Exercises with weights at home - 4 options with execution technique

What you need

Kettlebells

A kettlebell is an effective, convenient and affordable sports equipment. If it is unlikely that you will be able to work out with a barbell in a small apartment, then exercising with weights at home is a completely acceptable option for independent training. With the help of these equipment, you can effectively pump up all muscle groups and at the same time even successfully diversify your training.

The only possible problem is that for optimal training you will need different weights of equipment. For example, for exercises on the legs and back - 24 or 32 kg, and for shoulders and arms - 8 or 16. Therefore, ideally, you should purchase light and heavy weights (or a pair of both) or collapsible ones.

Next, we will analyze in detail the exercises for each muscle group.

Pectoral muscles

Bench press

If you have a bench, that's great. If this is not available, you can try placing several stools in a row or using another similar support, the main thing is that it stands stable.

In the future, the technique is practically no different from the usual dumbbell bench press:

Starting position (IP) – lying down, shoulder blades retracted, legs firmly resting on the floor. Hands with weights are straightened and above the chest. Grip - by the handles, the shells hang not on the sides, but towards the side of the head.
As you inhale, you need to slowly lower your arms, while your elbows go to the sides perpendicular to the body, and do not press against the body. The depth should be comfortable, depends on your stretching, no need to do it through pain.
As you exhale, use a powerful force from your pectoral muscles to press the weights upward. It is better not to straighten your elbows all the way - this way your chest will be tense throughout the entire approach.

If you only have one kettlebell, you can do the press either with your hands alternately, or grab it by the bottom with both hands at once. It all depends on its weight and your strength indicators.

Floor press

If you don't have anything to make a bench out of, the floor press is an alternative. The main difference here will be a smaller amplitude, which slightly reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. The technique is similar, only for better support it is better to bend your legs at the knees:

This exercise can also be performed with one hand:

Another interesting option is to press two weights on the floor alternately. You pick up both projectiles at once, but do not squeeze them together, but first with your left hand, then with your right. In this case, the body can be slightly raised following the working hand:

Kettlebell push-ups

This type of push-up increases the range of motion, which allows you to better stretch and work your chest.

The technique is as follows:

Place two weights wider than shoulder-width apart. Their handles should be parallel to the body.
Take a lying position, in which your hands clasp the handles of the implements.
As you inhale, lower yourself as low as your stretch allows.
As you exhale, rise to the starting position with a powerful movement. It is better not to straighten your arms completely; immediately proceed to the next repetition.

If you are a beginner and are afraid of not being able to hold the kettlebells with this grip, use the following option:

Option for advanced athletes - one-arm push-ups:

Pullover

This is an exercise that works the pectoral muscles, triceps and lats. Moreover, the load is distributed in this order. One shell will be enough.

It is best to perform it on a straight bench; a chair or stool is also suitable here, since here support is needed only for the upper back.

In the process of moving your arms back, you do not need to bend them so that the load does not go into the triceps. Try to perform both lifting and lowering slowly and under control, concentrating on the chest muscles.

Kettlebell row to the chin

A very effective exercise for isolated deltoid muscles. In this version, the grip is quite narrow, so make sure that the shoulder joints do not experience pain or discomfort when performing the technique.

Technique:

Grasp the handle of the weight with both hands and lift it off the floor, leaving it hanging along your body in straight arms. Place your feet the width of your pelvis.
As you exhale, stretch the weight along your torso, raising your elbows as high as possible towards the ceiling. At the top point, the weight should reach chest level, the palms should not rise above the chin.
As you inhale, slowly lower the weight down. Don't rock or lean your body back.

Back

Deadlift

Classic deadlifts can be performed with either one or two kettlebells. This is a powerful basic exercise that, in addition to the back muscles, actively engages the quadriceps.

Technique with one kettlebell:

Stand in front of the apparatus - it is between your legs at the level of your toes, your legs themselves are shoulder-width apart.
Squat forward and grasp the handle of the kettlebell with both hands.
By simultaneously extending your legs and straightening your back, rise to the starting position. There is no need to bend backwards - just stand straight. The most important thing is that your back should not be hunched in the lumbar and thoracic regions throughout the entire movement.
Perform the next repetition by lowering the apparatus toward the floor, but without touching it.

