Do you have a few minutes left at the end of your weights session? Are you looking to take advantage of your final energy stores for fat burning? If so then these 4 kettlebell workout finishers are for you.
These 4 kettlebell workout finishers are very effective and can be completed in under 10 minutes.
Let’s get started…
What Are Workout Finishers?
Kettlebell workout finishers are used at the end of a weight training session in order to get the most from your final energy reserves and burn more fat.
Kettlebell finishers can also be used for metabolic conditioning and to improve resilience at a time when your body and mind is ready to quit. Great for MMA fighters and developing true grit.
Here are a few guidelines before getting started with workout finishers:
- Perform finishers at the end of your weight training workout until exhaustion
- Keep the finisher simple as fatigue can induce mistakes and affect concentration
- Master the exercises first before using the finisher at the end of a session
- If your form or technique starts to get affected then stop
Ultimately, kettlebell workout finishers are very tough and will expose any bad techniques very quickly, so they should not be used by beginners.
If you cannot perform a particular kettlebell exercise when you are fresh then you should not be using one as a finisher.
1. Beginners Kettlebell Finisher Workout
The first kettlebell finisher uses one demanding full body kettlebell exercise along with another for active recovery in between intervals.
As with all kettlebell finisher workouts make sure you can complete the exercises first before using them at the end as a workout finisher.
Kettlebell Finisher Workout 1
- Two Handed Swing x 15 – 20 reps
- Slingshot x 10 reps each direction
- Repeat 5 – 10 rounds
Perform the kettlebell swing followed by the slingshots, try not to put the kettlebell down in between exercises. Repeat moving from the swing to the slingshots and back to the swings again.
Workout variations: You can make the workout even more demanding by replacing the Slingshot with Push Ups or Burpees and then reducing the number of repetitions from 10 down to 1 each round.
Two Hand Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing is the ultimate full body fat burning exercise and works well when included within a workout finisher.
The kettlebell swing is based on the deadlift movement pattern and so works heavily into the hips, buttocks, hamstrings, core and back.
Care needs to be taken when using the kettlebell swing with workout finishers that technique doesn’t start to fail and that the lower back gets overworked.
Please make sure that you have mastered the kettlebell swing before adding it to the end of another workout as a finisher.
Learn more: 4 steps to master the kettlebell swing
Kettlebell Slingshot
The kettlebell slingshot is a great exercise for active recovery in between harder bouts of kettlebell swings.
You will strengthen your grip, shoulders, arms and core muscles as you pass the kettlebell around your body.
Keep your chest up and hips still as you perform this exercise.
Discover more: Why I love the kettlebell slingshot exercise
2. Intermediate Kettlebell Finisher Workout
The second finisher workout works into the legs with both the squat and the lunge exercises. Both exercises in this workout will rapidly raise your heart rate while at the same time strengthening the legs through two very important movement patterns.
Kettlebell Finisher Workout 2
- Reverse Lunge x 10 reps left
- Thruster x 10 reps left
- Reverse Lunge x 10 reps right
- Thruster x 10 reps right
- Repeat reducing all the reps by 2 each round
Perform the Lunges and then the Thruster on one side before switching hands and then repeating on the other side.
Reduce the amount of repetitions each round by 2 reps so 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 for a total of 5 circuits.
Perform the workout as quick as possible, trying to take as little rest as needed in between exercises.
Workout variations: Make this workout easier by using two hands for the Thruster or the Lunges.
Kettlebell Reverse Lunge
The kettlebell reverse lunge is a demanding hips, legs, buttocks and core exercise as well as quickly raising the heart rate.
Lunging so the back knee kisses or comes as close to the floor as possible is very important to fully activate the buttocks.
Keep your chest up during the entire exercise but be careful not to overarch the lower back by keeping your core muscles tight and braced.
Learn more: 16 kettlebell lunge variations for strong buttocks
Kettlebell Thruster
The kettlebell thruster is a full body exercise that is very cardiovascular but not as demanding on the legs as the lunge.
Keep your arm and elbow tucked in nice and tight as you descend down into a deep squat.
Maintain your weight on your heels and mid-foot throughout the entire exercise.
Be sure to squat down so your thighs are parallel with the floor in order to fully activate your buttock muscles.
Use the momentum from the bottom part of the squat as you stand up to drive the kettlebell overhead.
The kettlebell thruster should be performed in one smooth non-stop movement.
