with kettlebell
The Gorilla Row engages your lats, traps, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, and biceps. As you bend forward at the hips, your hips, core, lower back, and hamstrings are also engaged.
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a kettlebell in each hand on the floor between your feet
- Bend forward at the hips, gently bend your knees and send your butt back. Keep your back flat and keep your chest parallel to the floor.
- Contract your core, then bring your right arm back, pulling the kettlebell toward your hip.
- Pause, then lower your arm and repeat on the other side
- Alternate between sides without rotating to one side.
4. Arnold press with kettlebell
The Arnold bench press uniquely targets all three deltoid heads, making it a perfect all-around exercise for strengthening the entire shoulder. A standing Arnold bench press also engages your triceps, pecs, and abdominal muscles, improving core engagement at the same time.
- Stand with your legs hip- or shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a kettlebell in each hand with your elbows bent and your palms facing you at shoulder height.
- Press the kettlebells overhead while rotating your palms away from you
- Lock your arms at the top and pause
- Reverse the movement to return to your starting position.
5. Devil press with kettlebell
The Devil Press combines a chest-to-floor burpee and a snatch, so it's technically a total-body compound exercise that gets your heart rate up and tests speed, strength, and endurance.
You can alternate arms if you prefer to use a single weight, but remember to keep the hip hinge sharp and drive with a powerful movement.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core, grab both kettlebells and return to a high plank position.
- Lower into a deficit push-up between the bells with your chest and hips aligned
- Press up, then jump with both feet forward, right next to the bells
- Lift your chest, lower both shoulders and keep your back flat, hinged at your hips.
- Send both kettlebells through your legs
- Push your hips forward, extend your legs, and propel the kettlebells overhead using a kettlebell snatch motion.
- Reverse these steps downward, swing the bells between your legs, then place them on the floor in the starting position.
5 Kettlebell Workout Moves to Try
I'm a fan of kettlebell flow and kettlebell complexes (when you chain exercises back to back) are great for accessing your flow state.
Once you find your technique and feel comfortable with each move and sequence, your body will naturally adapt, and you may even find it meditative. Research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology suggests that the meditative nature of repetitive movements may even improve your working memory and cognitive function.
To perform this exercise, you will perform one repetition of each exercise in a row without rest. Start with a one-arm clean and press on each side, then grab one or two weights and perform a single upright row.
From there, bring the kettlebell or bells to the ground and begin the Gorilla Row, performing one row on each side. From the ground, go straight into a Devil's Press, then from the overhead position, bring the bells to your shoulders and go straight into an Arnold Press. That's one round.
On the next round, add one rep per exercise. You will need to set a 15-minute timer and work continuously, resting only between rounds and never between exercises. Try to keep each movement perfectly controlled and well-oiled rather than rushing your reps or lifting too much weight.
As I mentioned, work submaximally using a set of medium-heavy kettlebells that keep your form tight without going max. You should feel gassy at the end of each round without needing more than 30 seconds of rest at a time.