25 CrossFit Kettlebell Workouts That are Brutal

Believe it or not, you can get a pretty badass workout using only a kettlebell or 2.

In fact, there are some CrossFit kettlebell workouts that will leave you on the floor in a sweaty mass on the floor.

Don’t believe us? Try some of these brutal  CrossFit kettlebell workouts below and let us know how it goes.

kettlebell crossfit workouts

25 CrossFit Kettlebell Workouts

These CrossFit kettlebell workouts will challenge you both mentally and physically.

#1 Arnie

For Time

  • 21 Turkish Get-Ups, Right Arm
  • 50 Kettlebell Swings
  • 21 Overhead Squats, Left Arm
  • 50 Kettlebell Swings
  • 21 Overhead Squats, Right Arm
  • 50 Kettlebell Swings
  • 21 Turkish Get-Ups, Left Arm

Use a single Kettlebell (2/1.5 pood)

Arnie is a Hero WOD that is done to honor Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, 34, who was killed in the line of duty in 2009 when his emergency response vehicle went off the side of the road and fell 800 feet into a steep canyon during fire suppression activities.

This workout is a brutal way to kick off this list. It’s not easy as not Hero WODs are. CrossFit veteran Bill Grundler has done this workout in 25:49. If you can top that you are definitely a beast.

 

Related: 15 CrossFit Deadlift Workouts That Will Crush You

 

#2 Jordan

For Time

  • 100 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
  • 100 Sit-Ups
  • 100 Air Squats
  • 100 Push-Ups

Jordan is a British Hero WOD that is done to honor Jordan Bancroft, Duke of Lancashire Regiment, who was shot in Afghanistan on 21/08/10.

This one is simple and straightforward but I wouldn’t call it easy. Finishing this WOD in under 20 minutes is considered decent.

 

#3 Freddy Krueger

21-15-9 Reps for Time

  • Kettlebell Swings (70/53 lb)
  • Burpees

While this workout isn’t as scary as the actual Freddy Krueger it isn’t a walk in the park either as the kettlebells are on the heavy side.

kettlebell workouts

#4 Blood Thirsty

5 Rounds for Time:

  • 600 meter Run
  • 40 Russian Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
  • 20 Air Squats

Five rounds of this bad boy will give you jelly legs. A decent time on this workout is about 30 minutes.



 

#5 Burptastic

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Reps For Time

  • Burpees
  • Kettlebell Thrusters (32/20 kg)
  • Burpees
  • Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (32/20 kg)
  • Burpees
  • Kettlebell Swings (32/20 kg)

If you love burpees then is workout is for you. On the thruster hold the kettlebell in a goblet squat position then raise the kettlebell over your head at the top of the movement.

 

#6 Orlando #9

For Time using a (70/53 lb) kettlebell (scale back as needed)

  • 6 Russian Kettlebell Swings
  • 49 meter Farmer’s Carry
  • 12 Alternating Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings
  • 49 meter Farmer’s Carry
  • 20 American Kettlebell Swings
  • 49 meter Farmer’s Carry
  • 8 Left-Arm Kettlebell Swings
  • 8 Right-Arm Kettlebell Swings
  • 49 meter Farmer’s Carry
  • 49 Russian Kettlebell Swings
  • 49 meter Farmer’s Carry

This workout will challenge your grip and set your shoulders on fire. Enjoy!

crossfit kettlebell workouts

#7 Drago

For Time

  • 100 American Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
  • 200 Russian Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)

*Every time you put the kettlebell down, perform:

  • 5 Burpees
  • 10 Push-Ups
  • 15 Air Squats

This workout is no joke and takes some game planning. It’s named after the Russian from the Rocky movies. Because the American kb swings beat you down, then the Russian swings “break you”. Good luck!

