4 Reasons to Add Kettlebells to your Workouts
You’ve probably seen those strange bowling ball like iron weights in the corner of your gym. You may have even wondered why anyone would use them when dumbbells are so much more user-friendly. Well, it turns out there are some distinct benefits to adding kettlebells to your workouts.
Here are 4 reasons why you should give them a try.
Uneven Center of Gravity
Kettlebells resemble cannonballs or bowling balls (minus the finger holes) and have a handle that looks like one you’d see on a suitcase. This design gives the weight an uneven center of gravity. This is very different from a dumbbell, requiring you to recruit more muscles for stabilisation. Because you have to control the changing center of gravity, you are constantly engaging your core stabilisation muscles.
Low Impact Cardio
Most cardio exercises are open chain, requiring you to lift your foot off the ground and bring it back down multiple times every minute. That is bad news for your joints. Kettlebell training, however, is a closed chain, keeping your feet firmly planted on the floor at all times. That makes it a jointly friendly form of exercise.
Many of the movements done with kettlebells are ballistic in nature. They are also done with sub-maximal weights. That combination makes them ideal cardio moves. Kettlebell swings are an example of a low-impact exercise that will challenge your cardiovascular system and burn a ton of calories without stressing your joints.
Full Body Exercise
Kettlebells do a better job than dumbbells of providing a functional workout for the whole body. Kettlebell swings and Turkish Get-Ups are examples of exercises that work both the upper and lower body, while also relying on balance, coordination, and agility. Remember, every move is also recruiting your core stabiliser muscles.
Mobility and Coordination
Kettlebell training will improve your coordination, agility, and mobility. Every exercise you do with a kettlebell will challenge your ability to balance the weight and your body. Compound kettlebell exercises such as the snatch or power clean require more kinesthetic awareness than if you were to do the same exercise with a barbell.
Sample Kettlebell Workout
Now that we appreciate the benefits of adding kettlebells to your workout, let’s take a look at a beginner’s kettlebell workout to get you started.
Kettlebell Swings
Reps: 3 x 15
30 seconds rest between sets
Kettlebell Squats
Reps: 3 x 15
30 seconds rest between sets
Turkish Get Up
Reps: 3 x 10
30 seconds rest between sets
Kettlebell Deadlift
Reps: 3 x 12
30 seconds rest between sets
Renegade Row
Reps: 3 x 12
30 seconds rest between sets
Training Tips
Kettlebell training will add a new, challenging element to your workouts. Here are some tips to help you ease into your kettlebell workouts …
Get plenty of rest between workouts - kettlebell workouts are exhausting, so make sure that you are fully rested between workouts. You probably don’t want to throw kettlebell exercises in at the end of your regular workout, as you need high energy to do justice to them.
Give yourself plenty of space - you will need at least a 5 x 5-foot area.
Wear clothes that allow you to move freely. The top you wear should allow you to breathe freely but should not be so loose that the kettlebell will get caught up in it. Baggy shorts or pants will prevent you from properly sitting back into your hips on key kettlebell exercises.
Choose a weight that is not too heavy. Most exercises require multiple reps over time, so do not think about kettlebell weights the same way you think about dumbbells - the weight should feel pretty light for the first 15-20 seconds.
Summary
Whether you're a beginner looking to get started with kettlebells or an advanced iron pumper in need of some workout variety, kettlebells will challenge your body to renewed results. So, don’t you think it’s time you became a kettlebell swinger?
