Strengthen and sculpt your entire body with only 5 exercises! This 20-minute Kettlebell Workout For Beginners uses low-impact exercises that help women get stronger. Just download the PDF, practice the exercises, and add this full body at-home kettlebell workout to your weekly training routine!
A Quick Look At The Workout
- 💭Equipment: All you need is one kettlebell
- ⏲️Duration: 20 minutes with 5 exercises
- 📖 Warm up: Learn how to warm up before lifting and grab one of the total body warm-ups.
- 📋Intensity: Low-impact and beginner-friendly
- 📖 Frequency: If you want to increase strength, do this workout 2-3 times per week
- ⭐ Muscles used: This kettlebell workout is a total body workout so you'll hit most major muscle groups.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
"Just had to say that I started this workout in October and have seen such great results! I feel great and have noticed some good tone starting to develop all around. I love that it's only 20 mins. Definitely keeping up with this workout into the new year." - Sarah
You don’t need a complicated plan or a full gym to start building strength. A single kettlebell is more than enough to train your entire body at home, especially if you’re just getting started (if you’re new, these strength training tips for beginners will help you get the most out of it).
This beginner-friendly kettlebell workout keeps things simple: it focuses on controlled, full-body movements that build strength without feeling overwhelming.
But this kettlebell workout in particular is awesome because:
- Builds full-body strength with just one weight
- Takes only 20 minutes
- Can be done 2–3 times per week
- Uses slower, controlled reps (perfect for beginners)
Jump To
- A Quick Look At The Workout
- Best Weight For The Workout
- The Kettlebell Workout For Beginners
- How To Do These Exercises Properly
- How To Make It Harder
- More Home Workouts and Fitness Tips To Help You On Your Journey
- Full Body Kettlebell Workout FAQs
- Other Home Workouts & Fitness Tips To Help You On Your Journey
Best Weight For The Workout
For this workout, a 20–25 lb kettlebell is a great starting point for most women.
This weight is heavy enough to challenge your lower body (like squats and deadlifts), but still manageable for upper body movements as you build strength.
If you’re brand new to kettlebells, you may want to start lighter (15 lbs) to learn proper form first, especially for movements like presses.
A good rule of thumb: the last few reps should feel challenging, but you should still be able to keep control and good form.
The Kettlebell Workout For Beginners
| Goblet Squat With Parlof Press | 8 reps |
| Kettlebell Shoulder Press | 10 reps |
| Rest | 45 seconds x3 sets |
| Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift | 8 reps |
| Kettlebell Single Arm Row | 10 reps per arm |
| Single Leg Glute Bridge | 12 reps per leg |
| Rest | 45 seconds x 3 sets |
How to perform the workout: Perform the kettlebell full-body workout in circuits.
- Circuit one: Perform the first two exercises back to back without rest for the prescribed reps. Rest 45-60s and repeat for a total of three rounds.
- Circuit two: Move on to the next group of exercises, again performing them back to back and only resting at the end of the glute bridges. Perform this sequence for a total of three rounds as well.
And if you smash it and need some post-workout muscle relief, check out a DIY muscle rub you can use to take care of those worked muscles!
How To Do These Exercises Properly
If you’ve ever done a workout and thought “I didn’t really feel that…”—this is why.
These simple form cues will help you move better, feel the right muscles working, and get way more out of each exercise.
Kettlebell Goblet Squats With Parlof Press
- Hold the kettlebell at chest height with the feet wider than hip distance apart.
- Lower into the bottom of a squat keeping the knees out and the chest up.
- Press the kettlebell away from the body.
- Bring it back to the chest and reverse the squat to the starting position.
Cue: Sit your hips back, then press out only as far as you can stabilize.
Kettlebell Shoulder Press
This can be done with one kettlebell or two. The steps below are to perform it with one kettlebell.
- Hold the kettlebell upside down in both hands in a standing position.
- Keep the ribcage tucked as you press the kettlebell overhead.
- Pause and try to line your biceps up with your ears.
- Slowly return the kettlebell to chest height.
bCue: Brace your core and press straight up, don’t lean back.
Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
- Standing upright, hold one kettlebell with both hands in front of your leg.
- Soften the knees and push the hips backward as you lower the kettlebell toward the floor.
- Keep a flat back and the kettlebell close to your legs.
- Feel a stretch in the hamstrings and reverse the movement.
Master this movement by learning how to hip hinge.
Cue: Push your hips back like you’re closing a door, keep the weight close to your legs.
Kettlebell Single Arm Row
- Come into a lunge position with the kettlebell in the opposite hand as the front leg.
- Hinge forward at the hips so that you are partially bent over with a flat back.
- Use the back muscles to row the kettlebell up toward the hip.
- Pause and slowly lower the kettlebell back to the starting position.
Cue: Pull your elbow toward your hip, not your shoulder.
Single Leg Glute Bridge
- Lay on the floor with the heels close to the bum.
- Lift one leg and place the kettlebell on your hip.
- Push through the heel of the foot on the floor and squeeze the bum as you raise the hips in the air. Do not arch the low back,
- Pause briefly and return the hips to the floor.
Cue: Drive through your heel and squeeze your glute at the top.
