30 Minute Kettlebell Leg Workout with Abs

Kettlebell squat thrusters, kettlebells swings, and kettlebell deadlifts are all included in this 30 minute kettlebell leg workout you can do at home. Six of the best kettlebell leg exercises to build strength in the legs and butt while also toning the abs and core. This is a kettlebell AMRAP workout which means you determine how many calories you burn based on the number of rounds you complete.

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A 6-move kettlebell workout to strengthen the legs, butt and abs. I suggest this runner to ALL MY RUNNERS out there. 

TRAINER TIP: You don’t have to have a kettlebell at home to complete this workout. You can do this kettlebell workout using one heavy dumbbell. 

Why does this make a great kettlebell workout for runners?

Kettlebell workouts target your ‘power generating muscles’: 

• Hips
• Glutes
• Hamstrings

These are same muscles that allow you to power through your running stride.

This kettlebell leg workout has the added bonus of lots of unilateral exercises, or single-sided exercises such as:

• Kettlebell Single Arm Squat Thruster
• Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
• Uneven Kettlebell Step Up

These single-sided kettlebell leg exercises are also really effective for engaging the deep core and ab muscles.

So you can call this a kettlebell leg workout, a kettlebell ab workout or a kettlebell HIIT workout. Regardless of the name, this 30 minute kettlebell workout targets the legs, butt and abs. 

What are the best kettlebell leg exercises?

1. Kettlebell Swings
2. Kettlebell Squats
3. Kettlebell Deadlifts

What if I don’t have a kettlebell?

This AMRAP workout can also be done using one heavy dumbbell.

In the video above, I’ll show you how to modify each kettlebell exercise using a single heavy dumbbell instead of a kettlebell.

If you’re looking to expand your home gym equipment, you can get a kettlebell on Amazon.

Amazon Basics Kettlebells are actually in stock right now if you are having a hard time finding dumbbells.

What is an AMRAP workout?

AMRAP stands for:

• As Many Repetitions As Possible
• As Many Rounds As Possible

An example of an AMRAP workout focusing on repetitions would be completing this Kettlebell HIIT Workout for Women. Each exercise is completed in a timed interval of 40 seconds, you perform as many reps as possible during that 40 second interval.

Today’s kettlebell leg workout is ‘As Many Rounds As Possible’.

You’re goal is to complete all six kettlebell exercises as many times as possible in a 4-minute timeframe.

The goal is to keep moving the ENTIRE 4 MINUTES. Once you complete a 4-minute block you get 1 minute to rest and recovery before giving it another go.

What are the benefits of AMRAP workouts?

1. They’re a fun challenge. I’m pretty competitive by nature, so I love challenging myself to see how many rounds I can complete.
2. They demonstrate personal growth over time. If you’re a fitness beginner, it can be frustrating to have to wait to see physical changes in your body. I love that the AMRAP format provides you a different way to measure growth other than what you see on the scale. You can keep a note on your phone tracking each time you complete the workout and physically see how you’re getting stronger and faster (and able to complete more rounds) over time.
3. They adapt to your fitness needs. AMRAP workouts are awesome because you take them at YOUR OWN PACE. Meaning if you’re sore, pregnant or postpartum, you can scale the workout to what your body needs. It’s still challenging YOU, because you’re working to beat your own record.

30-Minute Kettlebell Leg Workout with Abs

Six of the best kettlebell leg exercises to build strength in the legs and butt while also toning the abs and core.

From kettlebell swings to squats and deadlifts, this 30 minute kettlebell leg workout is an intense lower body burnout.

But you get to take it at your pace. You determine how many calories you burn based on the number of rounds you complete. I personally burned 400+ calories while filming this kettlebell workout. 

Equipment:

Medium-to-Heavy Kettlebell.

I suggest using a 15-30 lb kettlebell. Alternatively, you can substitute one heavy dumbbell.

In this workout video I’m using a 25 lb kettlebell and 15 lb dumbbell.

