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35-Minute Kettlebell HIIT Workout for Women

Challenge your full body strength, cardiovascular endurance and core engagement in this 35-minute kettlebell HIIT workout. These kettlebell exercises are designed to build muscle and burn fat at home. Modifications are offered to scale this full body kettlebell HIIT workout for beginners to advanced athletes.



 

Build total body strength and raise your heart rate with this kettlebell HIIT workout at home.

Each circuit supersets a kettlebell strength exercise with a power exercise to challenge your total body strength and cardio endurance.

Kettlebell training is one of my favorite ways to build strength, power and endurance. Kettlebell workouts have followed be throughout pregnancy and postpartum because the exercises are high intensity but low impact, so they can be adapted for any level.

No kettlebell? No problem. You can do this entire workout with a single dumbbell (follow Rachel on the left in the workout video).

two women performing a kettlebell clean and uneven march as part of a full body kettlebell workout

Kettlebell HIIT Workout FAQs

What Are The Benefits Of Kettlebell HIIT Workouts?

Kettlebell training significantly boosts aerobic capacity, while also improving core strength and balance (American Council on Exercise). The kettlebell lends itself well to compound exercises, which engage multiple muscle groups at the same time and are a great way to get a high-intensity workout done in a low impact way.

Are Kettlebell Swings Better Than Burpees?

If you know me, you know that I love a good burpee. But the kettlebell swing is an effective exercise to challenge your strength, power and cardiovascular endurance, too. While your shoulders and arms are involved in the kettlebell swing, most of the effort should come from the legs and hips. It’s a compound movement that’s great for any level.

two women performing a lunge hold and back row with a kettlebell in a full body kettlebell workout

35-Minute Kettlebell Workout for Women (HIIT)

Build total body strength and raise your heart rate with this 35-Minute Kettlebell HIIT Workout for Women.

This is high intensity interval training done in a low impact way. We’ll superset a kettlebell strength exercise with a compound HIIT training exercise that will raise your heart rate.

Add this kettlebell workout to your weekly workout routine 1-2 times a week to build muscle and improve endurance.

Workout Equipment:

Medium Kettlebell or Single Heavy Dumbbell. I’m using a 20-30 lb kettlebell for this workout and Rachel is using a single 15 lb dumbbell.

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woman performing a lateral lunge and kettlebell clean in a kettlebell strength and hiit workout

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Kettlebell HIIT Workout on YouTubeled by certified personal trainer and certified fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 7 Circuits
  • 2 Exercises Per Circuit (a strength exercise and a power exercise)
  • Timed Intervals (40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest for the strength exercise. 30 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for the power exercise.)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x2 Sets

Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE:
Strength: Kettlebell Pick Up Squats
Power: Alternating Kettlebell Clean and Front Squat

CIRCUIT TWO:
Strength: Split Lunge Hold and Single Arm Row
Power: Kettlebell Swings

CIRCUIT THREE:
Strength: Staggered Deadlift
Power: Staggered Deadlift and Clean and Shoulder Press

CIRCUIT FOUR:
Strength: Push Up and Kettlebell Pull Through
Power: Burpee and Stack On Kettlebell Swings

CIRCUIT FIVE: 
Strength: Lateral Lunge and Bicep Curl
Power: Stack On Staggered Swing and Rack and Lateral Lunge

CIRCUTI SIX:
Strength: Around the World, Clean and Uneven March
Power: Deadlift and Clean and Front Squat and Overhead Press

CIRCUIT SEVEN:
Strength: Glute Bridge and Tricep Skull Crushers
Power: Hollow Rock Hold and Crunch and 4 Russian Twists

two women performing a kettlebell swing in a kettlebell workout for women

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Kettlebell HIIT

9 Kettlebell HIIT Exercises

Kettlebell Pick Up Squats

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, quads, lower back and core muscles.

two women performing a kettlebell  squat and pick up in a full body hiit workout

How To Do Kettlebell Pick Up Squats

  1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart or slightly wider, core engaged. Place a kettlebell on the ground between your feet.
  2. Sit your hips down and back into a loaded squat position as you reach your right hand down to pick up the kettlebell.
  3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, pulling the kettlebell between your legs up towards your hips. Then perform another squat to return the kettlebell back to the mat. Drive through your heels to stand tall.
  4. Then, repeat the squatting motion, this time picking up the kettlebell with your left hand.

Split Lunge Hold and Single Arm Row

Targets: Quads, thighs, hamstrings, glutes, calves, lower back, mid-back, arms, biceps, shoulders, abs and core.

two women performing a split lunge hold and single arm row in a kettlebell hiit workout for women

How To Do A Split Lunge Hold and Single Arm Row

  1. Stand with feet hip-distance apart. Hold a kettlebell in your left hand at your side.
  2. Step your left leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your left knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh is parallel to the floor.
  3. Maintain this isometric hold as you hinge forward at the hips into a bent over row position, neutral spine, flat back from head to tailbone.
  4. Perform a single arm back row on the left arm by pulling the kettlebell back towards your left hip.
  5. Lower the kettlebell with control, then repeat, maintaining the isometric split lunge hold throughout.

Kettlebell Swings

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, core, and all the stabilizing muscles in your back and shoulders.

two women performing kettlebell swings to raise the heart rate in a hiit workout at home

How To Do Kettlebell Swings

  1. Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart; engage your core.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips to reach for the kettlebell handle with both hands. Place your hands on the horns of the bell, palms facing your body.
  3. Then with a slight bend in your knees and weight in your heels, ‘hike’ the kettlebell back between your legs to start the swing movement.
  4. Drive through your heels to stand tall, pushing your hips forward as you squeeze your glutes to swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height. Aim for shoulder height, with arms extended out away from the body. Think long, loose arms (your arms are just a vehicle for moving the bell, your hips and glutes generate the power to move the bell).
  5. As the kettlebell begins to descend, think of catching the weight with your hip hinge, loading the glutes and hamstrings.

