No gym, no problem — build a stronger core and boost your metabolism with this 30-minute full-body kettlebell workout

Kettlebell ab workout woman holding a kettlebell in an upright row against orange background

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I do nothing but go to the gym all day. I have no responsibilities, don't have to work, get groceries, drop kids to school, walk the dog, or do anything else. So, I can afford to spend an hour perfecting my biceps curls to work a single set of muscles.

I imagine that's how your life is too, right? That's why I strongly recommend that you do not pick up one of the best kettlebells and do this short, intense but extremely effective full-body workout in just 30 minutes. If you train every muscle in your body in just half an hour, what else will you do all day?

The other reason I beg you not to do this session is that you only need a mat, one weight, and a kettlebell to do the routine, developed by the team at TMAC Fitness, so you can even do it at home, saving you even more time as you don't need to drive to the gym.

And, if you can believe it, the workout starts with a bodyweight warm up to get blood flowing to your muscles, reducing the post-workout DOMs that causes you to walk like a robot afterwards, losing you the street cred of hobbling out of the gym and making groans and other noises as you get into the car and go about your day.

Watch TMAC Fitness' 30-minute kettlebell workout

Beginner Total Body Workout - YouTube

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But the worst part is that the instructor actually demonstrates each move before the countdown timer begins, showing you how to do the move effectively and safely, removing the need to spend minutes and minutes staring at others in the gym trying to guess their technique.

And since I already told you I enjoy tediously working a single muscle at a time, the fact that the routine includes multiple compound exercises to engage multiple muscles simultaneously just isn't for me.

I mean, why would I do something like a kettlebell swing that can strengthen your core, improve your balance, increase your heart rate, boost your metabolism, build lower and upper body muscle all within a few minutes, when I could do 10 or 15 minutes of planks to focus just on my core?

Apparently, there are some people that enjoy this efficient type of exercise, and they call it high-intensity resistance training, or HIRT. You train hard for around 45 seconds, take a short rest, then start again with a different move.

It works your muscles and raises your heart rate to increase the amount of energy you burn, but without long breaks, you lose all the time you could be sitting on a gym bench watching TikToks of other people exercising.

The workout ends with a short mindful stretch and meditation to help you connect with your body and lengthen the muscle fibers you've been training.

But that sounds too calming for me, so for now, I'll be sticking to gym with my heart racing, muscles stiff, and mind distracted thinking about my next protein shake, thank you very much.

Why are kettlebell workouts so effective?

James Frew performing a kettlebell Cossack squat — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I love working out with a kettlebell — if you find a load that's challenging but doesn't affect your form, you only need a single weight. That makes them handy for routines in busy gyms, but also great if you have limited storage space at home.

But aside from their physical size, they're fantastic tools for building strength all over your body. The design, with a handle at the top and ball-esque weight underneath, keeps the load off center, so your muscles always have to pick up the slack.

And, thanks to that, however you hold the weight, it changes your center of gravity, causing muscles all over your body to engage to keep you upright and balanced. That's also why kettlebell workouts are so good at building core strength.

Your core is the section of muscle that connects your upper and lower body, and is responsible for balance and stability (among other things). And moves like kettlebell swings are a direct challenge to this mid-body muscle.

As you swing the weight between your legs and up towards your chest, muscles in your legs and upper body engage too. And it's an intense move! Doing 40 seconds of swings is more than enough to raise your heart rate.

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James is Tom's Guide's Buying Guide Editor, overseeing the site's buying advice. He was previously Fitness Editor, covering strength training workouts, cardio exercise, and accessible ways to improve your health and wellbeing.

His first job at as a sales assistant in a department store, and this is where James learned how important it is to help people make purchasing decisions that are right for their needs, whether that's a fountain pen to give as a gift or a new fridge for their kitchen.

James is an advocate for sustainability and reparability, and focuses his reviews and advice through that lens to offer objective insights as to whether a specific product or service will be right for your needs.

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