You are probably a very busy person.
Responsibilities at work and at home may leave you with no time for yourself. All the responsibilities are sure to interfere with your time at the gym, the place you used to go to work out a long time ago. Long training sessions are a thing of the past because after you learn how to properly use and train with a kettlebell you’ll be kicking yourself for not trying it earlier. And the great thing about kettlebell training is that it has now become so popular that there are lots of great resources on the subject…
Enter The Kettlebell
Kettlebell workouts were designed specifically for strength, flexibility, and endurance, commonly used by strongmen, weightlifters, and wrestlers. Leaders in these categories always used and developed their strength through the use of kettlebells. Now it’s used by just about anyone and everyone who wants to get in shape, improve strength and cardiovascular endurance and even lose weight.
So, what is this piece of equipment and why does it have such a positive impact? Basically, it resembles a cannonball with the handle.
The Benefits
According to Sig Klein (an old time Strongman and physical culturist), it is one of the most useful weight training apparatuses known to man. Its design enables virtually limitless exercise selection. You would have to look far and wide to find any other type of exercise equipment that is more versatile.
The Kettlebell is also quite the unique piece of training equipment. It can be used in so many types of exercises, helping you to develop:
- A solid body
- Great flexibility
- Speedy recovery
- Augmented grip strength
- Balanced musculature, to help eliminate weakness
- Increased power
- Excellent conditioning
- Muscle mass
In addition to all their benefits, they are also portable, allowing you to take your workout with you anywhere.
In fact, they can be stored in the trunk of your car to allow you to work out no matter where you may be, in the park, the parking lot of your workplace, or in your own yard or your garage.
The Kettlebell Workout
There’s so much to say about kettlebell exercises and workouts that there’s no way this article can do it justice. But I’ll at the very least attempt to get you on your way to a better body by teaching you the two most basic kettlebell exercises.
The basic and most complete exercise using this apparatus is known as the Kettlebell swing. You can pretty much base an entire Kettlebell workout around the swing. It is simple but requires perfect execution in order to reap the rewards. In itself, this exercise can be an entire workout.
1. Grab hold of the Kettlebell with one or both hands, preferably with both hands for first-time users.
2. Stand with feet apart, surpassing the width of your shoulders.
3. Swing the Kettlebell up to shoulder height, ensuring the arms remain straight.
4. Ensure a smooth and seamless motion throughout.
Next up is the Kettlebell clean and press. This kettlebell exercise is for slightly more advanced users, still providing the same benefits as the swing, meaning to each muscle in the back and the legs. However, the press will also help to work out the shoulders, and so should be added to your exercise routine.
1. Begin by grabbing hold of the bell’ with one hand.
2. Stand with feet apart and knees bent.
3. Thrust the bell’ quickly to the shoulder. In the meantime, extend your legs.
4. Holding this position, then the knees once again.
5. Next, push the Kettlebell all the way up. In the meantime, extend the legs and a lock out your arm at the end of this motion.