Happy Friday to you.
Challenges are a great way to assess your ability, increase motivation but most of all they can make exercise more fun!
Here are 5 kettlebell challenges that you can try…
1) 100 Kettlebell Swings
We all know that the kettlebell swing is the king of all kettlebell exercises and reaching 100 swings is a great milestone.
The challenge is to complete all 100 two handed swings without stopping.
If you can’t manage 100 swings yet then perform as many as you can without stopping, rest 60 seconds and then carry on until you reach 100.
If 100 two handed swings is easy for you then try 50 one handed swings on each arm without stopping. When this gets easy increase the weight.
Watch my Kettlebell Swing Video
2) 10 Turkish Get Ups
A brilliant exercise for improving your mobility and core stability.
The challenge is to complete 10 reps of the Turkish Get Up on one side without putting the kettlebell down. Your arm should stay straight for the entire 10 reps.
If you find 10 full reps too difficult then work towards 10 half get ups first. Once you can complete 10 half get ups then perform 9 half and one full get up.
Each workout increase your full get ups and reduce your half get ups.
Watch my Turkish Get Up Video
3) 100 Snatches in 5 Minutes
This is a classic kettlebell challenge that will hit every fibre of your being.
You have 5 minutes to complete 100 Snatches. You can change arms as many times as you wish but you cannot put the bell down, you can only rest at the top position.
My advice is to change hands every 10 reps to keep things nice and simple.
If you find 100 snatches too much then you can progress in the same way as with the swings above.
Find this too easy then go for 200 in under 10 minutes, this is a challenge I really enjoy 🙂
Watch my Kettlebell Snatch Video
4) 10 Pistol Squats
Pistol Squats are the ultimate leg exercise and will also really crank your heart rate up too.
For this challenge pick a kettlebell of your choice and perform 10 pistols on each leg. Rests between each Pistol should be kept to a minimum.
If you struggle to perform even 1 pistol squat then you can practice by squatting down with one leg onto your sofa or a low bench.
You can also practice full bodyweight pistol squats by holding onto a TRX, resistance bands or 2 chairs.
Watch my Pistol Squat Video
5) 20 Clean, Squat and Presses (2 Kettlebells)
Wow this exercise will really get you blowing and is a complete workout on its own.
Holding a kettlebell in each hand perform 20 Clean, Squat and Presses without resting.
If you are not experienced enough to train with 2 kettlebells then you can perform an easier version of the challenge with one kettlebell changing hands after 10 reps.
Watch my Clean, Squat and Press Video (one handed)
Greg’s Ultimate Challenge
Finally, for the real tough guys and gals you can perform all the above challenges one after the other in a super circuit.
You will need a good days rest after that but I think you will enjoy it 🙂
One final note, challenges are great now and again but they should not replace your regular workouts. Use them as a treat and to break through plateaus and boredom.
OK, that’s all for today, have a great weekend.
Take care,
Greg
Have you tried any of these challenges? If so let me know more below…
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