In the case of two weights (to increase the working weight), the technique is almost the same. Only in this case they will stand on the sides of the legs:

Bent-over row

Here you can also come up with several options for implementation. Classic - one-arm deadlift. You can lean on a bench, sofa or any other similar surface (preferably not too soft).

The technique is as follows:

Stand to the side of the support, for example, to the right of it. Lean on it with your left hand and left bent leg. Place your other leg back and slightly to the side, bend it slightly at the knee, the support should be secure.
Take the weight with your right hand. Straighten your body - it should be parallel to the floor. The hand with the weight hangs down. This is the starting position.
As you exhale, using the efforts of your back muscles, pull the projectile to your belt. In this case, the elbow runs along the body, almost pressed against it. At the top point, you can turn around a little so that the amplitude of the movement is as large as possible.
As you inhale, lower the projectile down as far as possible without rotating your body, while properly stretching your lats, and immediately begin a new rise.
Then the same must be repeated for the other hand.

If you do not have any suitable support, you can perform the exercise without it. To do this, you will need to put your left leg forward, as in a lunge, rest your left hand on it and bend down, but not to parallel with the floor, but a little higher:

If the kettlebell is too heavy to pull with one hand, you can perform the lift with both hands at once - in this case, the movement will be similar to the bent-over row of a barbell to the waist. In the same way, you can pull two projectiles at once.

Kettlebell Abs Workout (Round 2)

The second round of the abdominal kettlebell workout also consists of 5 exercises. Now we have to perform a larger number of static-dynamic elements that keep the abdominal muscles in constant tension. Thanks to them, not only the total training time is reduced, but also the effectiveness of the exercise increases, all layers of the abdominal muscles are thoroughly worked out.

Crunches with knee pulls

Lie down on a gymnastics mat and stretch out lengthwise. Grasp the weight with your hands, then lift it and hold it so that it is behind your head. At the same time, raise your legs to a distance of 20 cm from the floor. This is the starting position. Next, as we exhale, we twist the body and raise the knees, bringing the weight above the knees. After a short delay, return to the starting position. Abdominal kettlebell exercise combines static and dynamic load, due to which the abdominal muscles are subjected to maximum stress.

How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.

Leg raises with kettlebells on outstretched arms

We continue to work lying on our back. In this case, you need to lift the weight and hold it with outstretched arms in front of you. Having fixed the position, as you exhale, raise your legs to a position perpendicular to the floor. The lower limbs should be extended throughout the entire range of motion. After pausing briefly in the dive, slowly lower your lower limbs back to the floor. The kettlebell ab workout element is designed to work the lower abdominal muscles, which are often problematic (especially for beginner athletes).

How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.

Passing weights under the knees

We work while sitting on the floor with the body slightly laid back. We hold the weight with our right hand. Raise your left leg, and then pass the projectile to your left hand through the bottom. We lower the left leg, after which we move the projectile above it, and raise the right leg, passing the weight under it. We intercept the weight with our right hand and begin a new exercise cycle, describing the trajectory of a figure eight. The abdominal kettlebell element of the workout not only works the lower abs, but also develops overall coordination, which is essential for people who practice other types of strength training.

How much to do: 14-16 leg raises.

Raises with a weight held above you

From a lying position on the mat, lift the weight in front of you with your arms outstretched. The legs are fixed in an extended position. Your task is to raise your body to a position perpendicular to the floor, while maintaining the weight above your head. Exhale while lifting, and inhale when returning to the starting position. Since your hands will be busy, you will not be able to use cheating in the form of jerks and pushes off the floor. That is why the presented exercise with a kettlebell for the abs provides a powerful load on the abdominal muscles, making them larger, more prominent and stronger.

How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.

Touching the kettlebell with hand and foot in plank

We take the emphasis while lying down, similar to classic push-ups. The weight should lie under the body vertically to the solar plexus. So, the exercise consists of two phases. In the first phase, we begin to lift the right and left knees to the bottom of the chest, trying to touch the projectile with the foot. In the second phase of the movement, we alternately lift our hand off the floor and touch the weight first with the right and then with the left palm. The kettlebell core exercise combines the benefits of the classic plank with an emphasis on the lower abs and arm muscles.