 

#8 Steve Sipton Sr

For Time

  • 400 meter Run
  • 25 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
  • 25 Burpees
  • 25 Air Squats
  • 25 Kettlebell Push Press (1.5/1 pood)
  • 1 mile Run
  • 25 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
  • 25 Burpees
  • 25 Air Squats
  • 25 Kettlebell Push Press (1.5/1 pood)
  • 400 meter Run

This WOD is done to honor Steve Skipton Sr, a  Goose Creek Fire Department in South Carolina. Steve, also a 9/11 first responder, lost his battle with stage 4 cancer in 2014. He was just 41 years old.

This workout is long and will grind you down. Be mentally and physically prepared.



 

#9 Bangers and Mash

10-minute AMRAP

  • 2 Russian Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)*
  • 4 Burpees

*Add 2 reps after each round

Why is it called “bangers and mash”? I have no idea, maybe they thought it sounded funny. It’s a good posterior chain and midline workout though.

Maybe you eat bangers and mash after? I guess we will never know.

 

#10 Claudia

5 Rounds for Time

  • 20 Kettlebell Swings (55/35 lb)
  • 400 meter Run

If you are a beginner this would be a good one to try, scale back on the kettlebell weight if necessary.

Kettlebell Swing

#11 Joseph Grzelak

For Time

  • 100 Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)
  • 2 Burpees at the top of each minute

This WOD is done to honor Joseph Grzelak who was killed in the attacks on New York on September 11, 2001.

This one is short and sweet, don’t hold back.

 

#12 Mister Dudley

4 Rounds for Time

  • 12 Burpees
  • 10 Pull-Ups
  • 10 Shoulder to Overhead
  • 10 Kettlebell Snatch each side

This one is pretty straightforward, good upper body workout.

 

Related: 25 Crossfit Dumbell Workouts

 

#13 Three Leaf Clover

8min AMRAP

  • 4 Handstand Push-Ups
  • 8 Kettlebell Snatch (4 per arm)
  • 12 Sit-Ups

This one is only 8 minutes long so don’t pace yourself too much.

 

#14 Nothing But a Kettlebell

4 Rounds for time

  • 5 Goblet Cleans
  • 10 Bodyweight Squats
  • 15 Kettlebell Swings
  • 20 Toe Taps
  • 15 Kettlebell Swings
  • 10 Bodyweight Squats
  • 5 Goblet Cleans



 

#15 AMRAP KB Workout

AMRAP in 20 minutes

  • 6 KB Swings
  • 6 Handstand Push-Ups
  • 6 KB Overhead Squats (right side)
  • 6 KB Overhead Squats (left side)

This one is a good whole body workout.

 

#16 Black Cat

AMRAP in 12 minutes

  • 12 Wall Ball Shots (10/6 kg)
  • 12 Kettlebell Swings (20/16 kg)
  • 12 Kettlebell Snatches (20/16 kg)
  • 100m Sprint

This one is on the shorter side so don’t pace yourself too much.

 

#17 Kettlebell Dreams

15 Minute AMRAP

  • 15 KB Swings
  • 15 Double KB Front Squats
  • 15 One Arm KB Chest Press
  • 15 One-Arm Kettlebell Row (each side)
  • 5 Turkish Getup (each side)

This bad boy uses a kettlebell for every exercise. Pick a weight that will challenge you.




 

#18 Iron Ranger

For Time

  • 22 second Silence
  • 94 Goblet Squats (2/1.5 pood)
  • 94 Push-Ups
  • 94 Sit-Ups
  • 94 Russian Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
  • 22 Burpees

This workout is done to honor Army Ranger SGT. Joshua Rodgers, when he was laid to rest. Born August 22, 1994, he died on April 27, 2017.

The name “Iron Ranger” is from his high school football mascot, the Ironmen and his position as a Ranger in the US Army. The 94 reps represent his year of birth of 1994. The 22 represent his high school football jersey number as well as his date of birth, and how old he was when he died.

Kettlebell swing

#19 Fat Amy

For time

  • 50 Air Squats
  • 10 Burpees
  • 40 Sit-Ups
  • 10 Burpees
  • 30 Lunges (alternating legs)
  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
  • 10 Burpees
  • 10 meter Bear Crawl
  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
  • 10 Burpees
  • 30 Lunges (alternating legs)
  • 10 Burpees
  • 40 Sit-Ups
  • 10 Burpees
  • 50 Air Squats

If you like a workout with a lot of variety then this one is for you.

