Crush Your Week: 5 Kettlebell Core Workouts
Your core is the foundation of building your physical fitness. Without core strength, your cardio, strength, and endurance training will all suffer. With a simple Spartan favorite — the kettlebell — you can easily build a solid core for all your fitness goals with this week's workouts from Spartan SGX Coach Ryan Baxter.
What are the benefits of kettlebells for core workouts?
There are plenty of core workout variants, but kettlebells can be especially useful when building a rock-solid core for obstacle course racing for these reasons:
- Versatility of movement
- Increased mobility
- Dynamic grip strength
- Full-body, low-impact cardio training
- Corrects muscular imbalances
Workout: Reaching Core Goals
Perform the following circuit for 5 rounds, resting 60 seconds between each round.
- 30-second hollow hold per side + single-arm KB press
- 45-second Russian twists
- 1-minute plank reach
Workout: Get up and Plank
An AMRAP (as many rounds as possible). Repeat for 20 minutes, resting 2 minutes between rounds.
- 3-5 Turkish get-ups
- 3-5 Gladiator get-ups
- 1-minute plank
Workout: Jump, Swing, Crawl
A 6-round circuit with 60 seconds of rest between rounds.
- 30 seconds of burpees
- 10-second rest
- 30-second KB swing
- 10-second rest
- 30-second bear crawl with KB drag
Workout: Core Gains!
An AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) where you'll do 8-12 reps of each exercise and repeat rounds for 20 minutes.
- Plank push-ups
- Bell windmills
- Bell sit-up to press
- Birddog row
- Goblet squat
Workout: Walk the Plank
A HIIT workout where you'll do 15 total minutes in a 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off style.
- Plank KB pull-through
- Side plank (left)
- Alternating plank row
- Plank push-ups
- Front plank hip extensions
MORE: How to Do These 8 Great Core Strengthening Exercises
