The Functional Lower-Body Kettlebell Workout

This article originally appeared on Oxygen

For this functional workout, all you need is a good mindset and a kettlebell.

"The true athlete isn't just skilled in strength, speed or endurance -- it's all of the above," says Miami-based Oxygen Ambassador Jacqueline Kasen, a personal trainer and master educator for Technogym. "That means you should train to be as strong as you are fast, as powerful as you are mobile."

To help accomplish that feat, Kasen devised a functional workout that'll definitely put your lower body through the gauntlet. "The goal is for you to keep moving efficiently, feeling well, training optimally, and most importantly, have fun while doing it," she explains. "Here, you'll be working on balance, coordination, stability and strength, covering all three planes of motion and locomotion, which is the ability to move optimally from one place to another."

Equipment Required: Just one kettlebell, and an exercise mat if preferred for on-the-floor movements.

Jacqueline Kasen's Functional Kettlebell Workout

To build strength, use a heavier kettlebell and perform 6-8 reps of each of the following movements for 3-4 total sets, performing each rep slow and under control to maximize your time under tension. If you'd prefer an endurance-building workout, grab a kettlebell you can handle for longer duration sets of 30 seconds.

For the first warm-up round, do 30 seconds of each movement, then take a minute to two minutes of rest. Next, set the timer for five minutes and combine the five exercises into a circuit, doing each exercise for 10 reps before moving onto the next. Challenge yourself -- see how many rounds you can complete in the five-minute period. After a rest of at least one to two minutes, try a second five-minute round.

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