Hi everyone,
Today’s workout is a short, intense Kettlebell blast, intended to challenge your endurance and work on conditioning. I cannot claim I designed this as I stole it from another blog called Allie McKee Fit to Figure. Allie went from being an average fit girl to a Figure Competitor. This girl is pretty darn fit and she has loads of strength and conditioning workouts on her site to give you plenty of ideas if you fancy checking it out.
I like to have inspiration around me, and I think I have found a ton here.
The Complex is 10 reps of 10 exercises performed back to back for time. You can do one, two or three rounds – depending on your time. This would be a good finisher to a lower body strength workout.
I decided to give this a try today. I started out using my 14kg Kettlebell (as I am not great at snatches and want my skin to remain ON my palms LOL), but I downgraded to the 12kg as I fatigued.
Use your Gymboss Interval Timer to time your attempt, record it and then try it again down the line and see how you improve 🙂
The exercises are:
- Kettlebell Single Arm Swing (right) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Single Arm Swing (left) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Clean (right) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Clean (left) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Snatch (right) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Snatch (left) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Front Squat (right) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Front Squat (left) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Push Press (right) x 10 reps
- Kettlebell Push Press (left) x 10 reps
Now try 2 more rounds LOL!
Round 1 – 5:35 :/ Round 2 – 4:09 Round 3 – 3:58 (not the best, but ok)
Now, the design for this complex is not set in stone, so you are free to mix up the order of the exercises, or even substitute exercises for others, play about with it and make it your own 😀 Also try and choose a weight that you think you can complete the whole workout with. Although I realise that sometimes we can use heavier weights for the likes of the squats, so you can change if needed.
I decided this was enough for me today as I am working more on legs in the gym. But take this sort of workout with you when you are heading to the gym and add it in for an extra “Twist” to your session.
Cheers
Marianne
Hi, Marianne! I’ve started with kettebell a month ago…..I like very much this video and I’m asking you if this workout is complete for the everyday exercise or I have to add something!
Thanks
Laura , Italy
Hey Laura, I would say choose a few workouts from the Beginner’s Corner instead of this one to work on through the week. This one is good but it’s not as balanced as I would like it and the focus is a time challenge. For beginners I would focus on mastering the basics. Hope that makes sense. By all means try this workout, but remember not to rush, and do other ones as well 🙂
Did this one the other night – holy smokes! I made it two rounds, and I was just done for. Awesome workout! And it sure didn’t take long.
hey Marianne,
just got my first kettlebell a few weeks back and I’ve been studying your videos as well as Steve Cotter. I love the way you both teach with clarity and passion!
Today, I tried my first proper KB workout and did this one 3 times…woah!
I was blowing pretty hard but it all felt good.
I used a 16kg KB for all 3 rounds and my times were:
1. 5:23
2. 4:33
3. 4:08
not too fast but i think my form was good.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your clear instruction!
keep up the great work and regards from Australia,
np
Thanks np, Great times!! I am so glad you are getting lots of benefit from the tutorials and the workouts so far 😀
So i did the 100, used a light weight (25 lbs) and i got all 3 sets done in about 16 min. Felt good to do an all around work out in little time. Im thinking i might do this 3x’s a week, each week adding 2 reps till i get to 200. Love how the heart rate shoots up and how the muscle boneheads look at me like i’m crazy. They also hate it when i do burpees…haha.but thats another story. Thanks for the great workouts, defineatly doing more of your ass-whooping techniques….WOO HOO!!!
LOL – Great stuff Tony!! Are you a bit crazy? 😉 J/K, I love your enthusiasm 😀
This is my first workout from your website. I have mainly been concentrating on body weight tabata type workouts and hiking. So this was a nice change of pace.
I did two sets of this workout today with a 25lb kb. I had to use a 20lb dumbell for some of the right handed exercises because that is my weaker side. Overall it felt pretty good, having never done some of the exercises slowed me down a bit mostly because I was trying to get the proper form. Thanks for posting. I will definitely be returning for more workouts!
Great stuff Samantha!! It’s good to change things up a bit from time to time. Even using this type of training along with your body weight tabata’s will see great changes in your performance and shape 🙂
Thanks for commenting 😀
Just wondering where you purchased your kettlebells?
Hey Samantha, I get mine from Wolverson-Fitness here in the UK. But I know many who recommend Neptune Barbell in the States.
Hope this helps, as I am unsure of where you’re from. I know that Wolverson ship to all EU 🙂
I just did it! 3 round, 3 min. rest between rounds.
First round 03.50 min, Second round 03.46 min., Third round 03.43 min., 16 kg kettlebell. I used press, not push press. Very hard, but very cool!:)
Great work! Glad you figured it out 😉
I don’t understand a thing, is there rest between the rounds? or is no stop? Thanks
The choice is your energym, I needed a rest LOL!
