Build muscle and burn fat with just two kettlebells and this 20 minute workout

Losing fat and building muscle is often met with skepticism however, this workout from Matt Parsons, Certified Personal Trainer and Gym Manager at Ultimate Performance Paddington, is designed to do just that. With three compound moves and two kettlebells— or dumbbells if you prefer— it’s ideal for those days you’re short on time, or if the gym is a little too crowded.

“Kettlebells are one of the most universal pieces of gym equipment and they can be used for strength, conditioning, fat loss, and even injury rehabilitation,” says Matt. “Due to the metabolic demands of each exercise in this workout, and minimal rest periods, it will put you in the sweet spot of elevating your heart rate and putting you in the fat-burning zone, whilst simultaneously forcing your major muscle groups to work hard.”

The workout

This workout is made up of a tri-set, where you perform three exercises back-to-back with minimal rest. Rest for 10 seconds between each exercise, then once you’ve completed all three, rest for 45-60 seconds before starting the circuit again. “The aim is to see how many circuits you can complete in the 20-minute window,” says Matt. “Try to pick a weight where you can perform 10-12 reps per exercise, with the last two reps requiring a good amount of effort without sacrificing form.” Here are the exercises:

• Split Squat
• Bent Over Dumbbell Row
• Kettlebell Floor Press Ups

“In an ideal world, three 60-minute, full-body workouts a week, is optimal if you want to shed unwanted fat and increase your lean muscle tissue, so, I would recommend performing this workout once a day, every day," Matt says. Want to try more workouts like this one? Check out this 20-minute kettlebell flow from Nike's Global Performance Coach, David Carson. Alternatively, if you have more time on your hands, give this 35-minute circuit a go, another great routine for burning fat and building muscle.