Learn more: Master the kettlebell thruster and all it’s variations
3. Advanced Kettlebell Finisher Workout
This more advanced kettlebell finisher uses three exercises that flow from one exercise to the next leaving no time for rest. You will notice the high cardio demands as you move through all the kettlebell exercises.
Make sure you practice all three exercises before joining them together into this flowing finisher.
Kettlebell Finisher Workout 3
- One Hand Swing x 10 reps left
- High Pull x 10 reps left
- Snatch x 10 reps left
- Repeat right side
- Reduce reps by 1 each round
Perform all three kettlebell exercises one after the other on the one side before changing hands using the one handed swing and repeating on the other side.
The workout should flow non stop as you perform 10 reps of each exercise on both sides and then 9, then 8 etc.
Workout variations: If the workout is too demanding or takes you too much time then you can reduce the number of repetitions by two reps each time rather than one.
One Hand Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell one handed swing is a superb full body exercise that will rapidly increase your heart rate.
As with a kettlebell swing or deadlift variation the movement is dominated by the hip thrust moving backwards and forwards.
Be sure to stand tall at the top of the movement and squeeze your buttocks tight. Do not lean backwards or overextend the hips as this will put undue pressure on the lower back.
The kettlebell should swing to chest height at the top of the swing and so the wrist connects with the inner thigh at the bottom of the swing.
Learn more: Are you ready for the one hand kettlebell swing
Kettlebell High Pull
The kettlebell high pull exercise builds on the one hand kettlebell swing and adds further cardio and upper back activation to the movement.
The bottom part of the high pull exercise is performed in the same way as the one hand swing but at the top of the swing the kettlebell is pulled in towards the chest.
It is important to keep the kettlebell handle and forearm in alignment in order to prevent the kettlebell from flopping over.
Keep your wrist tight when you pull and then push the kettlebell back out again.
Discover more: How to master the kettlebell high pull exercise
Kettlebell Snatch
The kettlebell snatch is a demanding full body exercise that starts off like the one hand swing but instead keeps the kettlebell close to the body as it’s thrown overhead.
Many beginners struggle with the top part of the snatch allowing the kettlebell to flop over and bang the wrist.
You can avoid banging your wrist at the top of the snatch by punching your hand threw the handle rather than waiting for it to come over.
Keeping the kettlebell close to the body rather than letting it swing in an arc, like with the kettlebell swing, will also help prevent the kettlebell banging the wrist.
From the top of the snatch throw the kettlebell out over the back of the hand and then control it on its way down again.
Learn more: Ultimate guide to the kettlebell snatch
4. Advanced Double Kettlebell Finisher Workout
If you have two kettlebells of equal weight then you can perform this final kettlebell finisher. The workout includes three kettlebell exercises that are all blended together into one complex movement.
You can also perform the following finisher with one kettlebell and then change sides after the allocated number of repetitions.
Kettlebell Finisher Workout 4
- Double Clean, Squat and Press x 10 reps
- Rest 30 – 90 seconds and Repeat
A simple workout format. Perform the Clean, Squat and Press exercise for 10 reps and then rest and repeat.
Workout variations: You can adapt this exercise by performing only the clean and squat or squat and press or clean and press.
Double Clean, Squat and Press
A full body double kettlebell exercise that will develop strength, resilience, and cardio all in one complex movement.
The exercise begins with the double kettlebell clean.
Once the kettlebells are in the racked position you drop down into the double kettlebell squat.
From the bottom of the squat you drive up pushing the kettlebells overhead in one fluid movement.
At the very top overhead press position take the kettlebells back down to the racked position under control and then lower them back down to the floor ready to clean them again.
The kettlebells should not touch the floor at the bottom of the exercise.
Throughout the entire exercise keep the kettlebells close to the body and the elbows tucked in nice and tight.
Want more? Top 5 kettlebell doubles exercises
Conclusion of Kettlebell Finisher Workouts
Kettlebell workout finishers are effective at burning fat at the end of your weight session along with increasing metabolic conditioning and resilience.
Above I have listed 4 kettlebell finisher workouts for you to use along with some workout variations.
Practice all the exercises first before attempting any of these finishers and remember that when fatigued finishers will expose any bad techniques you may have.
You can perform finishers 3 – 4 times per week but as with all exercise you will need to listen to your body and take rest days when needed.
Take care and enjoy the workouts.
Have you tried any of these kettlebell finisher workouts? Let me know more below:
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