Instructions:

Click here to follow along with the guided video at the top of this post. I’ll coach you through this kettlebell workout, providing form cues and modifications for all fitness levels.

This is a 20 minute AMRAP workout, broken down into four mini 4-minute AMRAPs. Add the warm up and cool down and you have a full 30 minute workout.

The six kettlebell leg exercises are outlined below.

During each 4 minute AMRAP you’ll perform 8 reps of each leg exercise, except for the kettlebell swings, you’ll perform 20 reps of those.

You’re goal is to complete all 6 exercises as many rounds as possible in 4 minutes.

Then you’ll take a 1 minute rest. You have 4 mini 4 minute AMRAPs to complete, for a total of 20 minutes of work.

Kettlebell Leg Exercises

1. Kettlebell Squat + Single Arm Thruster – complete 8 reps per side
2. Kettlebell Swing – complete 20 reps
3. Kettlebell Front Rack Step Up + Knee Drive – complete 8 reps per side
4. Kettlebell Deadlift + Front/Back Hop – complete 8 reps
5. Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift + Lateral Lunge – complete 8 reps per side
6. Eccentric Leg Lowers – complete 8 reps

1. Kettlebell Squat + Single Arm Thruster

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, core and shoulders. Note, the power to press the kettlebell or dumbbell overhead is coming from the legs.

Personal Trainer Tip: If your kettlebell is too heavy for this exercise, or if holding a kettlebell in the front rack position is uncomfortable for your wrist; substitute one heavy dumbbell. Or perform kettlebell or dumbbell goblet squats.

2. Kettlebell Swing

Targets: The entire lower body — glutes, quads, hips, hamstring, abs and core.

Personal Trainer Tip: Note, your legs and core strength are doing the work to swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height (not the upper body). See below for proper kettlebell swing form.

How to do a kettlebell swing:

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart. Holding a kettlebell with both hands between your legs.
2. Keep your arms long and loose while squeezing your shoulders blades together and engaging your core.
3. With a slight bend in your knees and bodyweight in your heels, hinge your hips and butt back towards the wall behind you.
4. Then drive through your heels, snap your hips forward, squeezing your core and glutes, to send weight swinging upward from quads. Aim for chest height, with arms extended out away from the body.
5. As the kettlebell begins to descend, let the weight do the work as you prepare for the next rep. Again shift your weight back into your heels while hinging at the hips and loading both hamstrings and glutes.
6. Return to the starting position, and repeat.

3. Kettlebell Step Up + Knee Drive

Targets: Legs, butt, quads, lower abs and core. This unilateral exercise requires deep core engagement to drive the knee of the opposing leg up while balancing on the standing leg.

Personal Trainer Tip: If you don’t have a chair or bench, or don’t want to add a level-change: perform a reverse lunge, stand, reverse lunge, knee drive. Be sure to keep your toes behind your front knee.

4. Kettlebell Deadlift + Front/Back Hop

Targets: Legs, hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves. This is an explosive movement that will also raise your heart rate.

Personal Trainer Tip: Make this a low impact exercises by taking out the front/back hop and just performing kettlebell deadlifts.

5. Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift + Lateral Lunge

Targets: Hamstrings, booty, inner thighs, abs and core. This is a powerful combination of the single leg deadlift for the butt and hamstrings and the lateral lunge for the legs and thighs.

Personal Trainer Tip: Kettlebell beginners should stagger their stance for the single leg deadlift. If you’re more advanced you can take this to a balancing single leg deadlift.

6. Eccentric Leg Lowers

Targets: Lower abs and core. This is your ‘core burnout’ exercise; you’ll feel every muscle in your abs fire up to support you.

Personal Trainer Tip: Modify by bending at the knees or dropping one leg at a time. Remember it’s a slow and controlled leg lower.

More Kettlebell Workouts

• 30-Minute Full Body Kettlebell HIIT Workout 
• 30-Minute Kettlebell AMRAP
• 20-Minute Kettlebell Cardio AMRAP Workout
• 7 Calorie Torching Kettlebell Moves

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