Kettlebell and Bodyweight Workout for Core, Legs and Arms

March 17, 2017 by VAHVA Fitness

Intense 3 rounds kettlebell and bodyweight workout which mainly targets the core, legs and arms. 

Kettlebell training is quite versatile and the focus is more movement-oriented with the big full body compound exercises. Russian athletes have used giryu kettlebells for centuries and with good results.

People often ask which is the best tool to build strength or size: kettlebells, dumbbells, machines or bodyweight. The truth is that they all work and every single one of them have their own unique benefits.

Instead of just picking 1 style of training, it's good to test everything and use everything at your disposal. This will ultimately produce the best results. Even exercise machines can be helpful.

This kettlebell workout will make the whole body work, but emphasize the legs, arms and core the most. You will develop strength, size, coordination, agility and core stability.

The workout can be done at the gym, home or outdoors as long as you have an access to kettlebells or dumbbells. This is an ideal workout to be done in a relatively short period of time, to do as a fat burning workout or as a part of a bigger workout (like a workout warm up or finisher).

If you only want to utilize your bodyweight and have nothing to do with weights, see our previous movement workouts:

Kettlebell and Bodyweight Workout

3 Rounds

Front squat: 3 x 4 repetitions

Push up to L-sit: 3 x 4 repetitions

Rest 1-2 minutes between rounds. No rest between exercises during rounds. If you cannot do an L-sit yet, you can just do push ups or an easier variation of the L-sit (read below). 

Kettlebell Front Squat

front squat strength kettlebell workout

Front squat is an excellent leg exercise you can do with kettlebells or dumbbells. This makes it also a great leg strength exercise to do at home.

Front squat done right (upright posture) will target the glutes, hamstrings and quads. Your core muscles and shoulders also need to work extra hard to hold the weight up on your chest.

See this video and article for the correct execution and different variations of the front squat. The movement is vertical (up-down) and you are sitting down instead of behind (as in the back squat).

Push Up to L-Sit

kettlebell push up workout
l-sit for core gymnastics bodyweight workout

Push up to L-sit is an intense movement combo that will work your legs, core and arms but also your chest and shoulders.

Push up (narrow hand placement) will primarily target the triceps, but you are also using your anterior deltoids and chest.

Transition phase between the push up and the L-sit will work the shoulders and core extremely hard.

L-sit will hit the triceps, abdominals but also your quads. Your quads and hip flexors actually need to be quite strong and mobile to perform the L-sit.

If L-sit is too difficult, you can do just push ups or do legs tucked L-sit holds instead. In Movement 20XX L-sit & V-sit are covered in the static skills and M-20XX has all the necessary mobility drills and progressions to master the V-sit (an advanced L-sit where the legs are pointing up).



samuli jyrkinen

About the author 

Samuli Jyrkinen

Samuli is the ninja behind the scenes (photography, videography, websites, program platforms and more). He has been training religiously for over a decade and has a firm grasp of physical and mental fitness. You will find our story here.

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