The kettlebell revolutionizes the way people train through its simplistic design. While the kettlebell was originally intended for weighing crops, it’s been a staple of those looking to improve strength for decades, perhaps even centuries. Best of all, you don’t have to set foot in a gym to get your hands on a set. They’re cost-effective and easy to store, making them an ideal addition to your home workout regime.
Benefits of a Kettlebell Workout
Kettlebells are a simple addition to your workout regime, and they have a range of health benefits. Here are just a few reasons to incorporate kettlebell training into your fitness routine.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Kettlebell workouts involve a swinging action, and through that swinging action, you can experience more motion than you would ordinarily with regular weights. This motion triggers a cardiovascular response much like running on the treadmill or doing some high-intensity interval training sets.
Targets Core Muscles
Many kettlebell training sets include ballistic training, which focuses on increased acceleration and decreased deceleration. To perform these sets effectively, you have to engage your core muscles. The result is better core stability and strength, which is the basis of a good training regime across various sports disciplines.
Improves Your Range of Motion
Movement plays an important part in kettlebell sets. When you move the weight in the specified arcs, your body has to engage various muscles to complete the movements. This improves strength and balance, which are important for range of motion. This isn’t always easy to do with dumbbells or other weights, purely because of the way you hold the bell and how the weight of the bell is distributed.
Full Body Workout
Kettlebell exercises include several muscle groups in the upper and lower body. Some exercises work these muscles at the same time, especially when it’s combined with continuous motion. These exercises are also relatively low-impact as the movements are smooth and sweeping, with little to no impact forces, such as jumping or catching.
How to Include Kettlebell Workouts in Your Routine
Kettlebell shouldn’t be viewed as a replacement for barbell training, especially if the goal is strength building. Instead, kettlebell is a great supplemental exercise aimed at mobility and conditioning. Some ways to include kettlebell training in your workouts include:
- Alternate: Choose a kettlebell workout for each muscle group, and do one session on, one session off as you alternate between kettlebells and barbells and plate. For instance, one leg training session can include machine squats and the next session kettlebells instead.
- Pre-workout: While kettlebells are a workout on their own, you can also use them as a way to warm up muscles before a set, thanks to the low-impact, swooping movements.
- Mobility: You might have the strength, but when mobility is lacking, your training sessions may feel tight and strained. Kettlebell routines open the range of motion, which improves mobility.
