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Upper Body Kettlebell Training for Strength - 30 Minute Kettlebell Workout Video

31 Min • Upper Body
  • View on YouTube
    • Training Type Kettlebell, Strength Training
    • Equipment Kettlebell
    • Membership Free

    Overview

    Kettlebells can be a great strength training workout and can target every muscle in your body when used the right way.  This workout has been put together to focus on the upper body and throws in a few total body motions as well that also focus on the upper body.  Though we use a kettlebell in the video there is no reason why you can substitute it for a dumbbell or any other weighted object that you may have handy you will however inevitably need to modify the exercises slightly to incorporate something other than a kettelbell.  



    Though this routine is specifically intended to build muscle tissue due to the lower number of repetitions used, you can easily use it for toning by using a lower amount of weight as well as bumping up the number of repetitions by 2 or more.  If you want to focus more on building mass then drop 2-4 repetitions off and increase the amount of weight accordingly, to make finishing those reps very difficult.

    When using a kettlebell for strength training and/or mass building you need to be very careful with your form and body position the entire time. As you increase weight to turn any one of these exercises into a strength or mass exercise the increased weight can pose an issue not only during the motion but also when moving into position to start a particular motion.  For example picking a weight up off the floor in preparation to do a Swing can be just as dangerous as doing that movement itself, especially with a higher amount of weight.

    With that said always think about your form even when doing something as simple as moving a weight from one location to another or after you complete all of your repetitions and you are setting your weight down as this is where many weight lifting injuries occur.

    Because not all of the motions are dynamic full body movements, your potential calorie burn with this routine drops just a bit compared to a routine using only full body dynamic exercises. That can be compensated for in two ways; the first is by using the maximum amount of weight that you can comfortably handle, as the more weight you use the more calories you burn. The second is by the afterburn effect that you get from strength training. When you damage/rip your muscle tissue during strength training (which is the goal) your body has to expend extra energy to repair that damage and this can increase your metabolism by up to a full calorie per minute, though most will see a more modest .25 or .5 calorie increase. This increase can last for up to 48 hours giving you a potential extra burn of 720 - 1440 calories over a two day period. Not bad for just sitting around.

    This routine burns a good amount on its own also. When finished with this 30 minute routine you can expect to have burnt anywhere from 241 to 482 calories.


    Upper Body Kettlebell Workout for Strength

    1. Single Arm Swing
    2. Jerk Press
    3. Jackknife Pull Over
    4. Close Chest Press (single arm)
    5. One Arm Close Row
    6. Acid Drop and Tricep Extension
    7. Figure 8 Curl
    8. Clean and Press