I did this one yesterday and used the 14kg for everything except snatches where I used the 12. My time for Round 1 was 4:42 and Round 2 was 4:18. I stopped timing at Round 3 because the snatches ripped my hands apart and I got super annoyed! I finished round 3 without timing it. I think I need to work on snatches because I have bruises on my forearms from the kettlebell flipping and smacking me there. Does anyone else have this problem?? I did like this workout and found it harder than I expected. I liked the challenge of trying to beat my time. Thanks, Marianne! –Sarah
Hi Sarah,
I used to get bruising on my forearms as well, but I now use forearm protectors.
I put an entry in the general fitness forum about them.
Cheers, Peter
Hi Marianne,
I have just finished this workout and had a shower and still feel sort of OK.
I used my 12 kg kb throughout and also I added two extra steps to the end:
11. vertical swing with burpee.
12. Renegade row
and I just did 2 rounds, with times of 6:57 and 7:11.
I think the hardest exercises were the snatches as I found it difficult to get the kb into place at the top without it pulling on my wrist, I guess I need to watch your videos more carefully and maybe perfect it with the 8 kg kb first, what do you reckon?
I am trying to relax my grip until I get almost to the top of the swing and then tighten my grip to have some sort of control on the kb, but maybe I am not gripping it hard enough?
Cheers, Peter
Hi Peter, The snatch is one of the most technical KB exercises, so don’t beat yourself up.
Firstly, I can almost guarantee that your technique will be worse with the lighter KB, the acceleration will be too great and the KB will be so light it will fly loosely over head. Stick with the 12kg.
Next the grip issue. The control of the KB at the top does not come from tightening the grip. This will slow the “punch through” at the top position. While you want a secure grip, you don;t want a tight one (think many many calluses). The handle should end up in that diagonal position across the palm, the wrist and arm should be straight and locked out at the top. The other reason it may be pulling on your wrist is that, during the upward phase of the snatch, your arm remains too far out from the body (more like a swing). The KB should travel closer to the body and upward. Think High Pull, then punch through at the top.
I hope this helps a bit.
Marianne
thanks Marianne, I will give it a try next time I do snatches.
Did this one tonight (monday) , I used a 20kg KB. I learned something along the way. When others post their times, and I read them, pride starts messing with me. I started to rush, and my technique went to shite. I had to reel in my ego, and get focused. It’s nice to have something to shoot for, but I’m not ready to run with the big dogs yet (Marianne and Mickela). My times were 5:27, 6:38, and 6:51. You guys actually got faster…very impressive..and motivating.
I did my bag work after, 8 rounds 2 minute rounds, 30 second rest, 2lb weighted gloves. I did a tabata to finish, bench jumps and slam ball (love the slam ball! new addition to our gym).
I’ll have to do this one again, without my handy gym boss. Great workout, once I got my head right..lol.
That’s a good point John, it’s better to think “form” before “time” 😀 Don’t beat yourself up, your times are good!
The slam ball sounds fun – it that the same as medicine ball slams?
It’s the same excercise, but they make a special ball for it. Less bounce..on the way up, full extension and a slight jump (evil?)then sort of follow it down on the slam part..more follow through is employed because you don’t have the high bounce as with the hard rubber medicine balls.Almost like the old school medicine balls, but bigger around and softer. The ones we have are 20lbs.
I see. I did medicine ball slams AGES ago in a workout, it was so hard! Think it was about 20lbs too, but more rubbery, so bouncy. You get such a buzz out of making a heavy ball bounce 😉
Lol..that’s where I got the idea from. The softer ball works much better, you can really cut loose on it. We have a set of the hard rubber ones, but the bounce is a bit much if you if you go hard. It is fun though, and a nice change.
My conditioning is atrocious 🙁
Today I did a modified version of this routine.
15 minutes dynamic stretches and mobility work to warm up, then 3 rounds of
Kettlebell Single Arm Swing (right) x 10 reps 14kg KB
Kettlebell Single Arm Swing (left) x 10 reps 14kg KB
Kettlebell Clean (right) x 10 reps 16kg KB
Kettlebell Clean (left) x 10 reps 16kg KB
Kettlebell Snatch (right) x 10 reps 12kg KB
Kettlebell Snatch (left) x 10 reps 12kg KB
Kettlebell Front Squat x 20 reps using 2 x 14kg KB’s
Kettlebell Push Press x 20 reps using 2 x 14kg KB’s
Kettlebell Renegade Rows x 10 reps each side 14kg KB’s
Kettlebell Vertical Swings x 20 reps 14kg KB
Round 1: 7:48
Round 2: 8:36
Round 3: 9:52
I took 3 minutes rest between each round.
