- Workouts that combine strength training with a high heart rate can help you save time in the gym.
- A trainer said his go-to workouts help to build muscle and improve stamina in less than 20 minutes.
- Strategies like workout ladders, EMOMs, and weight complexes can make exercise more efficient.
A smart fitness plan can help you build muscle, burn fat, and improve your health all at once — and kettlebells are an ideal tool for the job, according to a personal trainer.
"I like to describe the kettlebell as sort of the Swiss army knife of functional fitness," personal trainer Pat Flynn, who specializes in kettlebell training, told Business Insider. "It's like the ultimate secret weapon."
Kettlebells can be more dynamic than other types of strength training, making them well-suited for getting the most athletic benefits in the least amount of work.
Flynn shared his favorite "pocket-sized" workouts with kettlebells that are simple, don't take much time, and build full-body muscle while elevating heart rate for cardio benefits and better calorie burn.
Three workouts a week is enough for most people, he said. Combined with a quick warm-up for better mobility and performance, they take around 15 to to 20 minutes; less time than catching up on your favorite TV show.
Save time with a ladder-style workout
One of Flynn's go-to ways to work out is doing two exercises one after another, increasing the number of reps of one movement and decreasing the reps on the other to move up the "ladder."
For example:
- 10 reps of a two-handed kettlebell swing and one push-up
- Nine swings and two push-ups
- And so on …
- …ending after a round of one swing and 10 push-ups
The ladder uses a strategy called a superset, performing exercises back-to-back with minimal rest, cutting down on workout time. In this case, it involves using different muscle groups with each move, so that you're resting your legs while your upper body is working, and vice versa.
An 'EMOM' workout keeps you moving
Flynn said he often uses a timed workout called an EMOM, which stands for "every minute on the minute."
To do it, set a running clock. At the beginning of every minute, complete a set of exercise such as:
- 10 kettlebell swings
or
Rest for the remainder of the minute. Repeat for 10 to 15 minutes.
The built-in rest offers some time to recover while still keeping up the pace enough to raise your heart rate, combining the benefits of cardio and strength training.
If that's too intense, try an alternating EMOM, swapping in a less intense movement like a 20-second plank hold for every other round.
Working out on the clock can help you maintain a high intensity, burning calories while also performing strength exercises so you're building muscle to burn even more energy over time, according to Flynn.
"You'd be better off in terms of bang for buck performing what's called metabolic resistance training," he said. "One of the best ways to get leaner is actually try to focus on being stronger and a bit more muscular as well."
Kettlebell complexes combine multiple exercises efficiently
Flynn likes combining movements together into a workout complex, which means transitioning from one exercise to the next without putting the weight down.
One example:
- 5 single-arm kettlebell swings (with one kettlebell)
- 5 single-arm cleans
- 5 single-arm presses
- 5 squats
- 5 lunges
- Repeat on the other side
A complex is great for increasing your intensity and getting work done in less time. Beginners should master the basic moves first before trying a complex, since you need to be comfortable switching seamlessly between moves (and sometimes doing more advanced moves).
Flynn also likes the Armor Building Complex, a similar workout created by Dan John, a strength and conditioning coach with decades of experience.
With a kettlebell in each hand, perform:
- Two cleans
- One military press
- Three front squats
Repeat for a set time (say, five to 10 minutes) as long as you can maintain good form.
The rep pattern helps make sure that the bigger muscle groups like your legs are working as hard as your arms with the same weight, avoiding a common mistake in HIIT-style workouts.
The end result is a workout that offers a little bit of everything for overall fitness in a short amount of time.
"We just want to be really well-rounded, right?" Flynn said. "We want to have a good amount of strength, lean functional muscle, healthy body fat percentage, mobility, and not get injured."