This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This was a tough kettlebell workout! Though it is a total body strength workout it hit my shoulders the hardest. On most of the exercises that include shoulder work I could not keep pace with Caroline. Which is fine. That is the nature of complexes–go at your own pace and I have to take care of my shoulders. I definitely felt the burn by the end of this workout. It is very metabolic, too. Excellent and intense total body kettlebell workout!
This workout consists of complexes; each complex contains 2 exercises. What this means is you are doing 2 exercises with no rest between exercises and you do not stop alternating those two exercises until the time is up. Each complex is done for 2 minutes then you get a 30 second rest before moving on to the next complex. The complex you are working through is listed in the lower left hand corner of the screen for your reference. It lists each exercise you are doing and the amount of reps you do for each exercise. This is especially useful if you cannot keep pace with Caroline then you can still keep track of your complex. There is a timer in the upper right hand corner of the screen, counting down your 2 minutes of work as well as your 30 seconds of rest. Caroline previews your next complex during the recovery. There is also a little bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.
Kettlebell Complex Full Body is 25:34 minutes (this time does not include the optional 11:39 minute warm up) with a 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: kettlebell(s) and a fitness mat. Caroline is using a 16kg/35 pound and a 10kg/22 pound kettlebell. The kettlebell weights listed below are what I used.
Complex 1: (I used a 25# KB)
- Kettlebell swing, 10 reps
- Goblet squat, 10 reps
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
30 second rest
Complex 2: (I used a 20# KB)
- Clean to press, 10 reps (hold KB in one hand, swing KB between legs, at top of swing rack KB at shoulder and do one single arm overhead press)
- Rear step lunge, 10 reps (single leg reverse lunges, hold KB in same side hand as front leg)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 on other side of body
Complex 3: ( used a 20# KB)
- Clean to squat, 10 reps (single arm, swing KB between legs then rack KB at shoulder and squat)
- Static lunge, 10 reps (stationary lunges, hold KB in same side hand as front leg)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 on other side of body
Complex 4: (I used a 20# KB)
- Squat to clean to press, 10 reps (hold KB in one hand, squat reaching KB toward floor and when you stand, rack KB at shoulder and do a single arm overhead press)
- Uneven push up, 10 reps (lay KB on side, do push ups with one hand on KB and one hand on the floor)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 on other side of body
Complex 5: (I used a 20# KB)
- Leg lowers, 20 reps (lay on back on mat, hold KB in both hands and extend KB to ceiling, extend straight legs to ceiling, lower legs until they are a few inches off the floor then raise them back to ceiling, keeping KB extended to ceiling and head and shoulders elevated)
- Crunch, 20 reps (lay on back with knees bent and feet on mat, hold KB in both hands, do upper body crunches reaching KB to ceiling)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
30 second rest
Finisher: 2 minutes of kettlebell swings (I used a 25# KB)
