If you’re looking for a strength-training workout that helps you maximize calorie burn at the gym, you need to give kettlebells a try.

Since kettlebell workouts are compound exercises that target several muscle groups simultaneously, they amplify the calorie-burning process, allowing you to shed fat and get toned at the same time.

In this blog, we’ll show you the best kettlebell exercises for torching calories at AFAC’s Thornton, CO, gym.

How Many Calories Are Burned During Kettlebell Workouts at the Gym?

Kettlebells have been around since the early 1700s when Russian strongmen used them to quickly build strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance. This centuries-old piece of exercise equipment has experienced a resurgence in the last few decades, with enthusiasts claiming kettlebells are the only equipment they need to increase their muscular strength and aerobic endurance.

Curious about the truth of these claims, researchers at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse Exercise and Health Program aimed to see how much of an aerobic workout you really get and how many calories you burn with kettlebells.

The study involved 10 men and women between the ages of 29 and 46, all of whom were experienced with kettlebells. They performed a typical kettlebell workout with swinging and lift exercises at a certain pace for a 20-minute period.

The results of the study showed that the average participant burned about 20 calories per minute during their kettlebell workout – which adds up to 400 calories during a typical 20-minute kettlebell session!

Researchers said that’s equal to running a 6-minute mile or cross-country skiing uphill at a fast pace. They explained that the rapid calorie burn was caused by the interval training format of the kettlebell workouts.

The Best Kettlebell Workouts that Use the Most Calories at AFAC Gym

The key to boosting your caloric expenditure during your kettlebell workouts is to perform exercises that target your upper and lower body at the same time. When you do these moves back-to-back, you’ll keep your heart rate elevated. This will burn calories, boost your metabolism, and challenge your muscles – which is a successful formula for seeing results!

This is good news for gym members who want a solid strength training workout that will also help them lose weight. For gym members who don’t have a lot of time and need to get in a weightlifting and cardiovascular workout as quickly as possible, the right kettlebell workouts can get the job done.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the kettlebell exercises that will speed up your calorie burn at the gym!

First, you’ll need to choose a kettlebell weight you’re comfortable with — one that will allow you to complete all your reps and sets, yet leave your muscles spent by the end of the exercise. A common starting weight is 25-35 pounds, but don’t worry if you need to select a lighter weight. You’ll work up to a heavier weight in no time!

Kettlebell Swings

Swing your way into super shape with kettlebell swings. This exercise is low impact, plus it has a similar calorie burn and metabolic impact as running without the pounding on your joints. Kettlebell swings strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and core!

1. Start by standing with your feet positioned a bit outside your shoulders.
2. Place your kettlebell directly in front of you.
3. Hinge at the hips so your torso is parallel to the ground. Keep your back straight in a flat tabletop position.
4. Your knees should be in a soft bend.
5. The kettlebell should be right beneath your eyes when you’re hinged at the hips.
6. Grab the kettlebell with both hands and screw your hands into the handle.
7. Pick up and hike the kettlebell back between your legs and behind your body.
8. Swing the weight back up as you straighten your body, bringing the kettlebell up to reach shoulder height, all while keeping your arms straight.
9. Hinge at the hips to swing the kettlebell back between your legs and behind your body.
10. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

Kettlebell High Pull

The kettlebell high pull will target your traps and a lot of the muscles used during deadlifts. This exercise will have you squatting down and standing up. As you go down and up during this exercise, keep your chest high, your back straight, and simulate the same body movements as if you were doing a squat or deadlift.

1. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. With the kettlebell between your feet, bend your knees to squat down with a straight back and grab the top of the kettlebell’s handle with both hands. Don’t let your knees go past your toes.
3. Keep your chest up as you push through your heels to stand back up.
4. When you’re about mid-way up, pull the kettlebell up so that it’s at the bottom of your chin by the time you’re standing all the way up.
5. Keep your elbows high and out.
6. As you bend your knees and squat back down, lower the kettlebell to touch the ground. When the kettlebell touches the ground, that’s one rep.
7. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

Kettlebell Goblet Squats

The goblet squat, like most squat movements, targets the quads, glutes, upper back muscles, and core. This exercise helps lifters establish better balance and stability at the bottom of the squat movement and reinforces proper body positioning in the deepest squat positions.

1. For the kettlebell goblet squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Your toes should be turned out just a bit.
3. Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your chest.
4. Your hands should be grabbing the horns, or sides, of the kettlebell handle.
5. Your elbows should be pointed straight down.
6. Bend at the knees to assume a deep squat position. Your hips should go down and your butt should be lowered below your knees, further toward the ground.
7. Keep your knees in line with your toes and your elbows inside of your knees.
8. Keep a long, tall spine and stay fairly upright while sinking your bottom as low as you can between your legs. Staring straight ahead will help you keep a straight spine.
9. Your heels will stay planted and your toes will remain on the ground.
10. Push thorough your heels to return to the standing position.
11. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

Kettlebell Deadlifts

It’s challenging to achieve proper form with kettlebell deadlifts, but if you do this move correctly, you should feel it in your glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core. Some things to remember — don’t round your back, don’t make it a squat, and don’t thrust your hips too far forward or lean back too much, as this can cause an injury.

1. Start with your kettlebell lined up between your anklebones. Your feet should be hip distance apart.
2. Bend your knees slightly and keep your hips elevated and hinged.
3. Your back should be flat, and your chin should be in a neutral position.
4. Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands and imagine that you’re breaking it in half.
5. Keep your core tight and flex your glutes.
6. Pretend you’re trying to push through the sky with your shoulder blades as you stand straight up.
7. Reverse the movement to bring the kettlebell back to the ground between your anklebones. Lightly touch the ground and repeat the above steps for the second rep.
8. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

Kettlebell Sit-Up to Press

This exercise develops tricep, shoulder, and abdominal strength. If you have a history of back problems or back pain, it’s best to stay away from this exercise.

1. Lay on your back with your spine in a neutral position. Bend your legs about 90 degrees and keep your feet flat on the floor throughout the exercise.
2. Grab the body of a kettlebell with both hands and rest it on your chest.
3. As you do a sit-up, push the kettlebell over your head until your arms are fully extended above your head at the top of the sit-up.
4. As you lay back down, slowly bend your elbows and lower the kettlebell back to your chest.
5. Exhale on the way up, and inhale on the way back down.
6. Your movements during this exercise should be slow and controlled while working through a full range of motion in your shoulders and your triceps.
7. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

Join the Kettlebell Workout Craze at AFAC Gym

When you’re ready for the best kettlebell workouts to burn fat and get ripped, join us at AFAC gym. We have a full array of kettlebells to get you started, as well as our dedicated staff and personal trainers who are focused on supporting all our members as they work toward their fitness goals.

In addition to kettlebells, we have all the strength training and cardio equipment you need to keep your workouts fresh, challenging, and interesting. We also offer a full schedule of group classes where you can meet new friends and learn innovative ways to maximize your fitness levels.

To find out more about becoming a member of AFAC gym — the best gym in Thornton, Colorado — please stop by or give us a call anytime. We’ll be happy to assist you. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.