The Joe Rogan Kettlebell Routine: 21-Minute Focus & Frenzy

Cheer or cringe for the guy, Joe is one disciplined dude. Let’s check out his take on kettlebells, then have a walk through his workout (with an easier variation for beginners).

The Rogan Mindset

Joe’s main take on kettlebells: 

"They're so damn versatile," he once said; "you can get a complete workout with just one piece of equipment."

On his podcast, he's often laughed about how something so basic can be so effective: 

"It's hilarious that after all these technological advances, one of the best workouts is still swinging around what's a cannonball with a handle." 

Joe’s workout is fast and short, direct and efficient, increasing hormone release and metabolic acceleration.

"Go hard, focus completely, then get on with your day."

 No wasted motion, no wasted time.

What You'll Need

Just joking 👆

• One medium-weight kettlebell (Rogan often recommends starting with a 35-pound/16kg kettlebell for men and a 25-pound/12kg for women, but choose what works for your fitness level)
• A timer or stopwatch
• About 6 feet of open floor space

The 21-Minute Joe Rogan Kettlebell Routine

Here is a short graphic for easy reference. Feel free to download and use

Warm-Up (Not counted in the 21 minutes)

Rogan emphasizes that skipping the warm-up is "asking for trouble." Take this seriously—kettlebell work demands ready joints and muscles. 

But this guy's workout is intense, so if you want to do a warmup for the warmup feel free to do it. Try some hip rotations and light stretches. 

20x SQUATs

20x PUSH UPs

Repeat for 2-3 Rounds

The Main Event (21 Minutes of Focus & Frenzy)

This routine works in 5-6 minute blocks with no rest between exercises, only between blocks. Each block follows this pattern:

Block 1: Foundation (Minutes 1-5)

3 ROUNDS x 1OX SWING

…For each arm

The swing—the cornerstone of this workout—forces your posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, back) to fire explosively while your core stabilizes. This creates a "cardio-strength hybrid effect" where you build muscle and burn fat at the same time.

Block 2: Power (Minutes 5-10)

3 ROUNDS x 10x CLEAN & PRESS

… For each arm

The kettlebell clean and press primarily targets the shoulders, trapezius, triceps, and core while also engaging the legs, back, and hip flexors throughout the explosive movement. So kinda full body.

Block 3: Pusher (Minutes 10-15)

3 ROUNDS x 10x WINDMILL

…For each arm

The windmill exercise engages your oblique muscles while working your shoulders, hamstrings, and core as you hold a kettlebell overhead and hinge to the side.

Block 4: Finisher (Minutes 15-21)

3 ROUNDS x 10x PUSH UP to RENEGADE ROW

…For each arm

The push-up to renegade row with kettlebells primarily works the chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids during the push-up phase, while engaging the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, biceps, and core muscles (particularly the obliques and transverse abdominis) during the row phase. This is a hell of an exercise.

Ok… so that’s a lot

Why 21 Min Sessions Works

Joe’s routine lacks rest, which by elevating your heart rate, enables EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), burning calories after the workout. The strategy is inspired by combat sports, where brief explosive efforts are followed by incomplete recovery.

"Like getting hit by a truck, but in a good way."

Bonus Benefits

Joe mentions the multiple kettlebell benefits, from core strength to increased heart health, posture, mobility, and flexibility. 

So kettlebells are both a strength, cardio, posture correcting, and grip improving machine. All in one. Moreover, the added intensity improves your discipline and focus. So no wonder Joe loves them. I would also add that kettlebells can be even more versatile, helping you train more advanced parallettes exercises.

Rogan loves pointing out that kettlebells help people “move better in real life”.

More Kettlebell Technique Tips From Joe's Podcast

Apart from avoiding common mistakes like rounding your back, inconsistent pacing, or forgetting to breathe here is more advice from Joe.

1. "If you feel it in your lower back instead of your hamstrings and glutes during swings, you're doing it wrong." Focus on the hip hinge.
2. "I'd rather you do this routine three times a week forever than do some complicated two-hour workout that you'll quit after two weeks."
3. "Breathing patterns matter. Exhale on exertion, inhale on the easier portions of each movement."
4. "Don't rush to heavier bells. Master form first, then add weight."
5. "This workout hits everything. Give yourself at least a day between sessions. More isn't always better."
6. "These nine minutes should scare you a little. If you're not slightly intimidated before you start, you're not going to push hard enough."
7. "I'd rather do fewer reps correctly than risk injury trying to show off." This mindset has allowed him to maintain his training regimen well into his fifties while avoiding the chronic injuries that plague many lifelong athletes.

Scaling Options

I would like to give another easier routine, but you can easily scale this routine, so there is no need to overcomplicate things. With minor adjustments even a beginner can do this routine, so you must do what works for you. Here are 4 ways to scale for beginner or advanced athletes.

For Beginners: ( 9 min version)

• Use a lighter kettlebell
• Take 60-second rests between all exercises
• Do only 2 rounds instead of 3
• Skip the snatches until the swing technique is solid

For Advanced Athletes:

• Use a heavier kettlebell
• Add an extra round, increasing it to 4 rounds (35-minute routine)
• Reduce rest periods to 30 seconds
• Substitute double kettlebell movements if available

Conclusion: The 21-Minute Investment

As Joe’s put it: "Anyone can go through the motions for an hour. Not everyone can bring everything they've got for 21 minutes." ,  "The transformation happens during those moments when you want to quit but don't.".

This routine is intense, but it might be what you need. Try it 3x a week for a month to see the results.