• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Training

Burn Fat and Save Time With the Kettlebell Complex

Tight on time? Hit up a kettlebell complex for mass, strength, and cardio.

Written by Mike Dewar
Updated by Alex Polish on August 9th, 2023

Life has a way of getting between you and a good workout. Maybe you need to stay late at work. Or, perhaps your gym is closed indefinitely due to a global pandemic (imagine?). Either way, know that there are always alternative training options. One of the best alternatives is called a kettlebell complex. All you need is one or two kettlebells and half an hour to achieve more muscle mass and better conditioning — all from the comfort of your home gym.

Below, we break down everything you need to know about kettlebell complexes — why and how they work and how to design your own — and outline three workouts for you to try. 

What Is a Kettlebell Complex?

A kettlebell complex is a set of kettlebell exercises performed back-to-back, one right after the other. A complex is sometimes also referred to as a flow because each exercise should flow seamlessly into the next.  You’ll be stringing different exercises together — usually, but not always, compound movements — and executing them without pause in between. For example, a simple kettlebell complex could be one kettlebell swing, followed by one kettlebell clean, followed by a kettlebell press. Then, switch sides.

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Eric Leija (@primal.swoledier)


One rep constitutes one full flow through each move you’ve programmed into your complex, which means you’ll generally be keeping your overall rep count pretty low.

You can also perform kettlebell complexes with two bells. Keep both bells in your hands for the entire set. If that’s proving to be too difficult, you’ll want to lower your weights and/or perform less complex reps per set.

How Does A Kettlebell Complex Work?

If you’ve ever combined two compound movements into one, you’ve already got an idea of how a kettlebell complex works. Think about a kettlebell thruster: one single rep comprises a front squat and a push press. With a kettlebell complex, you add a few more moves to the mix — say, a clean before each front squat and a dead stop double kettlebell swing as you’re coming down from each push press. Those four moves, in total, will constitute one rep of your kettlebell complex. 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iL8E_EkKhbg

A kettlebell complex allows you to add various movements into your workouts for more calories burned without adding virtually any time to your training session. It really is more bang for your buck. 

In terms of programming your kettlebell complex, you’ll determine how many reps per set based on how many moves — and what kinds of moves — constitute one rep. In the example above, your four moves per rep are: double kettlebell clean, double kettlebell front squat, double kettlebell push press, and double kettlebell dead stop swing. That’s four moves total. If you’re training for endurance and cardio benefits, you could program your complex with up to six reps (24 moves total per set). 

But remember: three of the four moves (all except the front squat) are ballistic in nature. That means they’ll take a lot more wind out of you, so program accordingly — you might only want to program “only” three or four reps (12 or 16 moves total) per set.

What Are the Benefits of Double Kettlebell Complexes?

Specific kettlebell complexes have specific benefits, of course — we’ll talk about that below — but overall, all kettlebell complexes offer a similar thread of benefits:

  • Improve functional fitness, because life doesn’t come with a discreet separation between different movements.
  • Increase your strength and hypertrophy by forcing your entire body to engage in each component of your workout.
  • Strengthen your core and full-body coordination — it takes a lot of stability to manage not one, but two kettlebells, especially when you’re flowing through multiple moves.
  • Enhance your cardiovascular endurance and explosive power, because you’ll be focused on moving heavy weights quickly with little rest.

Make Your Own Kettlebell Complex

Another beautiful fact about kettlebell complexes is that you can get creative with how you design them. Really, you just need to pick a few moves that make sense together — either with one or two kettlebells — and perform them in a sensical order. 

Before you do that, however, you need to think about your goals. If you’re trying to go heavy and grind your complexes out with an emphasis on building raw strength, pick more controlled movements like goblet squats and strict presses. If you’re looking to emphasize hypertrophy, combine some explosive moves (you’ll need slightly lighter weights for these) with slower movements (you’ll be using lighter weights so that you can go for more reps). Going for fat loss? Your kettlebell complex will want to be explosive and focus on going as hard as possible with perfect form.

woman doing kettlebell goblet squat
Fusso_pics/Shutterstock

When choosing your moves, flow through them in your mind and with your body (no weights) first. You need to make sure what you’re doing actually goes together in sequence. For example, a deadlift into a strict press just doesn’t work — you’ve got to clean the bells up to rack position before you press. It’s very risky to go from a push press to a row, as transitioning immediately from a vertical to a hinged position with momentum may lead to back pain. So always simulate your complexes without weight before you do them to make sure they’ll work efficiently and safely for your body and goals.

Double Kettlebell Complex For Fat Loss

Pretty much all kettlebell complexes will have a wide array of benefits — but certain complexes put particular emphasis on strength. This double kettlebell armor complex EMOM (every minute on the minute) will torch your cardio system and help you gain some major endurance, targeting your posterior chain while fueling some major fat loss.

Benefits of a Double Kettlebell Armor Complex EMOM

  • Improve cardiovascular fitness with an emphasis on power development.
  • Increase full-body strength and coordination with a complex series of movements.
  • Practice proper hip hinge technique and enhance posterior chain strength.

How to Do the Double Kettlebell Armor Complex EMOM

One rep of a double kettlebell armor complex consists of two double kettlebell swings, one double kettlebell strict press, and three double kettlebell front squats. So, before you dive completely into the whole EMOM aspect of this complex, make sure you can handle the armor complex component all on its own.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6AAqJyUDTnk

Perform the below workout in an EMOM fashion. In the odd minutes, you will perform one round of the kettlebell armor complex. During the even minutes, you will perform double kettlebell swings. Repeat this format for 10 complete rounds (20 minutes).