How many to perform: 5-6 repetitions (20-24 touches in total).

Ready-made programs for men:

Ready-made training program without equipment (for 5 days)
Ready-made training program with dumbbells (for 7 days)
Ready-made full body training program with dumbbells (3 days)
Ready-made training program for losing belly fat (3 days)
How to remove sides and belly for a man (two ready-made workouts)

Triceps

Neutral grip kettlebell press

This exercise is similar to the regular bench press discussed above. However, the emphasis here is on the triceps due to a different grip - the shells need to be taken with a neutral grip, that is, the palms will face each other, and the weights will hang down to the sides. There is also a difference in movement - when lowering, you should not spread your elbows to the sides, but keep them as close to the body as possible. At the top point, fully extend your arms. You can perform it either on a bench (preferred option) or on the floor.

If there is only one projectile, you can press it with both hands at once, holding the bottom and not forgetting about the correct trajectory of the elbows:

Arm extensions from behind the head

An alternative to the French press. This exercise is even easier to perform with a kettlebell than with dumbbells, since it is more convenient to hold.

The technique is as follows:

We sit on a bench, sofa or chair without a high back. Raise the projectile above your head in any convenient way and hold it with both hands by the handle so that it hangs back.
As you inhale, gently lower it down, bending your arms. Make sure that your elbows do not move too far to the sides. Also be careful not to hit your head.
As you exhale, extend your arms to the starting position.

The exercise can be performed while standing, but it is more convenient to maintain balance while sitting.

If it’s too easy for you, you can do extensions with one hand:

Kettlebell push-ups with narrow arms

Push-ups can also be done by focusing on the triceps rather than the pecs. To do this, we place the apparatus shoulder-width apart, and when lowering, we do not spread our elbows, but keep them as close to the body as possible. Extend your elbows to the end in each repetition.

Long cycle push of two weights

Legs wider than shoulders. The weights are placed in front of the athlete. The movement is performed by throwing the weight, as in a swing, namely, bending your knees and moving your pelvis back, the projectile passes between your legs.
The upward movement or throw on the chest occurs by straightening the legs and moving the pelvis forward.
During this movement, the back changes its position from tilted to vertical. When fixing the weight on the chest, the back should be rounded at the top, and the body should be slightly pulled back. In the remaining stages of the exercise, the spine must be straight. Elbows are pressed to the body.
From this position, a push is made: to do this, you need to push the weights up from the squat, perform a springing movement with your legs and push the weights, straightening your arms above your head.
The downward movement occurs along a minimal trajectory. The weights are lowered onto the chest with a squat that absorbs the load, after which the athlete lowers his arms down in a frontal position, but does not place the weights on the floor, but holds them in a canopy and repeats the movement from this position.

Biceps

Arm curls

As part of home workouts, this is the main biceps exercise. It is performed as follows:

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, exercises in your arms.
There are options for grip. The first is a neutral grip, with your palms facing each other. In this case, when lifting, you need to supinate the hand - turn it away from the body so that the weight hangs in front of the hand. The second option is to initially take such a grip so that your palms point away from the body, and do not change the position of your hands while lifting. Both options are good, it is recommended to alternate them from workout to workout.
As you exhale, bend both arms, lifting the exercises to your shoulders (you can lift them one at a time, but this will give the biceps time to rest). Make sure not to help by rocking the body, and also do not move your elbows forward - they must be fixed. If it doesn’t work, then you took too much weight and you need to lower it or lift one weight with both hands at once.
As you inhale, slowly lower the exercises, but do not fully extend your arms; keep your biceps under load the entire time.

Option with lifting one weight with two hands:

You can also do the exercise first with one hand (all repetitions), and then with the second:

Concentrated curls

Even the possibility of cheating is excluded here; the biceps are worked in isolation, so the working weight will be slightly less.