How To Make It Harder
Once this workout starts to feel easier, you don’t need to switch to something completely different. A few small adjustments can go a long way in helping you continue to build strength and see progress.
Weight: Start by increasing the weight if you can complete all your reps without much challenge. The goal is to reach a point where the last few reps feel difficult, but you can still maintain good form.
Tempo: You can also slow down your reps, especially on the lowering phase of each movement. Taking two to three seconds to lower the weight increases time under tension and makes each exercise more effective.
Volume: Another simple option is to add an extra round to each circuit. This increases the overall volume of the workout and helps build strength over time without changing the exercises themselves.
Learn more about how to make home workouts more intense.
Stop Guessing: If you’re tired of guessing in your workouts or jumping from one random routine to the next, it’s not a motivation problem, it’s a structure problem. That’s exactly what I fix inside 6 Weeks to Strong. You’ll follow a simple, progressive plan so you always know what to do, and more importantly, why you’re doing it.
More Home Workouts and Fitness Tips To Help You On Your Journey
Full Body Kettlebell Workout FAQs
Kettlebells take up little room and are a great way to strength train anywhere. However, they are a tool like any other, so much of how you train with them depends on your goals. Stimulating your muscles is more about consistent and progressive overload (always pushing and challenging, targeting the muscle in a linear way), which can be done with any equipment (or no equipment).
Definitely. It’s not the length of the workouts as much as the effort and intensity. So long as you’re engaging the muscles and consistently scaling your effort, results will come. All of this can easily be done in twenty minutes (or less!).
You can perform this kettlebell workout 2-3 times per week, taking care to rest between your kettlebell training days.
Kettlebell swings are an amazing exercise for the entire body. However, you do need to have mastered the hip hinge as it is a fast-paced, power movement. Thus, it is better for beginners to work on exercises like Romanian deadlifts, bridges, and suitcase deadlifts before working on the kettlebell swing.
chhavi says
I finally know what to do with the kettlebell i bought 3 years ago..LOL!
fitasamamabear says
Haha get on it!! Any questions just ask 🙂
camerashuttercounter says
Just started this full body kettlebell workout and it's a game changer! I was hesitant at first since I'm a total beginner, but the instructions and video demos made it really easy to follow along. Can't believe how many calories I burned today!
fitasamamabear says
Happy that the instructions were super clear!
Sarah says
Just had to say that I started this workout in October and have seen such great results! I feel great and have noticed some good tone starting to develop all around. I love that it's only 20 mins. Definitely keeping up with this workout into the new year.
fitasamamabear says
This makes my heart happy, glad you're rocking it!
Gina says
I'm getting into working out again after a long haul with Lyme and my muscles have practically disintegrated into nothing! This was the perfect way to ease back into things without over taxing my body but still accomplished. Love that all I need is a kettlebell too!
fitasamamabear says
This makes my heart happy that you're back at it. Sorry to hear about all the struggles but ever step counts!
GiGi Eats says
I friggin' love kettle bells but the only one we have in my apartment's gym is a 35 lbs-er... and sometimes when I swing it all around, my back gets really sore - not the good kind though, ha!
fitasamamabear says
35lbs is a fun weight but definitely a challenging one and one most people can only rock legs with- but they're fun as hell AND you can get a pretty killer workout with them in a short time! As for the swings, when it irritates the low back it's because you're not hinging properly and the posterior chain (normally the glutes specifically) aren't contracting 😉 If you need an exercise demo let me know!
Lori says
There's so much you can do with a kettlebell. I'm going to order one now 🙂
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Yup Kettlbells definitely make it a bit easier to get in workouts!
Jane says
A quick full body workout for working moms like me. Added to my daily routine!Thanks!
fitasamamabear says
Glad it fits in!
Robert Wilson says
Kettlebells are indeed in trend to stay fit at home or gym. They are a great piece of fitness equipment. Nice blog. Thanks for sharing it.
fitasamamabear says
They definitely make working out at home easier- I love them for all the compound and power moves you can rock with them!
linda spiker says
I need to get some kettle balls!
fitasamamabear says
All you need is one@ 😉
Kristen says
This looks like a really fun workout!
I used to really struggle with the high intensity plyometric workouts. Then I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and decided that, between just not liking them and not recovering well after super high intensity workouts, I shouldn't bother. So I don't!
I'm definitely pinning this for days I can't get to the gym.
fitasamamabear says
Oi Hashimotos is one that takes some adjusting! Honestly, plyometrics and high intensity workouts have their place but if you don't enjoy them there's so many other options! I personally hate plyometric based workouts (no real reason I just don't like them lol) and I've found so many other workouts that I enjoy and work for me so why bother with jumping? lol
Megan Stevens says
I think you convinced me to buy my first kettlebell! Thanks for that link! I love being a mama with a home workout, so thanks for all your insights!!
fitasamamabear says
yay!! Ah I love that I won you over 😀 Honestly there is so many workouts you can do with just one weight it's sooo worth it@
Daniela says
This is fantastic and I love the video - that's what I always use for my home workouts!
fitasamamabear says
Glad you liked the video! Makes it easier to follow along 🙂