Legs burning, core screaming – welcome to the one-mile kettlebell challenge

WORDS: Ollie McCarthy

The one-mile kettlebell challenge provides a tough workout that will test your upper body endurance while also giving your legs and core a good workout.

If you fancy getting outside but still want to get a workout in, take a pair of kettlebells for a spin and do this. Just make sure you tell the gym what you’re doing before you go out the door with their kit!

Ideally this would be done with a partner, but it can also be done solo with some alterations.

The one-mile kettlebell workout
– pairs

Rack two kettlebells to your shoulders in the front rack position. Do five squats then carry for as far as you can. When you have to put the kettlebells down, you swap with your partner. They squat and carry while you complete five press-ups. Then you run to catch them up. You alternate between each other until you have completed the mile.

This is deceptively hard, so go light to start with. As you carry the kettlebells, it will fatigue your upper body, which is only exacerbated by the press-ups. Equally squatting will further fatigue you holding in that front rack position, so that when you start the carry, your upper body is already screaming.

– solo

If you are doing this solo, then you just have more work to do. However, instead of two kettlebells you’re going to pick one and alternate sides where you would ordinarily swap partners.

So, this means it would be a squat and carry to begin with. When you can’t carry anymore you drop the kettlebell, do the press-ups and then carry on the other side. 

In the gym

I get that not everyone wants to go outside. The beauty of this challenge is that you can do it in the gym instead, ideally using a dedicated walking space (this may be where people use the sleds, for example). It’s the same principal, just using the track to walk with the kettlebell.

I would probably set a timer and see how far you can get with this version. Between 15-20 minutes would be tough but at least you aren’t having to count down a mile’s worth of walking on a 20-25 metre section, which could get a tad tedious.

How would you use this workout?

The one-mile kettlebell challenge is a great tester workout – something to challenge you and revisit further on down the line. You could keep it in weekly as a challenger workout, or a finisher if you’re a sadist! Either way, give it a crack and, most importantly, have fun.