Kettlebell Upper Body Workout for Intermediate
A kettlebell upper body workout for intermediate that you can do with one kettlebell. 6 exercises, about 47 minutes, targeting chest, lats, shoulders, triceps, upper & mid back.
| Level | Intermediate |
| Equipment | Kettlebell |
| Time | About 47 minutes |
| Muscles | Chest, Lats, Shoulders, Triceps, Upper & Mid Back |
The workout
| Exercise | Sets / reps |
|---|---|
| 1. Leg-Over Floor Press | 4 × 8–12 |
| 2. One-Arm Kettlebell Row | 4 × 8–12 / side |
| 3. Kettlebell Thruster | 4 × 8–12 |
| 4. Chin-Up | 4 × 8–12 |
| 5. Bench Dips | 4 × 8–12 |
| 6. Extended Range One-Arm Kettlebell Floor Press | 4 × 8–12 / side |
See each exercise
How to do this workout
- Warm up for 5 minutes: brisk walk or easy cardio, then one light set of the first exercise.
- Do the exercises in order. Finish all sets of one before moving on.
- Pick a weight that leaves about 1–2 reps in the tank on the last set. Rest 60–120 seconds on big lifts, 45–60 seconds on smaller ones.
- Do this workout 1–2 times a week, with at least one rest day before training the same muscles again.
How to progress
When you can do every set with good form at the top of the rep range, add one rep per set the next week, or a small amount of weight (1–2.5 kg). Progress slowly — consistent small jumps beat big ones. For fat loss, pair this with a small calorie deficit and around 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Exercise notes
1. Leg-Over Floor Press
Lie on the floor with one kettlebell in place on your chest, holding it by the handle. Extend leg on working side over leg on non-working side.Your free arm can be extended out to your side for support. Press the kettlebll into a locked out position.
2. One-Arm Kettlebell Row
Place a kettlebell in front of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and then push your butt out as much as possible as you bend over to get in the starting position. Grab the kettlebell and pull it to your stomach, retracting your shoulder blade and flexing the elbow. Keep your back straight. Lower and repeat.
3. Kettlebell Thruster
Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so. This will be your starting position. Begin to squat by flexing your hips and knees, lowering your hips between your legs. Maintain an upright, straight back as you descend as low as you can.
4. Chin-Up
Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso and a grip closer than the shoulder width. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, keep your torso as straight as possible while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position. Tip: Keeping the torso as straight as possible maximizes biceps stimulation while minimizing back involvement.
5. Bench Dips
For this exercise you will need to place a bench behind your back. With the bench perpendicular to your body, and while looking away from it, hold on to the bench on its edge with the hands fully extended, separated at shoulder width. The legs will be extended forward, bent at the waist and perpendicular to your torso. This will be your starting position. Slowly lower your body as you inhale by bending at the elbows until you lower yourself far enough to where there is an angle slightly smaller than 90 degrees between the upper arm and the forearm. Tip: Keep the elbows as close as possible throughout the movement. Forearms should always be pointing down.
6. Extended Range One-Arm Kettlebell Floor Press
Lie on the floor and position a kettlebell for one arm to press. The kettlebell should be held by the handle. The leg on the same side that you are pressing should be bent, with the knee crossing over the midline of the body. Press the kettlebell by extending the elbow and adducting the arm, pressing it above your body. Return to the starting position.
Weekly plans that use this workout
More workouts like this
Gear for this workout
KettlebellSwings, goblet squats and carries: a full-body workout with one tool.Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain is different from muscle burn). If you have an injury or health condition, check with your GP or a physio first.