If you are a beginner this workout could take over 18 minutes, if you are a badass that is in serious shape you could get it done in about 11 minutes.

 

#20 Georgie

AMRAP in 21 minutes

  • 7 Burpees
  • 11 Push-Ups
  • 22 Kettlebell Swings (54/35 lb)

Buy-in: 65 Sit-Ups

If you can get over 350 reps on this workout you are doing pretty good.

 

Related: The 20 Most Brutal CrossFit Workouts

 

#21 Secret Service Snatch Test

AMRAP in 10 minutes

  • Kettlebell Power Snatches (24/16 kg)

Score is the total number of reps completed in 10 minutes.

This workout was created by Matt Chan, it was directed toward high-level athletes to see if they could get over 200 reps in 10 minutes.




 

#22 Nasty Bells

For Time

  • 21-18-12-9-6-3 reps of:
  • Kettlebell Thrusters (2×20/14 kg)
  • Bell Facing Burpees

This workout combines thrusters and burpees, a combination that everyone loves to hate.

 

#23 Cast Iron Maiden

6 Rounds

  • 6 KB Two-Handed Cleans
  • 6 KB Goblet Squats
  • 6 KB Russian Swings
  • 6 Lunges
  • 6 Push-ups
  • 6 Burpees

This workout has some nice variety, reminds me of  The Seven, which is one of my favorite CrossFit workouts.



 

#24 Dork

6 rounds for time

  • 60 Double-Unders
  • 30 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
  • 15 Burpees

If you can’t do double under do 120 single rope jumps.

This workout is done to honor Boston firefighter Michael “Dork” Kennedy, 33, of Boston, Massachusetts, who died fighting a nine-alarm fire on March 26, 2014.

 

#25 King Kettlebell

5 Rounds for Time

  • 15 Kettlebell Swings (75/55 lb)
  • 10 Lunges
  • 15 calorie Assault Air Bike
  • 10 Push-Ups
  • 15 Sit-Ups
  • 10 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75/55 lb)

This is another one that has some nice variety, if you don’t have access to an airbike run 400 meters instead.

 

Benefits Of Kettlebell CrossFit Workouts

Kettlebell workouts and CrossFit are like that power couple everyone talks about — each cool on their own, but put them together, and it’s next-level amazing. First off, let’s talk about what kettlebells bring to the table. These funky-looking weights are versatile. You can swing, lift, and push them in ways that tap into both strength and cardio. Plus, the way they’re shaped makes your body work harder to balance, firing up those stabilizer muscles that often get ignored.

Now, throw that kettlebell into a CrossFit routine, and things start to get really interesting. CrossFit’s all about functional movements and high intensity, right? Well, kettlebells fit in perfectly here. They can be used in classic CrossFit moves like the snatch or thruster, adding a whole new layer of complexity. You’re not just building muscle; you’re also upping your cardio game and working on your coordination all at once.

So why should you care about this combo? Versatility is the name of the game. You’re never going to get bored because the exercise options are almost endless. The kettlebell lets you hit multiple fitness elements at once — strength, endurance, flexibility, you name it. The result? A workout that’s incredibly efficient and holistic. And let’s be real, in our busy lives, getting the most bang for our workout buck is a total win.

And don’t even get me started on the calorie burn. Thanks to the high-intensity nature of CrossFit, combined with the full-body engagement from kettlebell moves, you’re going to be torching calories like nobody’s business. Plus, both kettlebells and CrossFit help you build lean muscle mass, which boosts your metabolism in the long run.

All in all, if you’re looking to spice up your workout routine, mixing kettlebells and CrossFit could be a game changer. You’re not just working out; you’re turning yourself into an all-around athlete. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to feel like an absolute powerhouse when they step out of the gym?

 

Wrap up

There you have a mountain of kettlebell CrossFit workouts to choose from. If you can’t find one you like maybe you need to stop being so picky.

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