More and more women are discovering that using kettlebell workouts as part of a fitness and fat loss plan will build tones muscle, burn excess weight and really improve your fitness levels.
It’s been around for hundreds of years. But it’s only recently that we’re accepting just how effective these portable balls of steel are for female body transformation.
They’re an excellent, all-round training method for curing your flat butt, your flabby tummy and your saggy muscles.
Kettlebells are an awesome way of detailing a powerhouse figure that oozes femininity and sex appeal, all wrapped-up in a don’t-mess-with-me attitude.
In this guide to kettlebell workouts for beginner female we lift the lid of this old school Russian training system and let you know exactly why it’ll build you a killer body…
Kettlebell Training: A Great Way to Perfect Your Body
Originating back in 18th century Russia, ‘Girya‘ (meaning kettlebell) training, has become one of the most established training systems in the world.
Made up of a weighted bell with horns and a handle, a kettlebell is really just a variation on a dumbbell. But because of where the handle is placed, it allows you to perform a bunch of really cool exercises that target every muscle from your butt to your arms.
In fact, kettlebell training is so popular that it’s the national sport of Russia and forms a major part of their fitness cluture.
The benefits of kettlebell workouts for females
Kettlebell training was always thought of as a ‘man’s’ sport.
It was originally about who was the strongest in the village, and who could show dominance by performing lifts that other couldn’t.
But as this ultra-effective training system has worked its way into the fitness mainstream, we’ve realized that it’s also really beneficial for women too.
Especially now that women are owning strength training and hitting the gym hard to build better bodies with athletic curves and hourglass silhouettes.
You can swing a kettlebell, press it, use them for squats, deadlifts and rows too. Kettlebell workouts allow you to plan a series of exercises that ramp up your heart rate and burn fat.
You can even use them to get stronger and more flexible too.
- More muscle tone – kettlebells build athletic muscle. You can avoid bulky muscle mass and build sexy curves.
- Intense fat burning – integrate cardio into kettlebell circuits to torch excess energy.
- Spot enhancing – you can’t choose where your body burns fat from, but you can choose which muscle groups you want to shape and tone.
- Enhanced conditioning – avoid hour after hour on the treadmill and get the best fitness workouts ever.
- Fitness ninja workouts – kettlebell workouts are extremely time-efficient. You can hit up a tough session and leave in a puff of smoke like a ninja on an assassination mission.
- Fun – well, they just are. And you’ll learn this first hand as soon as you give a kettlebell workout a try.
Best Beginner Female Kettlebell Workouts
It’s worth pointing out at this early stage that even as a beginner, you’re much stronger than you think you are.
At SpotMeGirl we spend a hell of a lot of time in gyms. And we see many women going too light with kettlebell exercises.
Think about it. You carry your kids, your groceries and all kinds of heavy stuff around all day. You’re already pretty strong.
But yet when you hit the gym you automatically go for the little pink kettlebells becuase you’re told day in, day out that women are the weaker sex.
Hell no.
That’s like running up to a treadmill and then choosing to walk on it at a snail’s pace.
It doesn’t make sense.
When you train with kettlebells you go as heavy as you can. As long as you can maintain good form and you’ve not got any injuries that affect your ability, you need to ramp up the intensity to make the most out of your workouts.
That’s not just for kettlebells either. Women are badasses in the gym. But you have to work hard to get there.
Best kettlebell exercises for beginner females
There are literally hundreds of different kettlebell exercises to choose from. No matter which muscle you want to target, there are loads of options to throw into your program.
But there are some exercise that give you a better bang for you buck.
They’re also less technical and require lower levels of skill.
This makes them perfect for beginner females that want to hit the ground running with their workouts.
These are our favorites…
#1. Goblet squat
Glutes, quadriceps
This one is a great leg toning exercise that’s simple but effective. Just grab your kettlebell by the horns or the bell itself and hold it close to your chest.
Squat down with your feet around shoulder-width apart. Try to get your booty slightly lower than your knees if you can – that way you’ll make the exercise much more effective for your glutes.
#2. Sumo deadlift
Glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs, lower back
Place a kettlebell between your legs and take a wide stance with your toes pointing outward (at around 10 to 2).
Grab hold of the bell handle with both hands, pull your chest up and lift the weight until your legs are full extended. Brace your abs throughout and keep your lower back tight to stop it from rounding.
You’ll be able to go real heavy on this one once you’ve nailed the technique.
#3. Kettlebell swing
Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, shoulders
Probably the most common exercise you see people performing with kettlebells. Unfortunately not many get it right though.
The idea with the swing is to hinge from your hips. This means that your knees are slightly bent throughout, rather than squatting into the lift.
Use the power in your hips to push the bell through. If you do this with enough power you’ll find that it automatically lifts in the air, taking some of the tension from your upper body.
This is a fantastic one for your butt and legs.
#4. Bent over row
Biceps, upper back, shoulders
You can do this one either one arm at a time or both together.
Grab a bell by the handle and bend over as though you were at the bottom of a kettlebell swing. Your chest should be facing the floor and your knees slightly bent.
Row the bell towards your hip as though you were sawing a plank of wood. Lead with your elbows and pull the weight as high as you can.
The row is a functional exercise that keeps you strong and builds a sexy, athletic back.
#5. Lunges
Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves
If you want the number one leg, tummy and butt toner, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. You can either hold the kettlebell in a goblet position or simply hold one in each arm by your sides.
For a slightly more advanced version that also targets your arms you can hold the bell out in front of your body too.
Take a long stance with your feet at about hip-width apart.
Lower your body down so that the knee of your back leg is just above the floor. Keep your upper body still and upright throughout.
#6. Overhead press
Shoulders, arms
Start with the bell resting on the outside of your forearm in what’s known as the ‘rack position’.
Press the weight directly overhead while keeping your shoulders parallel with the floor. Extend your arm but don’t lock out your elbow.
If you have problems with the shape of the back of your arms this is a sure fire, fat-melting cure.
The Kettlebell Workout for Women
All that’s left to do now is put it all together.
If strength or muscle toning is your goal you should aim to complete 8-10 reps of each exercise with a 3 minute rest between sets.
Complete 3 sets of each exercise before moving onto the next one.
Make every rep count and go for quality over quantity. Make sure that as you reach the last couple of reps you’re really starting to feel fatigued.
For maximizing fat loss, reduce the weight of the kettlebell slightly and take the reps up to 8-15. Move from one exercise to the next with as little rest as possible.
That way you’re taking your heart rate up and stimulating your metabolic rate to burn more fat. Once you complete one full circuit you can rest for a minute and then repeat.
Go for 3 full circuits.
Sample fat loss workout:
- Swings – 8-15 reps
- Goblet squat – 8-15 reps
- Overhead press – 8-15 reps each side
- Sumo deadlift – 8-15 reps
- Row – 8-15 reps each side
- Lunges – 8-15 reps each side
Perform one full circuit with no rest until you’ve completed all 6 exercises. From there you can rest for one minute. Complete 3 circuits in total
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