Feel the Burn

• 1). Select appropriate weights. The weight of the kettlebell you start with depends on your fitness level. As a guide, russiankettlebells.com, recommends the "average man should start with a 35-pounder. ... An average woman should start with an 18-pounder." Kettlebells come in various sizes, including 8, 12, 18, 26, 35, 44, 53, 70, 80, 88, 97 and 105 lbs.
  
  
• 2). Select a workout. Tom Corrigan, a certified Russian kettlebell challenge instructor, developed a workout called "Gunslinger Kettlebell Circuit." This workout contains several different exercises -- including jumping jacks, lunges and push-ups -- with the kettlebell. Perform each exercise for 45 seconds and repeat them two to three times, recommends Corrigan.
  
  
• 3). Start exercising. Corrigan designed a kettlebell workout for his Web site www.dragondoor.com. He recommends the following exercises: clean-and-jerks/jumping jacks, front squats/push-ups, see-saw presses/burpees, snatches/lunges, front squats to push-press combos/shadow boxing and overhead squats/mountain climbers.
  
  
• 4). Design your own kettlebell workout. To get the results you want, Corrigan recommends selecting exercises that you can transition easily between. "The trick to designing your program is in pairing up your exercises. This will depend on your goals and abilities," according to Corrigan.
  
  
• 5). Use DVD workouts. Kettlebell workouts come in many forms, including many DVD instructional workout. DVD workouts give you the option of selecting your own trainer -- from celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels to kettlebell instructor Mike Mahler -- and can introduce new exercises and forms.
  
  
• 6). Watch your form. With any weight lifting, including kettlebell circuit training, good form and proper posture are key in protecting your body. Not only do form and posture impact how much gain can be garnered from the repetition, but they also can protect your body from injury, according to the Canadian Kettlebell Magazine website. "Keep good form. Keep the weight light in the beginning as you learn how to keep going. ... Push yourself as hard as you can. If you are training your circuit in a park or public area, you should be so exhausted that asking those weak joggers to carry you home should become a realistic option," according to the Canadian Kettlebell Magazine website.