If I were only allowed one piece of fitness equipment for the rest of my life, it would be the kettlebell. No singular training tool puts more options on the table for improving all facets of fitness, no matter your ability level, and it’s fairly affordable too.
There are two key things standing between you and a fit, functional body forged by kettlebells. The first is which kettlebell to buy – I’ve solved that by suggesting my favourite at the bottom of the page. The second is knowing what to do with it. In this article, I’m going to help you bridge that gap.
I’ve interviewed top coaches, kettlebell specialists and even trainers who have exclusively used this tool to stay in shape – with great success. This piece is a distillation of their expertise, aiming to arm you with all you need for a comprehensive kettlebell training routine, including a twice-weekly workout to get you started.
Read more: Best kettlebells for building strength, tested
The beginner kettlebell workout that covers most fitness bases
Part one: get sweaty
- Kettlebell swing x15
- Suitcase carry right x20m (or march on the spot x20 if you are indoors)
- Kettlebell swing x15
- Suitcase carry left x20m (or march on the spot x20)
- Kettlebell swing x15
- Suitcase carry right x20m (or march on the spot x20)
- Kettlebell swing x15
- Suitcase carry left x20m (or march on the spot x20)
Flow: Start by performing 15 kettlebell swings, then hold the kettlebell in your right hand and walk tall for roughly 20 metres (or 20 strides). Once you have done this, perform another 15 kettlebells without putting the weight down then turn around, hold the kettlebell in your left hand and walk tall back to the starting position.
Continue this sequence until you have performed four lots of kettlebell swings. To adjust the difficulty, you can use a heavier or lighter kettlebell, and increase or decrease the target number of kettlebell swings each round.
Part two: get strong
- Goblet squat 2x10-15
- Single-arm row 2x8-12
- Kettlebell deadlift 2x15-20
- Press-up 2x6-10
Flow: Perform the exercises above as a circuit for two rounds. The movements have been listed in a way that minimises overlap, focussing on your upper and lower body in turn. You can change the target number of repetitions for each exercise depending on the weight of the kettlebell you have available.
As long as the last few repetitions of each set feel challenging, but not so challenging that you are unable to maintain good technique, the workout will be effective.
Part three: get mobile
- Goblet squat hold with prying 2x30sec
- Single-leg balance 2x5-30sec each side
- Child’s pose 2x30sec
- Quadruped thoracic rotation 2x30sec each side
Flow: Perform these movements as a circuit for two rounds, spending 30 seconds on each one. For added difficulty, you can add movement such as hops and kettlebell around the worlds to the single-leg balances.
Read more: Expert coach shares five kettlebell workouts to get you in ‘the shape of your life’
What you need to know for this workout to be effective
I recently spoke to Dr Brad Schoenfeld, a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in New York and one of the world’s leading strength training researchers. He told me there were three standards that must be met for strength training to be effective.
Firstly: consistency. One workout will not transform your health and fitness. Instead, doing a full body workout like this one two or three times per week, for several consecutive months, will deliver the results you are after. You will start to notice changes in how you look, feel and function after roughly eighty weeks, Dr Schoenfeld advises.
Secondly, sound technique should be a priority. Lifting weights is a skill, so practice fine-tuning your form with lighter weights before moving on to heavier loads.
This brings us nicely to our final point. To build stronger joints, bones and muscles, the weights you are lifting must be feel challenging for you.
“If you’re lifting a weight, and at the end of your set you could do 10 more repetitions with the weight you’re using, you’re not really going to see much in the way of benefits,” Dr Schoenfeld explains. “The last few repetitions [of each set] need to be difficult to complete.”
Read more: Swap the gym for this trainer’s six-move kettlebell workout to build full-body strength at home
How to use this workout to improve your health and fitness
This workout should take no more than 25 minutes and it is designed with beginners in mind. If you do not feel ready for kettlebell swings, you can perform glute bridges in part one instead.
The session comes in three parts, and it’s down to you to decide how you use it. You can split up the three sections and use them as exercise snacks throughout the week, which can be helpful for building a consistent daily fitness habit. Or you can do the whole thing two or three times per week for maximum bang for your buck.
