Kettlebells have grown in popularity over the last decade or two. They are used by athletes, bodybuilders, trainers, classes, martial artists, crossfitters and the sport of Girevoy. Kettlebells have been around for centuries, though. They were made popular in the West more recently by Pavel Tsatsouline and Steve Cotter (both martial artists). Here are five reasons why you should consider grabbing a kettlebell and giving it a swing!
Full Body Engagement
The basic move that provides the foundation for many other kettlebell exercises is “The Swing“. To swing a kettlebell, you need to fire your hips forward to provide the drive to move the bell. Your entire lower body will be working hard to produce power. Moving upwards, your spinal stabilizers will be working like crazy to maintain a neutral spine throughout the move. Your shoulders and back will again be working hard to fight the centrifugal force wanting to pull the kettlebell away from you. There are dozens of swing variations to challenge you. Check out the video below to see the basic swing and few simple variations.
Time Effective
If you are in need of fully rounded, hits all the spots, taking care of business kind of workout but don’t have the time for an hour and a half long gym session, a kettlebell circuit could be your thing! You can get a complete, full-body workout with the fat-burning effectiveness of a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout and build power for any athletic endeavor.
Focus On Power Development
As mentioned before, most kettlebell moves use the swing as the basis. A kettlebell swing needs a powerful and quick hip extension. This hip extension is a big part of what is called “triple extension”. Triple extension is the extension of the hip, knee then ankle, in that order. This firing of the hip, knee and ankle is the power behind countless athletic movements, like: jumping, sprinting, throwing, hitting or swinging. Kettlebell training is great to include in your workouts to increase athletic performance.
Very Little Space Needed
Kettlebell training doesn’t take much time; it also doesn’t require much space. As long as you have enough space to move your arms in front, below, above and to the side of you, you probably have enough space to train with a kettlebell. I have taken one with me on road trips before to use in my hotel room. I wouldn’t recommend putting one in your airplane luggage though! For safety, make sure that no furniture or any other potential obstacles could get in your way. Watch out for lighting overhead too!
Fun
Kettlebell training is just plain fun. I love the fast-paced nature of kettlebell training. It’s a sprint rather than a marathon. You go all out for a short blast and then you rest.
For a fast-paced, time-efficient, and complete workout, try adding kettlebell training to your routine. Ask a trainer or check out the above video to get started.
No other exercise routine out there can tone muscles or raise a heart rate quicker than a kettlebell workout. Kettlebell routines not only help to improve strength and stabilization, they also improve overall core integration.
I don’t golf but I think I need to get a kettlebell and start doing some of these motions at home. Thanks for the tips!
I used Kettlebells 2 years ago. I can bring it anywhere I want