Joe Rogan's Kettlebell Workout: 6 Exercises to Transform Your Body

Joe Rogan's Kettlebell Workout was quickly very popular as soon as Joe Rogan talked about it!

In the world of fitness, few well-known figures generate as much response and popularity. As a podcast host and combat sports enthusiast, he has popularized unique training methods, including the famous kettlebell workout.

This intense program will work on your strength, mobility, and endurance. It promises not only to improve your fitness, but also to dramatically transform your body.

This is actually one of the most effective types of exercises for combat sports, especially Jiu Jitsu. If you're interested, we've written a specific article on the topic: Are Kettlebells Really Effective for Jiu Jitsu?

In this article, we'll reveal the 6 fundamental exercises of Joe Rogan's famous kettlebell workout , designed to effectively target every muscle in the body while working on your strength and mobility.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced Jiu Jitsu practitioner, or not, these dynamic kettlebell exercises will allow you to integrate a complete routine into your training to become stronger and more mobile.

Table of Contents for Joe Rogan's Kettlebell Workout

• Who is Joe Rogan and why is his workout popular?
• Warm-up phase of Joe Rogan's Kettlebell workout:
• Here's Joe Rogan's Complete Kettlebell Workout

Who is Joe Rogan and why is his workout popular?

Joe Rogan is an iconic figure in the world of entertainment and combat sports. Best known as the host of " The Joe Rogan Experience " podcast, he is also a former stand-up comedian, UFC commentator, and martial artist.

His versatility and charisma have attracted a vast global audience. Beyond his communication skills, Joe Rogan is also passionate about fitness and wellness, which sets him apart in a field often dominated by sports science experts.

By sharing his workout routines and wellness tips, he's managed to capture the interest of millions of people eager to improve their fitness. It's worth noting that at the time of writing, Joe Rogan is 57 years old and in incredible physical shape, as well as being a very powerful fighter.

This is why his kettlebell workout has gained a lot of attention in recent months. Everyone is wondering, how does Joe Rogan train?

One of the pillars of his fitness routine is the kettlebell , a versatile training tool that combines strength, endurance, and mobility. Rogan praises kettlebells for their ability to provide a total-body workout, allowing you to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously while improving coordination and flexibility.

Another reason for Joe Rogan's popularity is its accessibility and effectiveness. Unlike other fitness programs that require sophisticated equipment or an expensive gym membership, Joe Rogan's kettlebell workout can be done with minimal equipment and in a small space; all you need is a kettlebell!

Not only is the workout very minimalist, but it's also relatively quick to complete. No need to spend hours at the gym. 30 minutes is all it takes!

Additionally, the visible and rapid results he promises are an added incentive for those looking to transform their bodies. Joe Rogan's popularity in the fitness world lies in his ability to make physical training both exciting and achievable for everyone.

Warm-up phase of Joe Rogan's Kettlebell workout:

Joe Rogan's Kettlebell Workout begins with a fairly simple warm-up that requires bodyweight training. For the warm-up, Joe Rogan suggests doing 2 to 3 rounds of deep squats and push-ups, each with 20 repetitions, depending on your ability.

Deep Squats

The warm-up begins with 2 to 3 sets of 20 deep squats. This is a great exercise that will work your quadriceps!

The Deep Squat is a variation of the traditional squat where you lower your hips below knee level while keeping your back straight and your heels planted on the floor. It's a staple movement in functional training, often used to prepare the body for more complex exercises.

Muscles used by Deep Squats:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Buttocks
• Calves
• Adductors (when the position is wide apart)

This exercise is excellent for improving hip and ankle mobility and activating the posterior chain before a kettlebell workout.

Push-ups

Next, in the warm-up, do 2 to 3 sets of 20 push-ups. This is to warm up your arms, shoulders, pecs, and triceps (we'll need them later!). This is a fundamental movement in many routines, including Joe Rogan's, because it develops strength, stability, and muscular endurance.

Muscles used by push-ups:

• Pectorals (pectoralis major)
• Triceps
• Deltoids (shoulders)
• Core muscles (abdominals, lower back) for stabilization
• Serratus anterior (muscle important for scapular stability)

Push-ups are a great way to prepare your shoulders and arms for the explosive movements and unstable loads of kettlebells, while also strengthening your core.

 

Here's Joe Rogan's Complete Kettlebell Workout

Joe Rogan's Kettlebell Workout begins almost every workout with a simple but incredibly effective routine: a bodyweight warm-up followed by a kettlebell sequence. No fancy machines or complex programs—just functional movements, consistency, and the right amount of intensity.