The technique is:

Sit on any comfortable support, spread your legs wide and firmly rest them on the floor.
Take the weight with one hand, rest its elbow on the thigh of the same leg.
As you exhale, lift the projectile by bending your arm. Don't lift your elbow from your hip.
As you inhale, lower your arm under control without fully extending it, and immediately do the next repetition.
Do the exercise for your second hand as well.

Reverse grip curls

This option works the brachialis (located under the biceps) and brachioradialis muscles. Their hypertrophy is no less important for large arm volumes, which is why curls with a reverse or hammer grip must be included in the program.

The technique is identical to regular curls, only this time the grip will be straight, that is, the palms are facing back. This will make it harder to lift the shells, so take less weight. You can perform it with both hands at once, or alternately with each.

"Hammers"

These are the same bends, only the grip should be neutral throughout the entire exercise - palms facing each other:

Squat with press

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a kettlebell in each hand, arms bent, palms facing inward, weights resting on your shoulders.

Do a squat. As you stand up, turn your palms out and press the weights overhead. Keep your body straight, do not sway. Lower the weights toward your chest to return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Shoulders

Standing Kettlebell Press

A basic exercise that uses all three deltoid bundles, although the main load falls on the front one. Can be performed with both hands at once or with one. The technique is as follows:

Hop the weights (or kettlebell) from the floor onto your shoulders in any convenient manner. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, no need to bend them.
As you exhale, using the deltoid force, straighten your arms with the apparatus above your head, without sitting down or arching your back. The movement should be carried out only in the shoulder and elbow joints - this is the main difference between the bench press and the shvung.
As you inhale, slowly lower the weights back to your shoulders.

There is a slightly more complicated option - bench press one kettlebell, holding it by the bottom. Here, more effort will be required to keep the projectile in balance and more stabilizer muscles will be activated. You need to take a little less weight.

Chin pull

This is also a basic exercise, here the emphasis of the load can be shifted to the front or middle beam:

If you hold one kettlebell with both hands and pull it toward your upper chest, you'll work your front delts and traps.
© ifitos2013 — stock.adobe.com
If you take two projectiles and lift them at a distance from each other (approximately shoulder width), the middle beams work. In this case, the lifting height will be slightly less.

These options are an alternative to pulling the barbell to the chin with a narrow and wide grip, respectively.

Kettlebell swings

This exercise is isolated and absolutely identical to dumbbell swings. You can also perform forward swings on the front beam, sideways swings on the middle beam, and sideways bending swings on the back beam. An important point - here you will need lighter weights, about 8 kg. Only sufficiently trained athletes can perform such movements cleanly even with 16 kg.

The only option when you can take one projectile with both hands is to swing forward:

Best loads

Before starting training, it is first of all necessary to correctly determine the athlete’s “working” weight.

When performing trial approaches, it is important to choose a weight of such weight that its use in the exercise does not allow a person to exceed the number of 10 repetitions in one approach.

For men

Next, having decided on the appropriate amount of sports equipment for yourself, it is advisable to study the most effective exercises that can help achieve muscle definition. Experienced fitness trainers recommend selecting the load not only depending on the athlete’s physical fitness, but also his gender. For men, the most effective exercises are:

Side Bent Kettlebell Row	Starting position (IP): feet are shoulder-width apart; the spine is maximally extended; the left hand holds the projectile and is in a relaxed state along the body; the right arm is bent at the elbow behind the head. Take a deep breath and bend towards the hand where the weight is located. After holding this position for 3 seconds, exhale and slowly rise, returning to the original position. After completing the required number of exercises, it is advisable to change the “working” side by moving the dumbbell to the other hand.
Pulling weights from a half squat diagonally	IP: with your feet slightly apart from each other, take a vertical position, making sure that your back is as straight as possible and your shoulders are straightened. Take the weight with both hands and lift it at chest level, slightly pressing it towards your torso. Simultaneously with a sigh, lower the projectile to the outer surface of the left thigh, slightly bending your knees and turning your body in the direction of movement. Maintaining this position for 2 seconds, “pull” the weight upward, to the upper corner of the opposite side, using the oblique abdominal muscles as much as possible. Continue the exercise, alternating the sides in which you need to make turns.
Body crunches with a kettlebell	IP: lie on your back, placing your body on a hard surface; take a weight in your hands and pull them up, strictly making sure that they are above the chest. Keeping your arms in this position, as you exhale, lift your upper body to the shoulder blades, pulling yourself with your abdominal muscles towards the weight. Maintaining the accepted position for 3 seconds, in parallel with exhalation, return to the starting position.

