Kettlebells ? The Best New Workout?

 

When it comes to doing strength training, most of us have the same vision: a massive gym filled with roaring, grunting men, racks of rusting free weights and barbells. None of it sounds very appealing, which is why most of us aren’t racing to the gym for that reason. However, a new kind of workout is starting to make the rounds, which involves kettlebells instead of freeweights. What exactly is this workout, what are its benefits, and can this different and unique style of strength training be for you? In today’s article we examine the potential benefits of a kettlebell workout, and see if might be the perfect solution to your gym woes.

The kettlebell looks like a traditional kettle, a round body with a loop attached to the top. Originally designed by the Russians, it improves strength training by engaging the whole body instead of isometrically training just the arms.

To workout with kettle bells, you bend your legs and often swing the bell up into the sky, using your whole body to do so. This results in not only fat burning but also an excellent core workout. Here are a few sample exercises to give you an idea as to what you might be in for.

The first is the one arm swing. Grab your kettle bell with one hand, and then stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Lower down into a half squat and then straighten your legs and back, raising the kettlebell to waist height before crouching and lowering it again. This should be a natural swinging move that you build up a rhythm, burning your butt, legs, lower back, shoulder and forearms as you go.

Another great exercise are the Figure Eights. To perform this, you’re going to get into a squat, legs nice and wide apart and bent at the knees. Hold the kettlebell in your right hand, and then pass it over your right knee and behind the left, where you hand it over to your left hand. Bring the kettlebell around the front of your left knee, cross it and then behind the right. You should start tracing a figure 8 about your legs, attempting to do so for at least fifteen reps before standing up. This should work out your butt, your hamstrings, your quads, lower back, and shoulders.

These are just two sample exercises that are made possible by the kettlebell’s unique shape. Check them out for more!