His method is based on simple principles: strengthening the body as a whole, improving mobility, and developing real, useful strength, one that can be applied on a tatami, in a cage, or simply in everyday life.

For this kettlebell workout , you'll (obviously) need a kettlebell. But a heavy kettlebell so it's challenging, but not too much. The goal isn't to train to failure, but to have a good intensity. It shouldn't be too light either.

“I don't max out. I don't go to failure, I make sure everything is clean and controlled with plenty of rest between sets. The “just one more” mentality taxes your body too much. ― Joe Rogan

In the Kettlebell workout, Joe Rogan uses a 70lb kettlebell. Honestly, I find that a lot, especially if you don't regularly use kettlebells. Go with your strength, mobility, and endurance. Personally, I do it with a 40lb kettlebell. Test it out and go with your strength.

3x10 One-Arm Swings (Each arm)

Joe Rogan's kettlebell workout begins with the One-Arm Swing, an excellent exercise for working hip strength, core strength, and intermuscular coordination. The swing is one of the classic kettlebell exercises that's very easy to do with a kettlebell at home.

Working unilaterally, it strengthens the posterior chains (hamstrings, glutes, back) while engaging the core and shoulder stabilizers. This is an ideal move for Jiu Jitsu, MMA, or kickboxing fighters, as it improves throwing power, rotational stability, and muscular endurance.

In this workout, do 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm

⚠️ Little technical tips for your One-Arm Swings:

• Never pull with your arm: the movement comes from the hips
• Always keep your back straight, avoid leaning forward
• Start with the Two-Arm Swing if you have never done One-Arm Swings

 

3x10 Clean & Press (Each arm)

Next, Joe Rogan's Kettlebell workout continues with Clean & Press . A complete movement that combines two phases: the clean (bringing the kettlebell to the shoulder) and the press (pushing overhead). This is an exceptional exercise for developing functional upper body strength, hip explosiveness, core stability, and intermuscular coordination.

An ideal exercise for fighters, this movement improves the ability to generate vertical power, stabilize a unilateral load, and strengthen shoulder-trunk-hip alignment, crucial for striking, throwing, or defense.

In this workout, do 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm

⚠️ Little technical tips for your Clean & Press:

• Don't let the kettlebell hit the forearm: soften the clean with good elbow timing
• Keep your core engaged during the press phase to avoid arching your lower back.
• Control your breathing: inhale into the rack, exhale on the push

 

3x10 Windmill (Each arm)

Then continue with Windmills, still using a kettlebell. Windmills are a very complete exercise, but equally technical, combining shoulder stability, thoracic and hip mobility, and core strength rotation. It's a slow, controlled movement that deeply engages the stabilizing muscles and improves coordination between the upper and lower body. With this type of exercise, you'll work your core strength and mobility enormously, making it ideal for Jiu Jitsu practitioners.

For fighters, it is particularly useful for strengthening the oblique chain, stabilizing the core in asymmetrical positions, and preventing lower back or shoulder injuries.

In this workout, do 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm

⚠️ Little technical tips for your Windmill:

• Start with a light load to master the technique before adding weight.
• Breathe deeply, keeping your ribcage open as you descend.
• Never sacrifice quality of movement for depth: mobility takes precedence over range.
• Keep your abs engaged to protect your lumbar spine throughout the movement.

3x10 Renegade Rows (Each Arm)

The Last Exercise in Joe Rogan's Kettlebell Workout The Renegade Row with kettlebells is a complete exercise that works on back strengthening, shoulder stability and core strength.

By maintaining a plank position during a unilateral row, this movement places a significant strain on the core, obliques, and postural muscles, while also building traction strength, which is essential in grappling, Jiu Jitsu, or MMA. You'll have to pull the kettlebell while remaining very stable and maintaining your position. This is what makes Renegade Rows challenging and hard-working.

This is a tremendously effective exercise for improving stability in transitions, off-balance body control, and anti-rotational strength.

In Joe Rogan's version of the Kettlebell workout, he also adds a push-up between each Renegade Row to make it even more challenging. Go ahead, do it too!

In this workout, do 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm

⚠️ Some technical tips for your Renegade Rows:

• Quality > Quantity: 6 well-controlled reps are better than 12 with rotating hips.
• Use stable kettlebells with wide bases to prevent them from tipping.
• If needed, start with bodyweight Renegade Rows (without kettlebells) to master stability.
• Gain explosiveness by chaining with a push up between each pull (advanced variation).