For women

Due to the physiological characteristics of the weaker sex, which prevent the rapid development of abdominal definition, experts recommend using proven options in a complex of abdominal workouts using weights. It is important to consider that the most effective for the fair half of humanity will be cardio training with a machine, implying a maximum number of repetitions with a small weight of the weight itself.

Side crunches with kettlebell	Starting position (IP): you need to sit on the floor, pressing your back as much as possible against a hard surface; legs bent at the knees; feet slightly spaced apart; Press the hands holding the weight to the chest. Take a deep breath. Intensively exhaling air from your lungs, raise your upper body, including your lower back. At the top point of the amplitude of movement, turn the body to the side along with the projectile. After holding this position, slowly lower your body to the floor to its original position.
"Book" using weights	IP: lie on your back, straightening up as much as possible on a hard surface; legs are together in an extended position; Take a weight in your hands and hold it at chest level. As you exhale, “tear” your upper body off the floor, including your lower back, and at the same time, bend your knees and, holding them suspended, bring them as close as possible to the working implement. Hold the position for 5 seconds. Exhaling, smoothly return to the original position, making sure there are no sudden movements.
Leg Raising	IP: lie on the floor, making sure that your lower back is pressed tightly against a hard surface; legs lie straight on the floor; take a weight in your hands and straighten them in the direction of the continuation of your torso, slightly lifting them from the floor. As you inhale, bend your knees and pull them towards you as much as possible, without changing the position of your hands with the apparatus. In parallel with exhalation, stretch your legs, still keeping your arms suspended. Perform the maximum number of repetitions of the exercises, allowing your hands to touch the floor only at the end of the approach.

Legs

Goblet Squats

The first type of squats focuses on the quadriceps. Also, a good load goes to the gluteal muscles. The hamstrings, calves, spinal erectors and abs work as stabilizers.

The technique is:

Take the kettlebell by the handle on your sides with both hands, stand straight, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly to the sides.
Without changing the angle of your back or hunching, squat so that your thighs form an acute angle with your shins, that is, below parallel. At the same time, try not to let your knees go ahead of your toes.
Get into the starting position, do not bring your knees together when lifting. Do not straighten your legs all the way; begin the next repetition immediately.

A variation of this exercise can be called a squat with a kettlebell on outstretched arms. Here it will most likely be easier for you to catch your balance, but it is more difficult to hold the projectile - only the front deltoids work on this.

Experienced athletes can perform the movement with two kettlebells, thus increasing the load on the legs.

Plie squats

Here the load shifts to the adductor muscles of the thigh (inner part), as well as the gluteal muscles. The quadriceps also works, but less.

Technique:

Place your feet significantly wider than your shoulders, and also turn your toes to the sides. The projectile is in your hands down, it will be easier to hold it here.
As you inhale, lower yourself slowly, as if sitting on a chair. At the same time, your knees point in the same direction as your socks, do not bring them together.
Lower yourself to a comfortable depth and, as you exhale, begin to rise, straightening your knee and hip joints. Also make sure that your back does not round and your knees do not go past your toes.

To make the exercise more difficult, you can hold a weight in each hand.

Single leg squats

Another name for the exercise is “pistol.” In this case, it is performed with weights - a kettlebell, which must be held with arms outstretched forward. Not suitable for a beginner, but for more experienced athletes it is an excellent movement that allows you to pump up the muscles of the legs and buttocks, as well as develop coordination and dexterity.

To practice the exercise, you first need to learn how to correctly perform a regular squat, then on one leg without weights (you can sit on a sofa or hold onto a support with one hand) and only then proceed to the most difficult option.