The aim here is to cover many fitness bases as efficiently as possible. As experienced coach Dan John told me in our interview: “As you learn more kettlebell exercises, you can figure out that one day a week is a mobility day, one or two days a week are ‘get sweaty’ days, one or two days a week are ‘get strong’ days. The piece of equipment remains the same: the kettlebell.”
This workout recruits all major muscle groups, includes fundamental movement patterns such as squatting, hinging, pressing and pulling, and even has a little bit of rotational work and balance training built in for bonus perks.
Read more: Best dumbbells for building strength, tested
Decathlon adjustable kettlebell
Best: Adjustable kettlebell
Weight options: 12-24kg. You can use one-inch weight plates to increase the load in 0.5kg, 1kg and 2kg increments
Main material: Cast iron
Why we love it
- Seven kettlebells in one
- Sturdy, durable design
- Easy to change weight
Take note
- You need to pay extra for weight plates
- Plates make a slight sound during dynamic exercises like snatches and cleans
- Large bell may not suit smaller bodies
If you want to do this workout but you don’t currently have a kettlebell, I recommend one of two options. Firstly, you can buy a cast iron kettlebell that will last you a lifetime. I picked this BlkBox ‘bell (£52.99, blkboxfitness.com) up in 2022 and, despite being lugged around muddy park after muddy park, it still looks as good as new. But any well-made metal weight will work.
The only issue is, when you become strong enough to want a heavier weight to use, you need to buy a whole new kettlebell.
On the face of it, adjustable kettlebells solve this problem. They offer changeable weights so you can add and remove load as you see fit.
The issue is, part of the kettlebell’s appeal is its durability – it’s a lump of metal with a thick handle. And most adjustable options I’ve encountered have been a tad plastick-y and naff.
Thankfully, this Decathlon adjustable kettlebell isn’t. It has a hardy cast iron casing with the weight plates stored safely inside and secured with a spinlock collar. This meant I could swing, clean and snatch it without fearing anything would come loose.
Another frustration I have with modern kettlebells is when brands decide to change their shape, leaving them unwieldy for classic exercises like cleans and front squats. But this one from Decathlon keeps things classic, with the rounded bell and ample handle working well for swings and settling nicely in a front rack position.
There was a little bit of noise from the plates inside when I caught it in a clean, but nothing to be concerned about, and in my week of testing I didn’t encounter any issues with the changeable elements not staying in place.
The kettlebell is on the larger side, roughly the size of a competition kettlebell, so it will be fine for most people. But smaller-bodied users may struggle to perform two-handed swings.
And finally, at £79.99, it’s not bad value considering it can replace multiple weights. The only downside is you have to buy the weight plates needed to change the load separately (£3.99, Decathlon.co.uk).
Buy now £79.99, Decathlon.co.uk
Is the Decathlon adjustable kettlebell worth it?
I’m a fitness journalist; the goal is to help as many people as possible move more, and enjoy doing so, improving their health and fitness in the process.
I don’t want you to have to spend much money in the process. The fewer barriers to entry to exercises there are, the better, in my eyes.
I do believe a kettlebell is one of the best investments you can make for your health and fitness, and the Decathlon adjustable kettlebell is a versatile piece of kit that replaces multiple weights . There are no subscriptions, no fads, no smoke and mirrors, just a tried and trusted tool for creating a fit, functional body.
You can buy a fixed weight cast iron kettlebell, like the BlkBox ‘bell, but an adjustable one like Decathlon’s will save you space and money in the long run. Either will work. The most important things are consistency, challenge and enjoyment.
How I tested the best adjustable kettlebell
I tested this kettlebell by using it every day for a week. I wanted to see how it fared with staple kettlebell exercises such as swings, cleans, snatches, presses and carries, as well as a few more niche movements. Before recommending it to readers, I needed to know it was ergonomic and durable. A kettlebell should last for years, nestle nicely in a front rack position, have a textured handle for grip and ample grabbing space for two-handed swings.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Harry Bullmore is The Independent’s senior fitness writer. With a love of movement in all its forms and a particular penchant for strength training, he has spent the last 14 years completing workouts in gyms, parks, studios, garages and, occasionally, garden sheds, across the UK and beyond. This has given him every opportunity to test many of the best fitness innovations on the market, from the best kettlebells to race shoes, learning which ones deliver on their promises and which ones are a waste of your money.
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