Kettlebell Cardio Melt

I thought I would get through this workout a lot faster than I did; it really challenged me, but that's a good thing. My pistol squats are far from perfect, because they too still challenge me, and that's okay. That's why I work on them. These workouts are supposed to challenge you, and make you stronger in the process. Working on your weaknesses is essential to growth, improvement, and change. Never shy away from a challenge! Let it empower you to push as hard as you can, and each day you will truly be stronger than the day before. Come try this awesome new kettlebell cardio workout with me...

Workout Breakdown

2 rounds of:
​5 (on each side) 2 pistol squats + jump tuck 
20 kettlebell backward lunge pass through
50 kettlebell swings
10 commando burpees
10 (on each side) Bulgarian split squat
50 kettlebell swings

MODIFICATIONS:
-If you can't do pistol squats, instead do the roll back to pistol. If you can't do that or don't like the roll back, just go as deep as you can doing a half pistol, even if it's only an inch or two. You can even use a chair to further assist you so you feel more stable and won't fall over, as pistols can be challenging for balance. If you can't do the jump tuck, do a jump squat or jump as high as you can instead; or do a regular squat if you cannot do any jumping.

-If you can't do the back lunge pass through, instead do backward lunges without any weight, or while holding the weight stationary at your chest. If you don't have a kettlebell, simply substitute with a dumbbell instead.

-If you can't do kettlebell swings, do squats, jump squats, or weighted jump squats instead. You can also try to swing a dumbbell between your legs instead, but be careful; it's not as natural or comfortable a movement with the dumbbell. If you don't feel secure holding onto and swinging a dumbbell, stick to one of the above squat varieties instead. And this is just more motivation to finally invest in a kettlebell, no? ;)

-If you can't do the commando burpees, instead do the commando pushups, step your feet to your hands, stand up, do a little hop so your feet leave the ground just slightly, step back into plank and repeat. You can also substitute with competition burpees or burpees with pushup if needed. 

-If you can't do the Bulgarian split squat, place the chair next to a wall so you can hold onto the wall for balance as needed while completing the movement. If this is still too challenging you can instead try jump lunges, lunges, or backward lunges. I urge you to work on the Bulgarian split squat though (unless you have serious pain or knee issues that prohibit you from doing so) because it so uniquely targets your legs in a way few other leg exercises can. It's a really effective exercise.

-If you can't do all the kettlebell swings in a row, break them up into smaller sets of 10 or 20, rest for a few seconds, and continue until you've completed all 50. 

It took me 27.5 minutes to complete the 2 rounds of this workout. I totally underestimated how difficult this workout would be, as I often do. Leave me a comment and let me know how long it takes you and how you like it. 

​I haven't been posting with the same frequency I once was on here, but I've been working hard on making the site better overall, and coming up with lots of great new ideas to provide you guys with the best possible content. I don't want to put up subpar workouts or posts just for the sake of posting something, I want to always deliver the goods. So when you see I have a new post, you will know that you can without a doubt count on it to be something totally awesome. That is what I'm working towards. And as always let me know if there's anything you want to see on here from me and I will try to make that happen! Your feedback is not just welcomed, but encouraged.

And if you're having any struggles or want to talk things out, come join the free Jickety Jacq Fit Club where you can talk to me and the members of our supportive community. Having a support system is critical to successfully keeping up your healthy habits, and I am here to encourage, and hopefully maybe even inspire, everyone always.