With this workout video we thought we would get in two of the requests we have been getting recently which is doing a kettlebell workout with an abs component and showing how you can use a dumbbell to do a kettlebell routine. Kelli and I are going to be doing this routine together, I will be demonstrating the kettlebell exercises and Kelli will be showing the modifications needed when done with a dumbbell.

We will start off this video with a quick 5 minute warm up doing 8 different stretches to get your blood pumping and those joints ready for a demanding kettlebell routine. If you don't want to do this warm up that is fine just make sure you get some kind of warm up in as the type of exercises in this routine can be dangerous and doing them cold will drastically increase your chances of injury.

The second section is a time based interval of 45 seconds of work with 15 seconds of rest, and we are going to be doing three rounds per exercise before moving to the next. We will be going through 7 different motions that will hit almost every muscle in your body. Each one of these motions is vastly different in which muscles it targets and how it targets them so to get the most out of this workout you will need to have a large selection of weights to choose from. For example the lightest kettlebell I use in this routine is 10 pounds (lunge with press) and the heaviest is 40 pounds (swing). If you do not have a large selection of weights then it is always best to pick a weight that is appropriate for the most difficult exercise and use it for all the rest of the exercises.; in my case that means using a 10 pound kettlebell for the whole routine. Obviously this is not ideal but it is better to be safe and burn a few less calories than to attempt an exercise with a weight you cannot control and risk injuring yourself.

The third section is a short core workout. Kelli is demonstrating the harder versions of the exercises and how to use them with weight and I am demonstrating the easier bodyweight version of each exercise. Pick whichever you can handle but be sure not to push further than you can control.

The last section is a cool down to keep your blood pumping and loosen up any tight muscles to help reduce stiffness and soreness the next day.

This 45 minute routine is a good calorie burner giving an average expenditure of 10 calories per minute on the low end and 15 calories per minute on the high end. Over the course of this whole routine you can expect to burn anywhere from 450 to 675 calories total, though the amount of effort you put into each exercise as well as the amount of weight you use can push this range higher or lower.

Warm Up:

Arm Circles
High Knee March
Crossover Toe Touches
Torso Rotations
Boxer Shuffle
Squats
Opposite Toe Touch Kick
Reaching Stretch

Kettelbell / Dumbbell Workout:

Swing
Halo
Renegade Row
High Pull
Dead LIft
Alternating Lunge with Pass
Alternating SIngle Arm Swing

Ab and Oblique Workout:

Toe Touch Crunch
Pullover Oblique Crunch
Russian Twist
Side Plank - Left
Side Plank - Right

Cool Down:

10 Minute, thorough total body stretch