The kettlebell revolution is a real thing! Yep, all the cool moms in the neighborhood are doing it. The popularity of this exercise regime has increased in the past few years. So forget what all those nay-sayers are saying about kettlebells. Kettlebells are fun and you will definitely enjoy the result.
The good thing about this exercise routine is that anyone can do it, it doesn’t matter if you are a soccer mom trying to get in shape or elite athlete preparing for the next Olympics. Kettlebells can help you achieve your objectives in more ways than you can imagine.
What are Kettlebells anyway?
If you have not used kettlebells before or you don’t know what they are, this article will tell you everything you need to know, so pay close attention and take action once you are done!
Alright, let’s get to it. Kettlebell routines are a type of exercise that originated from Russia in the 1700’s. This exercise is still being used by Russian strongmen known as “gireviks”. Kettlebells can also be called girya. They range in size from 5lbs to well over 100lbs. The average weight of a kettlebell in America is 35lbs while it is 16 kilograms in Russia and referred to as pood. This is considered the best size for men to start with, while women should begin with 18 lbs.
Kettlebells look like cannonballs with handles and are of the most efficient training tools you can see in a gym. You can conveniently do a wide variety of ballistic movements with kettlebells. The most common movements you can do with kettlebells include the snatch, swings, squats, presses, and Turkish get-ups. You can add variations of these movements as well.
Now that you know a little history of what kettlebells are all about, let’s talk why you need to start it today.
6 Reasons to Try Out Kettlebells Today
1. All-in-One Workout Tool
If you are a really busy person (and let’s be honest, most of us are), you don’t have time to spend an hour or more in the gym. Using a kettlebell workout routine is the perfect answer to combine cardio and strength training. Oh – and it will only take you 20 minutes to burn upwards of 400 calories. Kettlebells are designed to be an effective tool for resistance training, muscle toning, cardio conditioning, and fat loss. It allows you squeeze all your exercise objectives into tight timeline. It doesn’t just end there, their small and portable sizes mean you can do the training in the comfort of your bedroom, living room, or anywhere your heart desires.
2. Combat Weight Gain and Increase Fat Loss
One of my pet peeves is fad diets or the “lose fat without doing anything” schemes that we’re constantly bombarded with on a day to day basis. These are generally short term solutions and not good for your body. Most people gain the weight back quickly. If you use kettlebells I’m not promising that you’re going to lose fat instantly, but they have been proven to achieve fat loss more quickly than traditional isolation strength training (think bench press, dumbbell curls, etc). The great thing with this exercise is that you will enjoy the extremely high metabolism that comes with throwing the weight around.
Studies have shown that you can increase your resting metabolism by 7% doing resistant training consistently for 10 weeks! That might sound insignificant to you, but over a long period of time it sure adds up. It is this kind of intensive exercise that helps you burn calories from fat stores all day.
3. Helps to Strengthen Every Muscle in the Body
It’s simply amazing how one exercise regime can help train the whole muscle in the body. Kettlebell training consists of whole-body movement exercises. Unlike using machines, you are not isolating any muscle when you use kettlebells for body training; they strengthen the ligaments and tendons, making your joint tougher and less-susceptible to injury.
4. Helps Improve Posture
Several muscle groups are being used at once when you are doing kettlebell exercises, including your very important core muscles that often get neglected. That’s because kettlebell exercises are “functional” movements, meaning that we benefit from these movements in our every day lives. When done well, kettlebell training will help strengthen the back and core. The result – an improved posture.
5. Strengthens Your Heart
For those of you that don’t like (hate) traditional cardio, consider yourself saved by the kettlebell. Kettlebells can get your heart rate up high enough to be considered cardio according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. On top of that, kettlebells are lower impact on your joints compared to running.
6. Saves Money
Skip the pricey large equipment and/or fancy gym membership. Kettlebell training engages your entire body. They are also versatile in use. This means that you can use JUST kettlebells to achieve most of your objectives instead of wasting money on expensive in-home gym equipment. The best part of this as far as saving money is concerned is that they come at a very affordable price and are nearly indestructible.
Conclusion
There you have it! What are you waiting for? Pick up your kettlebells and start enjoying all the wonderful benefits. If you are still finding it difficult to set up your own in-home gym, getting a kettlebell is a great place to start.
