Forget the gym — this 3-move kettlebell workout builds power, strength and endurance in your whole body

Thankfully, you don’t need an entire gym full of equipment to build Hyrox-worthy power, strength, or endurance. You can level up with just one or two of the best kettlebells and smart, efficient compound exercises. Here are three that I swear by as a trainer, and a three-move kettlebell workout to get you started.

Before we start you need to understand a few things. This workout suits beginners and targets your entire body. You will exercise muscles throughout your whole frame including your chest & arms and back and shoulders and core & glutes and legs. The routine lasts only 25 minutes so you will finish quickly & move on with your day.

Finally, if you are training for a Hyrox competition, you’ll need a well-rounded Hyrox training plan that incorporates the eight stations found on the day and practice for your 1km runs. This workout should be used to add to your training plan, not replace it.

What are the exercises?

These are the moves, and some tips to help you get the most out of them.

1. Alternating kettlebell swings

Although kettlebell swings don’t feature in Hyrox, they still build explosive power, which are useful for a variety of activities. Swings recruit a hip hinge and require core engagement to work the muscles along your posterior chain, including your lower back, glutes and hamstrings.

Unilateral movements target one side of your body at a time. This approach enhances your stability & coordination while improving your balance. It prevents your stronger side from doing most of the work and ensures that both sides develop equally. This is the reason I have added alternating kettlebell swings to this routine. Focus on keeping your arms relaxed instead of using them to power the movement. The force for the swing should originate from your hips and glutes along with your core muscles.

2. Kettlebell overhead squat

Overhead squats are notoriously tough to master, but rewarding if you persevere. Start with a light weight that you have full control over, then gradually build. You’ll notice the difference between your stronger and weaker sides very quickly during OH squats, because there’s nowhere to hide when holding a weight overhead.

Keep your arm locked tight against your head with the weight positioned directly above your shoulder. Work on achieving a full depth squat by pushing your hips backward like you are sitting down into a chair. Your upper body needs to remain vertical throughout the movement. This position demands good flexibility in your mid-back, hips knees and ankles. Regular practice of this exercise will develop strength throughout your entire body.

3. Kettlebell squat cleans

Combining the clean with the squat engages the upper body (the swing and pull of the bell) while building lower-body strength. It’s a great core-strengthening exercise, and it develops full-body power as you zip the bell up onto your shoulder, then control it as you squat. You can perform reps on one side or alternate if you prefer. Again, this is a unilateral exercise, so you will work one side at a time, learning to balance and stabilize the weight.

What is the workout?

This is a 25-minute EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute), and boy, is it a slow burner. I urge you to dig deep and stick to it, as you have eight rounds to contend with.

Minute 1: Alternating swings x 10-12 reps (total)
Minute 2: OH squats x 10 reps (5 per side)
Minute 3: Squat cleans x 10 reps (5 per side).

In the first minute, perform 10 to 12 reps of your alternating swings, which is 5 or 6 per side. Rest for the remainder of the minute. On the next minute, perform 10 overhead squats, starting with your left side, then your right, then rest. In the next minute, perform 10 squat cleans, alternating between sides, or complete your reps on one side, then the other.

That’s one round. On the next round add a rep per side. Each round try to add a rep. Aim to take 10 to 20 seconds of rest each minute & hold yourself accountable to your target numbers. Remember that you’re going to fatigue so those reps will be harder to hold onto during the later rounds. For that reason choose your starting rep ranges wisely and use the above as guidelines only. Combined these moves strengthen the lower body and stabilize the upper body. If you enjoy Hyrox workouts or competing you’ll know how important that is for exercises like wall balls where you’ll be squatting while holding a ball and then throwing it at a target overhead. The workout style will also put endurance to the test and increase your capacity to move for longer periods with little rest. But if you’re not into Hyrox this workout goes far beyond being Hyrox-worthy and can benefit anyone and everyone willing to give it a try.