  • Minute 1: 1 Armor Complex = 2 Double Kettlebell Cleans + 1 Double Kettlebell Strict Press + 3 Double Kettlebell Squats
  • Minute 2: 8 Double Kettlebell Swings
  • Minute 3: 1 Armor Complex = 2 Double Kettlebell Cleans + 1 Double Kettlebell Strict Press + 3 Double Kettlebell Squats
  • Minute 4: 8 Double Kettlebell Swings
  • Minute 5-20: Repeat exercises in an alternating fashion every minute, for 20 minutes.

When determining a weight for this workout, consider the total volume of this workout (20 cleans, 10 strict presses, 30 squats, and 80 swings). The key to this workout is to choose a weight that is challenging for the overhead press portion of the lift, which is often the limiting factor in the complex.

Double Kettlebell Complex For Strength

When you’re trying to build strength with a double kettlebell complex, your goal is to lift heavy while maintaining a steady flow and solid form. So, you won’t be doing quite as many total reps as when you’re working toward hypertrophy or fat loss. That doesn’t mean you won’t get winded, though — so make sure your muscles and your cardiovascular system are warmed up and ready to work.

Benefits of the Double Kettlebell Thruster Complex

  • Develop full-body strength and coordination that will translate easily into Olympic lifts.
  • Improve core strength because each component of this lift emphasizes core stability.
  • Improve imbalances and strength asymmetries in the upper body with the unilateral presses.

How to Do the Double Kettlebell Thruster Complex

The main ingredient here is your double kettlebell thruster, but it’s not the only move you’ll do. You’re also going to be incorporating double kettlebell cleans and unilateral presses, using your one-sided press as the limiting factor when you’re choosing your weight.

Perform the following exercises in order, without pausing unless you need to:

  • Double kettlebell clean
  • Double kettlebell thruster
  • Double kettlebell front squat
  • Unilateral kettlebell press on the left side
  • Unilateral kettlebell press on the right side
  • Repeat the circuit three times.

This scheme will give you a total of three cleans; six front squats, four presses on your left side; and four presses on your right side. Repeating one circuit equals one set. Based on your current fitness level, you’ll want to perform three or four sets with a solid four to five-minute rest in between. Use a challenging weight. 

Double Kettlebell Complex for Muscle Gain

When you’re looking to gain some muscular hypertrophy, it’s important to take the rest you need to make sure you can still lift heavy enough (and with good enough form) to stimulate muscle growth. Sometimes, that means adding some rest between the moves of your complex. You’ll still perform a complex because — like with a regular complex set — you’re not done with your work until you cycle through multiple moves. But the rest you’ll take in between will help refresh your muscles so you can maintain quality presses and squats that will build solid mass.

Woman about to lift kettlebell
Arsenii Palivoda/Shutterstock

Benefits of the Double Kettlebell Swing + Press + Squat Complex

  • Increase muscle growth by integrating rest intervals into your complex so you can perform the complex with an optimal weight for hypertrophy (instead of going much lighter to compensate for no rest between moves).
  • Maximize attention to form, which can sometimes be hard to keep track of during a complex.
  • Increase core strength by pre-fatiguing your system with kettlebell swings (and then performing two core-heavy exercises, the strict press and the front squat).

How to Do the Double Kettlebell Swing + Press + Squat Complex

This double kettlebell complex is a straightforward way to add quality muscle mass to your frame. You will perform each movement in the total-body circuit, resting 45-60 seconds in between each. After each round of the circuit, rest 1-2 minutes and repeat for a total of five rounds. (If you want an extra beefy challenge, try keeping the bells in your hands for some or all of the rest periods.)

  • Double Kettlebell Swing x 8 reps
  • Rest 45-60 seconds
  • Double Kettlebell Strict Press x 8 reps
  • Rest 45-60 seconds
  • Double Kettlebell Front Squat x 8 reps
  • Rest 1-2 minutes, and repeat

The total workout should take no longer than 30 minutes (if it takes longer, you are either resting too long or using too heavy of loads). If you can compete in under 20 minutes, go heavier.

More Kettlebell Training Tips

The more you know about training with two kettlebells, the more you can get out of working out in a small space with a minimal amount of equipment — and the more you can get to know exactly how hard you can push your body. If you’re looking for the best education on workouts with two kettlebells, look no further than these kettlebell training articles.

  • Mastering The Double Kettlebell Thruster
  • The Kettlebell Armor Complex
  • Four Benefits Of Double Kettlebell Swings

Featured image: Arsenii Palivoda/Shutterstock

About Mike Dewar

Mike holds a Master's in Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor's in Exercise Science. He's a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at New York University. Mike is also the Founder of J2FIT, a strength and conditioning brand in New York City that offers personal training, online programs, and has an established USAW Olympic Weightlifting club.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Best Cyber Monday Weight Bench Deals (2023)

International Association of Trans Bodybuilders & Powerlifters 2023 Full Results

Do All High-Carb Diets Lead to Weight Gain?

Dana Linn Bailey’s 4 Meal Prep Tips for Beginners

Enahoro Asein (83KG) Decimates IPF Raw World Deadlift Record With 380 Kilograms

Latest Reviews

Redwood Thermowood Panorama Sauna Review

Redwood Outdoors Yukon Cold Plunge Tub Review

Redwood Outdoor Thermowood Garden Sauna Review

Future App Review

Bells of Steel Hydra Rack Review

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap