Happy Friday! As promised, today’s post is all about the new kettlebell routine I’ll be starting on Monday. After finally picking one up in Home Bargains (an absolute steal at £12.99), I spent some time yesterday putting together a solid, no-fuss daily workout that’ll hit all the right muscles without eating up my whole day.

I’ve been seeing kettlebells all over TikTok lately—everyone from fitness influencers to middle-aged dads in cargo shorts swinging them about like they’re Thor’s hammer. Naturally, I had to give it a go. But instead of just winging it, I’ve come up with a 5-day plan that combines strength and cardio (or if you want to get technical, “metabolic resistance training”).

Here’s the full routine I’ll be doing Monday to Friday:

Daily Kettlebell Workout
(3 Rounds Total)

Kettlebell Deadlifts – 5 reps.
Works: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back.

Goblet Squats – 5 reps.
Works: Quads, glutes, core, lower back.

Kettlebell Swings – 15 reps.
Works: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, core, shoulders.

Bent-Over Rows (each side) – 5 reps.
Works: Upper back, lats, biceps, core.
​
Close-Grip Kettlebell Floor Press – 5 reps.
Works: Triceps, chest, shoulders.

Each exercise is short and sharp—just five reps per movement (excluding the kettlebell swings) means I’m not burning out in round one, but still working hard. Three rounds total, Monday to Friday. It’s the perfect blend of sweaty and satisfying.

I’m planning to relax over the weekend, recharge a bit after the heat and the week, and then start this routine fresh on Monday. I’ll be posting updates as I go, and probably moaning a little if the DOMS kicks in hard—because let’s be honest, it always does when you try something new.

So that’s the plan. Strong glutes, good vibes, and a kettlebell I’m hoping doesn’t end up as a doorstop by next Friday.

Thursday, which can only mean one thing: shopping day.

My first stop of the day was Home Bargains. It was pretty uneventful, to be honest. I picked up the usual snacks and drinks for my daughter, but I also noticed they were selling kettlebells for £12.99. I’ve been seeing kettlebell workouts all over TikTok lately and had been considering trying them out, so for that price, I thought, why not?

​Of course, a small disaster struck at the checkout. My card wouldn’t work via contactless, which happens now and then, but when I tried inserting it, the machine said “no chip present.” I genuinely have the worst luck with bank cards. I’m lucky if one lasts more than two months — they just randomly stop working with no sign of damage. Thankfully, my mom was with me and used her card to pay, and I transferred her the money straight after. My Home Bargains total came to just over £50 this week.

In Sainsbury’s, I had every intention of cutting back on meat this week since I still have plenty of fish in the freezer. However, with summer in full swing, there were quite a few BBQ deals on, and I couldn’t resist. Alongside my usual steaks and beef mince, I picked up some salt and chilli pork belly slices and a pack of chilli kebabs on skewers. On top of that, I bought my usual items — butter, milk, cheese, fridge snacks for my daughter, a few cupboard staples, and my fruit and vegetables for the week. Surprisingly, it only came to about £40, which again my mom paid for, and I transferred her the money afterwards.

This week was also medication week. I pick mine up fortnightly. When I arrived at the pharmacy, I was told my medication wasn’t available and that I needed to ring the doctor’s surgery. Once I got home, I gave them a call. The receptionist didn’t explain why it hadn’t been signed off, only that the doctor would do it today and it would be ready for collection tomorrow. Thankfully, I have one tablet left for tonight, so that works out fine.

Once I got back, I unpacked the shopping — something I weirdly enjoy — and cleared out any leftovers from the fridge. There wasn’t much left over from last week. After that, I sat down in front of the fan I bought last week, which turned out to be a wise purchase because this week has been HOT.

After a short rest and a Pepperami, I was planning to do my usual Thursday workout, which would have been shoulders and arms. However, I decided to take the afternoon to work out a kettlebell routine instead. If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you’ll know I like to keep my workouts fresh. I find it much more motivating to swap routines every few weeks or months. I’ve put together a five-day kettlebell routine that I’ll do Monday to Friday, with the weekends left for rest. It includes five kettlebell exercises for five reps, three sets each. It’s a nice blend of strength training and cardio — or “metabolic resistance training” if you want to be a nerd — and I think five days a week will be very manageable. I’ll be doing a separate post all about that, probably tomorrow.

Once I’d done some housework and got a load of washing on, I was ready for my evening meal. Tonight I had the beef chilli kebabs I bought earlier. They come in a pack of six and are probably meant to serve two people, but I had all six myself with a side of cheesy coleslaw. The kebabs pack an impressive 56g of protein, so I was very happy with that.

That pretty much sums up my Thursday.