Lunges with kettlebells

Lunges are a versatile exercise for the lower body. The quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes work here. At the same time, the front part of the thigh works more with a narrow and medium step, and the back and buttocks work more with a wide step.

In general, the technique is as follows:

Take the apparatus in your hands, stand straight with your feet together.
Take a step forward with your left foot, lower yourself down until your right knee almost touches the floor. It is not necessary to touch - just go down to the greatest depth. In this case, the angle between the thigh and shin of both legs should be 90 degrees.
Return to the starting position and lunge with your right leg.

Kettlebells can also be held overhead - here the shoulders and triceps will work statically, plus in this option it is a little more difficult to maintain balance, which will lead to the connection of more different stabilizer muscles.

If you only have one kettlebell, you can do each leg separately, either squeezing the apparatus with the same hand each time you lower it, or constantly holding it at the top.

Romanian deadlift

Basic exercise for the hamstrings and glutes. Can be performed with one weight or two - depends on physical fitness.

The technique is as follows:

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, slightly bent, the apparatus hanging in your lowered hands.
As you inhale, lean forward, while the movement occurs by moving the pelvis back. The angle in the legs does not change. The depth of the bend depends on your stretch. At the bottom point you should feel your hamstrings stretch. The back should never be rounded. Squeeze your shoulder blades and watch the position of your back. If you start to lean your shoulders forward or sag in your lower back, reduce the weight.
As you exhale, return to the starting position. To emphasize the load on the muscles of the legs and buttocks, straighten your torso not by moving your body upward, but as if pushing from the floor with your legs and pushing your pelvis forward.

One arm overhead press

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. The left hand is on the hip, and the right holds the kettlebell at shoulder level, palm facing inward, elbow bent.

Tighten your abs and back and press the kettlebell overhead until your arm is straight. Pause a little at the top and then return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

The exercise is performed separately for each hand.

Press

All abdominal exercises with kettlebells are not suitable for beginners, who first need to learn how to perform them correctly with their own weight and only then gradually increase them.

Crunches

This is a classic version of crunches on the floor, only with additional weights. It is most convenient to hold the projectile on the chest with two hands. Don’t forget that when doing crunches, you don’t need to lift your lower back off the floor—only the shoulder girdle, while rounding your spine and straining your abs.

Reverse crunches

This is a heavier version of reverse crunches - when you do not pull your body towards your stationary legs, but, on the contrary, raise your bent legs, lift your buttocks and lift them up, straining your lower abs.

Here you can hold the weights with your arms outstretched in front of you:

Side plank

Here the oblique abdominal muscles work statically. The kettlebell can be held with your free hand at the shoulder or on your arm extended upward. You can stand in the plank either on your elbow or on a straight arm.

Corner on kettlebells

An excellent exercise for the rectus abdominis muscle. The technique is:

Place the implements shoulder-width apart so that when you lean on them, your arms are perpendicular to the floor.
Sit between the apparatus, stretch your legs forward, grasp the handles of the weights, straighten your arms. The pelvis should lift off the floor.
Raise your legs up so that an angle of 90 degrees is formed between them and the body, and hold for as long as possible.

Kettlebell Abs Workout (Round 1)

Kettlebell abdominal exercises require a careful approach to choosing the weight. Beginners are advised to make do with minimal equipment to set up equipment. Gradually increase the weight of the kettlebell as you feel you can make progress.

Before training, be sure to do: WARM-UP FOR YOUR ABS AND BACK.

Kettlebell sit-ups

Take the weights in your hands and lie down on the gymnastics mat. Bend your legs, then fix them on your full foot along the line of the collarbones. Next, as you exhale, lift your body so that at the peak point it is perpendicular to the floor. After a short pause, slowly return to the starting position. Keep a small distance between the apparatus and your chest throughout the entire range of movement. Also avoid jerking while lifting and do not overload your lower back. This exercise with a kettlebell on the core perfectly works the rectus abdominis muscles and the entire muscular corset in general.

How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.

