Why is kettlebell training great for your exercise routine?
Welcome to Hone Gym’s blog.
In this post we will be discussing the benefits of kettlebells and how they differ from dumbbells.
People have been using kettlebells for an extremely long time; some say dating back to when the Celts made them from stone. Whatever the case may be, kettlebells have made an amazing come back in fitness programmes across the globe.
For those who don’t know what a kettlebell looks like, it is generally a cast iron or steel weight that resembles a cannonball with a handle; the modern day kettlebell originated in Russia. Kettlebell training offers a different kind of training using dynamic moves and exercises targeting almost every aspect of fitness, such as cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.
Unlike traditional dumbbells, the kettlebell’s weight is distributed to one end rather than being even. So the centre of gravity lies outside and beyond your hand, differing from dumbbells where the centre of gravity lies in your hand for easier control. This makes kettlebells ideal for ballistic and swinging movements. The unique shape of the kettlebell provides the “unstable force” when handling – key for the effectiveness of the kettlebell exercises.
Kettlebell training is arguably one of the most effective and efficient forms of strength training as it is based upon whole-body, real life movements which is generally labelled as functional training. It can help increase bone density and keep your body strong for everyday tasks. You will notice an improvement in your posture strength and alignment, increased power, endurance, flexibility and it can also help prevent injuries.
Most kettlebell workouts are performed by the simplest of exercises and are generally straight forward thus making kettlebell training very time efficient and easy to follow, while still delivering fantastic results! Great for any exercise routine.
We are passionate about using certain compound exercises in our workouts – especially when it comes to kettlebells, as the results are phenomenal! So there are two major kettlebell exercises that I would like to talk about.
The first being the kettlbell swing.
The Kettlebell swing will pretty much give you an entire body workout in just one exercise – working nearly your entire lower body, core, shoulders and more. Performing the kettlebell swing will also increase your heart rate as well improve your strength, making it a great all round exercise to perform in a short amount of time. You can choose to do the exercise with one hand (alternating) or both hands together.
There are two types of the kettlebell swing. One is the kettlebell “hip-snap” swing and the other is the kettlebell “squat” swing.
The second exercise I would like to touch on is the clean and press.
The Kettlebell clean and press is an exercise which combines upper and lower body strength and power. This means it is a complete workout and it targets a majority of the muscles in your body- especially your lower body, core, shoulders and triceps, thus making it one of the best kettlebell exercises to perform.
You can perform a kettlebell routine in a gym that supplies kettlebells, in a group class or at home if you own a set of kettlebells.
If you do own a set of kettlebells or have access to some then why not do a kettlebell workout today, online.
Why not perform this short complex kettlebell workout?
I first started with a kettlebell workout routine when I was smaller. From then onwards I am in love with them. A few benefits:
– They offer better grip then dumbbells
– They are great for shoulder and lats workout
– You can use them as an alternative to dumbbells and barbells both at the same time.
great article! keep up the good work.
Is it possible to use kettlebells instead of dumbbells? I’m looking forward to reading more about this fitness routine post because it has a great explanation.