🔔 Kettlebell Tabata Workout

Kettlebell Tabata Workout is a short but fun metabolic kettlebell workout from Heather Robertson. It is done cardio + strength style. In each tabata Heather pairs one cardio (or metabolic) exercise using a kettlebell with one strength exercise using a kettlebell. It is not a total body strength workout nor does it give you any focused strength work but it is a perfect workout to add onto the end of another workout as a finisher. I did it after Heather’s Fierce 2.0 Day 5 total body workout. This gave me a little bit of extra strength work plus some cardio. It is a great finisher.

This workout is done tabata-style. A tabata is a type of HIIT (high intensity interval training): 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of recovery; repeat this 20/10 interval 8 times for a 4 minute tabata circuit. There are 4 tabata circuits in this workout, which equals thirty-two 20/10 intervals. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your recoveries and intervals. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise. This is not a low impact workout.

There is an editing mistake during the third tabata. The first exercise sets the timer at 40 seconds instead of 20! But thankfully it ends after only 20 seconds of work. One of the other tabatas shows a  20 second recovery but you actually only get 10 seconds. There is a reason for this. This is one of Heather’s “premix” workouts. She took one of her longer workouts and edited it into something new and fun. This is a shorter version of her 30 Min Kettlebell HIIT Workout.

Kettlebell Tabata Workout is 22:49 minutes; 2:10 minute warm up and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: kettlebells and a fitness mat. Heather is using one 15 and one 40 pound kettlebell. The weights listed below are what I used.

Tabata 1: 

1. Deadlift & row combo (deadrow=lower into deadlift holding KB by bar with both hands, at bottom of deadlift do a double arm back row then stand) (40# KB)
2. Squat & hop (hold KB by bar with both hands, squat placing KB on floor at bottom of squat, release KB and jump, landing in squat, grab the handle again and stand) (40# KB)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 three more times

Tabata 2:

1. Plank pass thru (in straight arm plank with KB on floor outside of one hand, reach under body with other hand, grab KB handle and pull it under body to other side, set KB on floor, alternate sides) (20# KB)
2. Swing & switch (single arm kettlebell swing, alternate arms) (20# KB)
3. Repeat #1 & 3 three more times

30 second rest

Tabata 3:

1. Toe taps (place KB on floor on its side, with hands behind head, alternate hop-tapping toes to base of KB)
2. 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)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 three more times

Tabata 4:

1. Sumo squat (40# KB)
2. Hop overs (place KB on mat and side leap over KB)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 three more times

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