Teachers Comment: Must try harder!!!
Students Comment: Thank God that’s over 🙂
Then 3 sets of Good Mornings, 3 sets of SLDL’s and some core stuff.
Haha, I hear the student loud and clear 😉 Good work!
10 Kg bell: 4:24, 4:05; 3:55.
I have already learned to use one bell in a weight I can do with the hardest exercise, as there circuits really take it all out of you!
I don’t know how I improved my speed, since each round seemed as though that was my max. It did feel like I was getting blisters, but luckily that didn’t happen. I guess this is my intro into doing more snatches later in the week.
Oh, this was AFTER some parallette work, and 3 sets of pushups and leg raises. I followed up with 30 minutes of speed yoga. Now I am pooped!
~ Gillian
I was the same! my times improved too 😀 Weird, think I just didn’t warm up enough before I started.
You sure put me to shame with your workout schedule Gillian! I am done after something like this. Need to start doing some more, can’t start lagging behind 😛
New times — AFTER doing lots of pushups from every angle and handstands…
4:04, 3:49, 3:39. Still using the 10Kg as I knew I couldn’t do 10 presses with more!
I don’t know how Emma did this a minute faster! She must have been blazing through these… and I thought I was going fast!
Just squeaked by without getting blisters, though I could feel them wanting to develop!
This as become a ‘go to’ workout to add to other stuff when I need some cardio but I have already worked a lot of strength. Fast and sweet!
~ Gillian
I know, Emma was crazy fast! I nearly blew up half way. Well done for improving!! I still can’t warm to snatches 🙁 Just need to stop moaning about them and do some. You and Adam put me to shame! 😀
OMG Marianne you should have seen me before this workout! I went to my gym armed with a 12kg and a fresh battery in my Gymboss. I was chalked up and fired up like some kind of demented TV gladiator 🙂
I’ve really got to stop taking this kettlebell lark so seriously 🙂
Anyway, my times:
R1 2.57
R2 2.54
R3 2.49
I really enjoyed this workout, so thank you. I will be sure to check out Allie’s blog.
All the best,
Emma
Wow Emma, you totally whipped my ass!!! Nice job!
Hi Marianne
Yet another really good workout. I really like the way this kind of workout looks innocent enough on paper, but when you actually do it, it knocks the stuffing out of you 🙂 The stopwatch is a hard task master 🙂
Here is one of my favorite conditioning workouts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRpbM9nzDcM
Though I have modified it a little by changing the 50 burpees to 25 burpees with high pulls (thanks for that exercise 😉 ) and 25 squat thrusters. I do this with 14kg and 16kg KB’s ans like you said it is a real eye opener as to how bad my conditioning really is. Like yourself my main focus is on strength training, though I am trying to focus a little more on mobility, flexibility and conditioning. But it’s hard to beat the buzz after a heavy squat/dead lifting session 🙂
And just to show a lady doing the same workout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXJ8xPMGXmI
I also think you are a little hard on yourself re your technique, as it looks fine from where I am. That’s one of the things I really like about your blog. There are loads of videos on the web of KB moves where bad form is used. Your blog stands out because 99.9% of the time your form is right on the money.
Best Wishes
M
Thanks Michael. Well I try my best to ensure good form – doesn’t always happen tho :/
That 300 workout looks so brutal, I think I would die doing it LOL
I’m right with ya on the heavy lifting buzz. Once I get into my deadlifts, I just keep on going – love it! 😀
Nice I liked this one. except the squats, there should be another exercise to replace the second set of squats, maybe a lunge lefft then right. Adnyway it was a good one. I also did 3 rounds.
I used my 12kg and the 8kg these are my times. I have a slight hangover so not that great.
1. 7:35
2. 6:00
3. 4:10
am all about the form my cleans are feeling more comfortable and fluid, snatch still got some time, but I am hopeful.
Cheers!!
now I run a tabata x4 on the bridge, in my new running skirt 🙂
Nice work, I wasn’t thrilled with my cleans, but I think I needed a 14kg to make them “stick” better at the top. They looked a bit lazy to me. Hangover+workout+tabata!!! It’s not your cardio that’s crazy, it’s you 😛 lol – good on ya!! 😀
I see what you mean with the cleans. really hook that elbow to the side under the ribs,it takes a lot of practice and from what I see it is different for everyone. Like me with pull ups, I seriously need help.
Ha ha I know you mean well when you say I am crazy.
I woke in the best of spirits this morning and I know it is from yesterday’s accomplishments. bring ’em on Marianne.
Will have to make sure I make up energetic tomorrow, to get a good workout done!
Trying this now give you my results when finished. then the crazy cardio will begin>