Kettlebell crunches to the feet

We continue to work while lying on the mat. We still support the weight with our palms on the sides near the chest. Raise your legs up and keep them perpendicular to the floor. As you exhale, we raise the body and stretch out our arms, trying to bring the projectile to the level of our feet. This results in a kind of low-amplitude twisting, which must be held for a second at the peak point, and then returned to the starting position. The upper abs are pumped, and due to the raised legs, additional stress is placed on the lower abdomen. Kettlebell lifts further strengthen the arm muscles with an emphasis on the front deltoids.

How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.

Kettlebell twists

Sit on the mat and place the kettlebell in front of you, grasping the handle with both palms. Next, bend your legs and move your body back. Keep your back straight, don't slouch. After this, we begin to turn the body to the right and left, fixing each repetition by placing a weight on the floor on each side. Try to work at an average pace and without jerking. The presented element of training with weights on the abs focuses on the oblique abdominal muscles, promoting the process of burning excess subcutaneous fat from the belt area.

How much to do: 14-16 weight shifts in total.

Kettlebell fold

Lie on your back and stretch out lengthwise. Grasp the sides of the kettlebell with your hands, then lift your body while lowering your arms in front of you. Additionally, during the movement, the right leg rises. As a result, the projectile and shin should meet at the peak point, after which you can lower to the starting position. Switch legs for each repetition, thereby achieving a symmetrical load. The emphasis of the exercise is on the rectus abdominis muscle, but at the same time the entire muscle corset, quadriceps, and shoulders are involved in the work.

How much to do: 12-14 lifts in total.

Shifting weights in plank

Take a hand plank position, first placing a weight on your left side. The projectile should be close, because now it needs to be grabbed with your right hand through the bottom and moved to the right side. Perform the next movement with your left hand using a similar amplitude. Switch sides for each new repetition. Try to work at an average pace, while avoiding sagging your back to the floor. In addition to the press, in this case acting as a stabilizer, the muscles of the back, lower back, triceps, and deltas are additionally involved during the work. An excellent functional exercise for the entire body.

How much to do: 14-16 weight shifts in total.

Complex exercises

Russian kettlebell swings

Russian swings are a popular CrossFit exercise that came from kettlebell lifting, where it is an auxiliary exercise. It's similar to the standing front delt swing, but the movement itself is driven more by the hips and back rather than the shoulders and arms.

There are several options for performing Russian swings, and they can also be done with two kettlebells. The exercise develops well the muscles of the shoulder girdle, legs, lower back, and explosive strength of the lower body. A good option for beginners, who will then have to learn the technique of more complex movements - pushes, pushes, pulls, etc.

Turkish get up with kettlebell

The Turkish get up is an example of a functional and efficient movement. The Turkish get-up works every muscle in your body. This exercise also works on shoulder mobility: you'll be sure to stabilize your shoulder by rotating it as you perform the task.

Pay attention to an important nuance that ensures the purity of the Turkish get-up: when you stand up, the body must be fully straightened, and at the end and at the beginning of the exercise the projectile must touch the ground.

Kettlebell push

An exercise similar to the standing press, but with assistance from the legs. Also used in kettlebell lifting and crossfit. Since the clean and jerk is easier than the press due to a different technique, the weight here must be greater, which leads to an increased risk of injury. Be careful when increasing the working weight.

Short cycle push technique:

Throw the weight over your shoulder with a jerk from the floor.
Perform a push - squat down a little and immediately straighten up, while sharply throwing the weight up.
Hold in the top position for a second, then return the projectile to your shoulder, lightly cushioning it with your knees.

The exercise can also be performed with two kettlebells.

Kettlebell Snatch

This exercise also comes from kettlebell lifting. The shoulders, trapezius, and spinal extensors work actively here; the legs are also involved, but less than when performing, for example, a kettlebell jerk into a squat position.

The technique is as follows:

Place the weight in front of you, feet shoulder-width apart.
Lean towards the apparatus, while bending your legs slightly. Do not round your back, keep a bend in your lower back throughout the entire exercise.
Take the weight, make a small swing back and immediately begin lifting it up, helping with your body and pelvis. The arm should not bend or straighten - all movement occurs due to the inertia and efforts of the deltoid and trapezius.
At the top point, fixate for a second and begin lowering. There is no need to put it on the floor - swing back and rise again.

