Can a single kettlebell replace a gym membership?

[is2017overyet]

Hi,

Times are hard. I can no longer can afford a gym membership.

But I have a single 20KG kettlebell that I pretty much never used in the basement.

I'm wondering if it can be used for resistance training and build some muscle. I would do some push ups as well.

Any tips?

 

[deandrade]

@is2017overyet

3-4x ~30 minutes per week.

Do mostly swings, clean and press/jerk, squat, snatch and getups.

Adding a second kB or a heavier one down the line would be ideal.

If the 20kg feels too light, do more reps before switching hands or setting the bell down.

 

[faithinmet]

@deandrade And get a pull-up bar

 

[marissaw]

@faithinmet Just get a pull bar and you’re set.

 

[hunter101]

@is2017overyet It's way, way, way better than nothing.

If you can't afford a gym membership, the only path forward for you is to find a way to make that bell be enough. Your training will probably be more to the conditioning side of things than the strength side, but you can absolutely still build muscle doing that.

And no matter what, that conditoning base will serve you very well in the future - whether in everyday life, or once you get access to more equipment.

Super high rep squats, rows, snatches, clean & jerk, presses, burpees, pushups. With any luck you can find a way to do pullups or chinups, and just do a shit ton of those as well.

 

[maxena]

@is2017overyet Add a pull-up bar and some bands and I would think so.

 

[dawn16]

@is2017overyet That’s a pretty solid weight for a single kettlebell to have. Buy a second one and become a Soviet super soldier with only two movements/40 minutes a week.

Nah, I’m just joking about that last part. But if you’re already trained enough to press that for at least 1-3 reps you’re probably good to do a lot of movements with it right off the bat. My only recommendation would be, if you try to snatch it, start off with the half snatch. And get solid cleans before either one.

 

[thecouponlady]

@is2017overyet Pushups, one kettlebell exercises, weighted carries with anything heavy. Sandbags are good for weighted carries. If you can find a cheap pull-up bar used, it can be used for pull-ups.

 

[chico]

@is2017overyet I have been following https://youtube.com/@PrecisionKettlebells for my home workouts. These are follow-along 30-45 minute single bell workouts with some calisthenics in each video. Been following since the Pandemic and have really enjoyed the workouts.

 

[matthias10000]

@is2017overyet A single kettlebell is all the gym you need. Swings, squats, cleans, rows, presses, weighted lunges, it's endless. Check out Steve Cotter, Steve Maxwell (yes yes I'm old school). Calisthenics are a great compliment, checkout Convict Conditioning, all workouts are meant to be done in a six by six cell. While in general, these are more metabolic, you work your diet, you will see strength gains.

 

[abc2012]

@is2017overyet You can replace a gym membership with calisthenics, it just takes some motivation

 

[gb123]

@is2017overyet I mean, if the calisthenics people can build muscle with just floor space, what more with a tool?

I guess you'd only be lacking in variety or "gains," but you can be pretty fit with one kettlebell.

 

[annavogelav]

@is2017overyet less is more for me, i love just having one kettlebell and coming up with random stuff to do with it hahaha

 

[is2017overyet]

@annavogelav Have you built muscles training with it?

 

[annavogelav]

@is2017overyet I'm an ectomorph distance runner so not a huge mass add, though I'm a shit ton stronger. I go to the gym too and have moved my way up from 16 kg to 24kg in the last year for my flows

 

[losinghope]

@is2017overyet Absolutely! I have a gym membership which I only use for swimming and sauna. I do all my other workouts at home with kettlebells and bodyweight exercises. It's a lot more fun to me and the possibilities are endless!

 

[veevalaveeda]

@is2017overyet Yes

 

[ulkon]

@is2017overyet Press-pushups and floor press (horizontal), overhead press, handstand pushups (vertical).

Pull-bent over rows (horizontal), pullups (vertical).

Squat-goblet squat, racked front squats, lunges if you like them.

Hinge- swings, double and single hand.

Carry: suitcase, rack, waiter, Cook drill.

I like Dan John's and Joe Daniel's programs (KB Only Muscle). Also worth looking up are Geoff Neupert and Pat Flynn.

If I just didn't love heavy deadlifts and snatches with a barbell, I would use only kettlebells, stones, and hill sprints.

 

[landedmapleleaf]

@is2017overyet That and a combination of bodyweight exercises, stretching/mobility, and walking. I have been to a gym since before the pandemic. I don’t own kettlebells but bought my own gym equipment (powerblocks, barbell, bumpers, bench, and rack). If I had to do it all over again would done s was what I listed above.

 

[missfit757]

@is2017overyet Yeah, it can. You’ll need to supplement calisthenics and reps for going heavy.

Or very, very slow reps to try and offset heavier weight loads