30MIN Kettlebell HIIT Workout

30Min Kettlebell HIIT Workout is total body strength workout from Heather Robertson using a kettlebell. Heather has a heavier kettlebell than what she normally uses. In all of her kettlebell workouts prior to this one she only used a 15 pound kettlebell, but in this workout she also has a 40 pound kettlebell! I’m impressed! She always creates great kettlebell workouts and this one is no different. However, using the 40 pound kettlebell makes this a much more effective strength workout than all of her previous ones. I always used a wider variety of kettlebells, including heavier ones, than what Heather used, but if you are following Heather’s lead and only using one relatively light kettlebell for everything, you are not getting a great strength workout. Use more than one kettlebell like Heather does in this workout and that will change. I didn’t find this workout as intense as some of her others but that could also be because I was holding back on the weights I used. I start the Caroline Girvan rotation I created tomorrow, which is all about building strength and muscle, so I don’t want to be sore because I pushed myself today. However, in the future when returning to this workout, I felt like I could definitely use a heavier kettlebell for some of the exercises.

This workout is made up of 3 circuits, each containing 5 exercises; 4 strength/metabolic exercises and one cardio exercise. Each circuit is done twice before moving on to the next circuit. The exercises are all done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews your next exercise.

30Min Kettlebell HIIT Workout is 36:53 minutes; 2:10 minute warm up and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: kettlebells and a fitness mat. Heather is using one 40 and one 15 pound kettlebell. The weights listed below are what I used.

Circuit 1:

1. Sumo squat (40# KB)
2. Kneeling press (in kneeling lunge, do a single arm overhead shoulder press) (15# KB)
3. Repeat #2 on other side of body
4. Toe taps (place KB on floor on its side, with hands behind head, alternate hop-tapping toes to base of KB)
5. Swing & switch (alternating single arm kettlebell swings) (20# KB)
6. Repeat #1-5

30 second rest

Circuit 2:

1. Deadlift & row combo (hinge forward into deadlift and hold while doing a double arm row) (40# KB)
2. Plank pass through (in straight arm plank with KB on floor outside of one hand, reach under body with other hand, grab KB horn and bring it across to the other side, alternate sides) (20# KB)
3. Lunge & press (static/stationary lunges, when lunging KB is racked at shoulder, at top of lunge do a single arm overhead shoulder press) (15# KB)
4. Repeat #3 on other side of body
5. Squat & hop (hold one KB in both hands, squat and place KB on floor, release KB and jump, land in squat, grasp KB again and stand) (40# KB)
6. Repeat #1-5

30 second rest

Circuit 3:

1. Side lunge & row (stationary/static side lunges to one side, when lunging, reach KB toward foot, at top of lunge do a single arm upright row) (12# KB)
2. Repeat #1 on other side of body
3. Hi-lo swing (hold one KB by handle w/ both hands, squat while swinging KB between legs to forehead level (arms are straight), stand and swing KB overhead) (20# KB)
4. Bridge & chest press (lay on back on mat, knees bent and feet on mat close to glutes, hold one KB in both hands above chest, push KB to ceiling and hold, lift hips into bridge, lower KB and hips together) (40# KB)
5. Hop overs (place KB on mat and side leap over KB)
6. Repeat #1-5

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