The kettlebell has become one of the most versatile and sought after pieces of fitness equipment on the market.
And rightfully so, when used properly it can be an extremely effective tool for improving everything from athletic performance to fat loss or gaining muscle.
Below are five of the most popular and effective exercises you can do with a kettlebell:
1. FARMER CARRY
Performing a farmer carry has many benefits. It can help improve posture, strengthens grip, develops core stabilization and much more. This is a very functional exercise that will be a great addition to your workout routine. Watch this video on how to do it.
2. KETTLEBELL SWING
The kettlebell swing is arguably the most popular kettlebell exercise, but also one of the most complex. The kettlebell swing is a great way to increase heart rate and burn calories. It's been used often as an exercise to improve cardiovascular health and shed those unwanted pounds. If done properly, you can even help strengthen your back and reduce back pain.
3. SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT
A tricky exercise that will help to balance out the left and right side of your body. Excellent for working on your core muscles that connect your opposite shoulder to opposite hip. This is a great exercise to work on your glutes and hamstrings while challenging your stability,
4. TURKISH GET UP
One of the most important kettle bell exercises. Challenge your core and mobility as you stand up and lie back down again, all while holding the kettlebell. This exercise truly challenges your whole body. In addition, practicing this motion and performing it with weight will help you keep this mobility for years to come.
5. GOBLET SQUAT
The goblet squat is a brilliant kettlebell exercise that should not be avoided. While it is a simple exercise that can be performed with other types of equipment, it works particularly well with a kettlebell. It engages and helps tone the muscles of the core, back, forearms, and to an extent, the shoulders and upper back.
What makes kettlebells unique?
Because of their design, kettlebells enable many familiar movements from pushes like the shoulder press, to more functional exercises like a farmer carry. While it is true that these exercises can be performed with other types of free weight, the kettlebell is by far the most comfortable to use for these certain exercises due to its shape and handle.
Applications for kettlebells
For fat burning
When combined with proper nutrition, training with kettlebells seems to offer the benefits of intense interval training on bikes but with the strength development of weights.
For athletes
Kettlebells are great for strength and conditioning and can be used for a variety of sport specific training.
For mobility
Many functional exercises can be performed with a kettlebell, which can help improve overall mobility and flexibility.
For general training
No matter what your goals are in your fitness routine kettlebells are a great addition to use for strength and conditioning
Weight
Many customers ask what is the right weight for them to start with and unfortunately there is no easy answer to this. The best way to choose will always be to come in and test the kettlebells with different weights and exercises, but more often than not you'll want more than one weight. As you continue to workout you will get stronger and need higher weights. If space and budget allow, I always recommend having four kettlebells to start. For example, you could get 20, 25, 30 and 35lb kettlebells which will provide you with a good range of weights to start with. Another consideration is if you have some dumbbells or plates at home already, test what this weight is like. You may not be able to do the exact exercise, but it will give you a good idea of what weight you can handle.
Quality
Quality of different kettlebells will vary. Similar to most free weight, it's unlikely that something like this will break completely, but you may experience chips in the material and this sort of thing. The finish on the kettlebell will be one of the main differences in quality. Some kettlebells will have a powder finish, which helps with grip. Some kettlebells will have a cover on the ball part, like neoprene or vinyl which makes them very nice to carry and quiet on the ground.
Handle
The style of handle and the grip on the kettlebell is one of the biggest differences between types of kettlebells and the varying quality in kettlebells. We discussed the finish a bit already and the type of finish will make a difference in how good the grip is on the handle. In addition, while most kettlebell handles are similar in size, they will vary a bit. The handle on some kettlebells stay straight longer allowing for two hands to comfortably hold, whereas other handles may curve sooner, making the area to hold smaller.
Competition Kettlebells
Competition kettlebells are a special type of kettlebell that are the exact same physical size no matter what weight the kettlebell is. This is particularly important for those training for competitions, so it's the same height off the ground no matter what weight you're using. This also ensures the handle is the same size. It's a similar concept to bumper plates where the diameter of the plate will be the same no matter the weight.
If you would like to purchase a kettlebell, or any other type of free weights, visit fitnessexperience.ca to see what we have available and as always, do not hesitate to contact our knowledgeable staff.