Staggered Deadlift

Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, lower back and core muscles.

two women performing a staggered deadlift with a kettlebell in a hiit workout at home

How To Do A Staggered Deadlift

  1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart or slightly wider, core engaged. Stagger your stance, so your left foot is slightly behind your right foot. Place the kettlebell in front of your left foot.
  2. Hinge at the hips as you reach down to pick up the kettlebell, pressing through your front right heel to stand tall, pulling the kettlebell up your thigh.
  3. Perform another deadlift, pushing the hips back as you lower the kettlebell to the ground with control.

Push Up and Kettlebell Pull Through

Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back, oblique, abs and core muscles.

two women performing a push up and kettlebell pull through in a kettlebell strength and hiit workout

How To Do A Push Up and Kettlebell Pull Through

  1. Start in a high plank position, shoulders stacked over wrists, core engaged. Place the kettlebell outside of your left hip, just behind your left hand.
  2. Perform a push up by slowly lowering your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips.
  3. Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position.
  4. Then, bracing your core to keep your body as stable as possible, reach your right hand across your body to grab the kettlebell handle and pull it across the floor, ending with the kettlebell outside of your right hip, behind the right hand.
  5. Return your right hand to the floor and repeat the push up and kettlebell pull through, alternating the hand that pulls the kettlebell across.

Modification: Perform modified push ups from your knees.

Lateral Lunge and Bicep Curl

Targets: Legs, outer glutes and hip abductors (used for side-to-side movements), hip flexors, biceps, abs and core.

two women performing a lateral lunge and bicep curl as part of the best kettlebell exercises for strength

How To Do A Lateral Lunge and Bicep Curl

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell by the horns between your legs at hip height.
  2. With your right foot, step out wide and to the right, shifting your weight into your right heel as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while leaving your left leg straight. Think of performing a single leg squat with your left leg.
  3. Then, drive through your left foot to reverse the movement, pushing you back up to center.
  4. As you return to a standing position, curl the kettlebell up towards your shoulders before returning it to hip height.

Around The World, Clean and Uneven March

Targets: Deep transverse abdominals, obliques, lower abs, upper abs, biceps, hips and glutes.

two women performing an around the world, clean and uneven march with a kettlebell in a hiit workout

How To Do An Around The World, Clean and Uneven March

  1. Start standing with feet hip-width distance apart, shoulders stacked over hips and pelvis slightly tucked to engage the core.
  2. Hold a kettlebell by the handle in your right hand outside of your right hip. Keep core muscles tight, aiming to keep your upper body as still as possible.
  3. Then, pass the kettlebell behind your body, transferring it to your left hand behind your back.
  4. Now holding the kettlebell in your left hand, ‘clean’ across your body, bringing your right hand up to help catch it at your right shoulder.
  5. Hold this clean position as you drive your left knee up so that left thigh is parallel to the ground, performing an uneven march.
  6. Then, reverse the movement, keeping the kettlebell in your left hand as you return your left leg to the ground and bring the kettlebell towards your left hip.
  7. Pass the kettlebell behind your back, transferring from left hand to right hand midway behind your back.
  8. Then, ‘clean’ the kettlebell up across your body, bringing your left hand up to help catch it at your left shoulder.
  9. Hold this clean position as you drive your right knee up, performing an uneven march on the right side of the body.

Modification: Option to omit the “around the world” transfer, performing instead alternating cleans and uneven marches.

Deadlift and Kettlebell Clean and Front Squat and Shoulder Press

Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, hips, quads, back, shoulders and core.

two women performing a deadlift and kettlebell clean and front squat and overhead shoulder press in a kettlebell workout

How To Do A Deadlift and Clean and Front Squat and Shoulder Press

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold the kettlebell in your right hand between your legs.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips back as you lower the kettlebell down along the front of your body. You should feel a stretch in the back of your legs (hamstrings). Focus on keeping your back in neutral alignment with your neck and shoulders throughout the entire movement (straight line from head to tailbone). Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid ‘locking out’ the joint.
  3. Then, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes as you drive your hips forward to return to standing.
  4. As you stand tall, pull the kettlebell up towards your chest (this is the ‘clean’ portion). Slide your hands down the horns of the kettlebell, catching the weight at your chest.
  5. Then, sit your hips back, aiming to get both thighs parallel to the mat as you perform a front squat, keeping the kettlebell at your chest.
  6. Press through your heels to stand tall as you press the kettlebell overhead to perform a shoulder press.

Glute Bridge and Tricep Skull Crushers

Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs, triceps (back of the arm) and core.

two women performing a glute bridge and tricep skull crushers in a full body kettlebell workout

How To Do A Glute Bridge and Tricep Skull Crusher

  1. Lie flat on your back with your legs bent at 90 degrees (heels on the ground).
  2. Drive through your heels, squeezing your butt to lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Keep knees in line with hips and hold this position.
  3. Then perform tricep skull crushers. Holding a kettlebell in your hands, fully extend your arms so the kettlebell is directly overhead, palms facing one another.
  4. Bending at the elbows, slowly lower the kettlebell towards your head (just bending at the elbows).
  5. Then push the kettlebell back overhead. Maintain the glute bridge hold throughout the timed interval.

Pin this Workout: Kettlebell HIIT

full body kettlebell workout pin for pinterest

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8 comments
  1. Thanks for another great new workout! Since I don’t have a kettlebell, I especially appreciate the dumbbell option so that I can still do the workout. With your helpful cues and attention to form, I always know I’m going to get both a safe as well as effective workout with you. Keep up the terrific work!