Emissions (thrusters)

Kettlebell throws are a goblet squat, squeezing the weight over your head at the same time as lifting.

The projectile in the starting position must be held with both hands on the sides of the handle at chest level. Feet are shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed to the sides. Then the usual bending of the legs occurs during squats until the thighs are parallel to the floor (or slightly lower) and further lifting, while simultaneously straightening the arms along with the weight. Do not forget that you need to keep your back straight, do not hunch or bend over.

Squat Pulldown

A combination of goblet squats and kettlebell rows to the chin. This exercise allows you to work your quadriceps, deltoids and trapezius.

Technique:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the kettlebell by the handle with both hands.
Keeping your back straight, do a normal squat.
As you exhale, begin to stand up powerfully, while the weight, by inertia, will continue to go up after straightening your legs. Using the force of the deltoids and trapezius, continue its movement to the upper chest. The elbows should go up, above the level of the hands.
Lower your arms and start a new repetition.

Farmer's Walk

This exercise develops all the leg muscles, strengthens the grip, and the abdominal and forearm muscles work well here. The technique is simple - pick up two heavy weights and slowly walk forward in short steps. At the same time, do not round your shoulders, keep your back straight, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

If you have absolutely no space, you can simply develop your grip and forearm muscles by simply holding the implements in place. A more advanced level is to increase the thickness of the handle, for example, by wrapping a towel around it.

Much more could be said about each of the exercises described, and by no means should the above be taken as a complete guide. Consider this information as the start of a new approach to your training.

Training programs with weights at home

For men

We will analyze two programs - for beginners and more experienced athletes. It is assumed that you have at least two kettlebells of the same weight. Ideally, there should be more of them (of different weights) or collapsible.

So, a complex for beginners, compiled in the fullbadi style - at each training session the same thing is done and all the muscles are worked out:

Exercise with kettlebells	Approaches	Repetitions
Goblet Squats	4	10-12
Romanian deadlift	4	10-12
Push-ups with wide arms	5	12-20
Bent-over one-arm row to the waist	4	10-12
One-arm standing press	4	10-12
Chin row with two weights (if too heavy, then one)	4	10-12

You need to do this for several months. Exactly how much is individual. Some people need six months, while others will significantly increase their working weights even after two months and will no longer have time to recover.

In the future, you need to switch to split. It can also be taken by more experienced athletes who have to train at home. Here we use the classic division into synergistic muscle groups - chest + triceps, back + biceps and legs + shoulders.

Day 1 – Chest and Triceps
Kettlebell exercise	Approaches	Repetitions
Bench press on a bench or floor	4	10-12
Push-ups with wide arms	4	15-20
Pullover	3	10-12
Narrow push-ups	4	15-20
Sitting overhead extension with two arms	3	12-15
Day 2 – back, biceps, abs
Exercise	Approaches	Repetitions
Deadlift	4	10-12
Bent-over one-arm row to the waist	4	10-12
Standing two-arm curls	4	10-12
Standing hammer curls	3	10-12
Crunches	3	10-15
Reverse crunches	3	10-15
Day 3 – legs and shoulders
Exercise	Approaches	Repetitions
Lunges with kettlebells in lowered hands	4	10-12
Romanian deadlift	4	10-12
Squat Pulldown	4	12-15
One-arm standing press	4	10-12
Swing to the sides	4	12-15
Bent-over swings to the sides	4	12-15

Technique for performing exercises with weights

In fact, the technique of performing exercises with kettlebells is quite simple. If we compare kettlebell fitness and any other type of weightlifting (bodybuilding, powerlifting), where it is strictly necessary to take into account certain points and principles of training, then there are no hard and fast rules. The projectile can be pushed in any convenient direction, since at the moment of performing pushing actions the body itself is able to evenly distribute the resulting physical load.

When training with kettlebells, most of the muscles are involved in the work. Therefore, physical activity will be intense. And after training, a powerful hormonal surge occurs, the metabolic process improves, which allows you to quickly gain muscle mass and increase strength. Therefore, the importance of kettlebell fitness for men cannot be underestimated.