My car didn’t look right. The back was sagging, giving it the appearance that it was about to take off. I had so many weights and training devices loaded into the hatch that there was barely room for anything else. Even worse, I constantly had to unload and re-load all the weight plates, weight vest, sleds, etc. every time I went somewhere with more than just me.

In training outdoors for the past two years, I have experimented with and accumulated allot of equipment. The equipment helped add variety to my training, but it was getting to be a bit much.

I wanted to get back to basics. I started to brainstorm on what was the least amount of equipment I could bring with me and still be able to do resistance training in addition to my calisthenic movements.

Drumroll….A kettlebell and resistance bands allow for hundreds of exercises individually and together. They take up minimal space in a car and can effectively replace a long list of equipment.

Here is how I use kettlebells and bands:

Dip Belt Replacement - The kettlebell serves as an anchor for resistance band. I do these for weighted (banded) pull-ups, dips, rows, squat variations and kettle drags.
An improvised sled: well, really a heavy object to drag for metabolic conditioning (metcon) and leg strength. I attach my heaviest band or a rope to a kettlebell and drag while running backwards. I do these on grass; concrete beats them up and does not provide enough resistance.
Resisted squat variations - I put a resistance band around my neck and step on the other end. I do this to add resistance to both regular and single leg squat variations. I also attach a band to a kettlebell for additional resistance on goblet squats.
No bench, no problem - I use kettlebells for floor presses. When I want to up the resistance, I wrap a band around my back and through my hands. I also use bands to add resistance to pushup variations.
Kettlebell too light? Use a band to make it heavier. Swings are a perfect exercise for this. Place the band around both legs and attach to the kettlebell. Now you are swinging with the added resistance of the band.
More metcon. One of my favorite things to use kettlebells for is metcon. There are thousands of flows that challenge the bodies conditioning and work great as finishers. One of my favorites is 10 swings, 5 cleans per arm, 5 cossack squats per leg, repeat 3 times.These will get your heart pumping.

For more great ideas, do a quick Instagram search for #kettlebell or #resistancebands. The possibilities are endless.

When I warm up, I start light to get my form in check and fire up my nervous system for the extra effort that will follow. The last thing I want to do is throw out my back or hit myself in the head with a kettlebell cause I didn't get the movement right.

There is a lot less clanking from weights flying around my car and it no longer looks like it needs suspension work. There is also something liberating about having less options, I guess that is the point of minimalism.

There is nothing stopping you now from getting a killer outdoor workout. Grab a kettlebell and a few bands and get outside!