Cardio & Kettlebell

Wow! Another incredible workout from Yvette Bachman! I love this woman’s workouts! Cardio & Kettlebell is one of her longer workouts (71:30 minutes) but this can easily be shortened for a workday (for me that is–I only have an hour in the morning M-F to workout before I go to work. I am on staycation this week which is why I am able to do longer workouts). The actual cardio kettlebell portion of the workout (including the warm up) is 49 minutes. Scrub over the step portion to the stretch and you have an intense 52:30 minute workout. Or you can do like I plan to do and after the 49 minute cardio kettlebell portion I will do a longer, more thorough stretch to equal my hour in the morning. However, if you do have more time, also doing the cardio step makes for a long and excellent metabolic strength workout. But the cardio kettlebell part is definitely my favorite part of the workout. I loved this workout! It moves at a great pace and the time flies while you are working hard. I burned 600 calories in 71:30 minutes! FYI the step cardio is basic step choreography–nothing complex or difficult but it keeps your heart rate elevated and it is fun, too!

The subtitle to this workout on YouTube is Full Body, Fat Burning Workout. Fat Burning–definitely! Full Body–not really. First, I would not count this is as my strength work and even if I did, it isn’t full body. Some shoulder work, some tricep work, some lower body work, some core work–but this is primarily a metabolic cardio workout.

Cardio & Kettlebell is 71:30 minutes long; 9 minute warm up, 40 minutes of kettlebell cardio, 16:30 minutes of step cardio and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: 15 or 20 pound kettlebell, 10 pound kettlebell, a set of 8 or 10 pound dumbbells and a step w/ 1 or 2 risers (you will not pull out your step until the end of the workout). Yvette appears to also be wearing weighted gloves. I used 25, 20, 15 and 10 pound kettlebells. I also used 10 and 8 pound dumbbells, and my step was set at 8 inches. Each move in the first half of the workout is done for 45 seconds. You get a short water break and for the remainder of the cardio kettlebell portion you do each move for 30 seconds. The kettlebell/dumbbell weights listed below are what I used.

1. Long jump into burpee then shuffle jog back to start
2. Plie squat lowering KB to floor, jump feet in raising KB to chest then press KB overhead; ends w/ 4 overhead presses (20# KB)
3. Set KB on floor and do a sort of side hurdle jump over KB the jump
4. Get into straight arm plank w/ KB between arms under chest–walk over KB w/ hands to one side then walk back over to other side
5. Squat w/ one arm overhead press (15# KB)
6. Set KB on floor, do a long low lunge to side w/ one hand on KB, stand and jump in front in KB, do a long low lunge to other side of KB and keep alternating w/ jump in the middle
7. Squat w/ one arm overhead press (other arm) (15# KB)
8. Long jump forward, 3 jacks back
9. Straight arm plank w/ KB between arms under chest, jump feet in to hands, stand up and do upright row (20# KB)
10. 3 jogs to side + one knee raise
11. Alternating reverse lunges holding KB at chest; add figure 8 under front leg as you lunge (15# KB)
12. Lateral skaters
13. Holding KB at chest, do a deep squat and while in squat, press KB in front of you, bring KB back in and stand; ends pulsing in deep squat (10# KB)
14. Side to side squat jumps (keep feet close together throughout)
15. Double hand KB swing (25# KB)
16. Holding one DB, wide squat jump facing side and bringing DB down between legs, jump so you are facing forward and do 2 jacks pressing DB overhead then wide squat jump facing other side (one 10# DB)
17. Plank row into tricep extension, alternate arms; ends w/ plank hold (10# DBs)
18. Fast feet while doing overhead press w/ KB (10# KB)
19. Burpee + one plank jack, jump feet in + 2 regular jacks
20. Stationary side to side lunge holding KB at chest; add passing KB around legs as you lunge side to side (10# KB)
21. Shuffle step side to side w/ a reach to side and leg raise
22. Double hand KB swing, bringing KB overhead as you swing (20# KB)
23. 3 scissor runs the lunge and tap fingertips to ground
24. DB passes in straight arm plank (DB on floor outside of one hand, grab it with opposite hand and bring it to other side and place on floor–keep passing side to side) (one 10# DB)

Approx 45 second water break. The remaining cardio kettlebell moves are each done for 30 seconds.

1. Plie squat lowering KB to floor, jump feet in raising KB to chest then press KB overhead; ends w/ 4 overhead presses (20# KB)
2. KB on floor, jump forward over KB, jump back then do 2 squat jumps in place; ends w/ squat jumps in place
3. Squat w/ one arm overhead press (15# KB)
4. Jump lunges w/ 2 hops in place before you jump lunge on other side
5. Squat w/ one arm overhead press (other arm) (15# KB)
6. Jump side to side 3x then jump in place (keep feet close together)
7. Plank swimmers (in straight arm plank, do a sort of broad stroke w/ arms)
8. Straight arm plank w/ KB between arms under chest, jump feet in to hands, stand up and do upright row (20# KB)
9. Holding one DB in both hands, shuffle 3x to side then swing DB between legs while squatting (one 10# DB)
10. Alternating reverse lunges holding KB at chest; add figure 8 under front leg as you lunge (15# KB)
11. Jump squat side to side, tapping fingers to ground each time you squat
12. Holding KB at chest, do a deep squat and while in squat, press KB in front of you, bring KB back in and stand; ends pulsing in deep squat (10# KB)
13. Plank row into tricep extension, alternate arms; ends w/ plank hold (8# DBs)
14. Fast feet while doing overhead press w/ KB (10# KB)
15. Jacks while swinging arms side to side
16. Stationary side to side lunge holding KB at chest; add passing KB around legs as you lunge side to side (10# KB)
17. Wide squat jump forward and back + burpee
18. In straight arm plank, alternate punching forward
19. Double hand KB swing, bringing KB overhead as you swing (20# KB)
20. Squat jack, tapping one hand to KB on floor and hopping 2x at top of jack
21. Get into straight arm plank w/ KB between arms under chest–walk over KB w/ hands to one side then walk back over to other side
22. Squat holding KB in both hands at chest, stand and do overhead press, squat again and this time jump feet together as you do overhead press–alternate between these two variations ends; w/ just overhead presses (10# KB)

Put KBs and DBs away and get out your step; Yvette is using a step at 8 inches. Set up time takes approx 1:30 minutes. 16:30 minutes step aerobics. All basic (but fun!) step choreography.

For more info on Yvette Bachman and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.