Kettlebell Training

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The fact that a kettlebell can be swung through two planes of motion during one repetition develops applicability to real life challenges and activities. The highly dynamic and ballistic nature of many of the exercises exclusive to kettlebell lifting makes power development highly accessible and safe for normal, everyday people.

Many of the most effective kettlebell programs involve at least two exercises being carried out within the same set. A great deal of work can be achieved in a very short period of time with kettlebell complexes and visible results come very quickly for consistent swingers. Here are two examples of killer kettlebell complexes:

I wrote an entire blog about why training with offset loads helps you reach almost all goals faster than training with an even balanced load. Of course, you can offset a barbell by adding more plates on one end or you can use an offset pair of dumbbells. But offset work is much more fluid and accessible with kettlebells.

When kettlebell exercises are put together to form complexes and chains, a great deal of full body work in many movement patterns can be performed. The speed at which people notice changes in their body leads to something known as the what-the-hell effect.

The bad point of group kettlebell classes is that they must remain super simple with a minimal exercise library. This is especially important if the goal is building a bigger class and ultimately being able to bring on another instructor.

Swinging a kettlebell overhead makes gravity do the role of the lats and cheats them out of a job during the backswing. The kettlebell swing is a hip-hinge exercise that the shoulders play no part in. When people use their shoulders to swing overhead, it takes away from their ability to produce force with their hip hinge. You can swing almost double the load when swinging to hip/chest height versus swinging overhead creating a better training response for the hip hinge.

On the other hand, kettlebell programs might primarily focus on conditioning while building strength, with an emphasis on moves like swings and snatches. Kettlebells are an extremely versatile piece of equipment that can help with almost any fitness goal.

Kettlebells might not be the first implement you think of when you think about building strength. But still, kettlebells can get you very strong. Due to the construction of the weight (the bulk of the resistance is underneath the handle), traditional lifts performed with kettlebells can increase muscle recruitment by making your stabilizer muscles work overtime.

Kettlebell circuits can target any area of your body for hypertrophy. You can use these circuits to up the intensity of your regularly-scheduled workouts, since kettlebells are great for moving between different exercises quickly. That intensity boost can give your muscles the extra stimulus they need to spark new growth.

If you want to put a bigger emphasis on kettlebells in your program, proceed the same way you would when designing any workout routine. Assess your goals first and foremost. Are you trying to get strong? Build muscle? Change your body composition?

The American kettlebell swing is the standard for functional fitness competitions. While there are variations, the standard swing involves using the hips to drive the weight from behind the body up over the head in one smooth maneuver.

With similar benefits to overhead pressing, this kettlebell variation undoubtedly will deliver all the same benefits unilateral training has to offer, while allowing you to build out your arsenal of kettlebell exercises.

To balance out the squatting and hinging in this lineup, the kettlebell lunge (with the weight held in the front-rack, goblet, or overhead positions) is a fundamental unilateral exercise for the lower body.

Loaded carries are a great way to teach core stability and total body awareness. Whether you use one kettlebell or two, you can vary the carries to diversify your total body strength and awareness, which can impact your overall athleticism and injury resilience.

With so many promising exercise modalities out there, it can be tempting to turn to something new. Novelty is a potent persuader, but before you run to the kettlebell rack, take stock of how your exercise routine is already going.

The short answer: yes. The long answer: absolutely. Every lifter needs to be honest with themselves about their form. If it\u2019s not there, they need to scale back and maybe work a few modifications or variations until their form is better. But that doesn\u2019t mean beginners can\u2019t work with kettlebells at all.\nNot ready for kettlebell swings? Start with kettlebell deadlifts and progress from there. Are kettlebell snatches too intense? Practice your swings and kettlebell high pulls first.\nYou don\u2019t need to be able to perform 50 or even 25 kettlebell swings per set to start. Meet yourself where you\u2019re at and build from there. Kettlebells will be your best friend in no time.\n"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I hold a kettlebell?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The proper way to hold a kettlebell depends on what lift you\u2019re doing. But in general, there are a few key things to know. If you\u2019re holding the bell for a lift that stays in the center of your body (swings or deadlifts, for example), you\u2019ll want to grasp the handle in the center.\nIn these cases, keep an overhand grip. But when you\u2019re doing more creative kettlebell moves like the snatch, clean, or Turkish get-up, you\u2019ll want to use an offset grip. Instead of grasping the center of the handle, shift your hand so that the web between your thumb and index finger is hugging the curve of the handle.\nThis grip will give the body of the bell somewhere relatively comfortable to rest, instead of tugging backward on your wrist throughout the lift. \u201cMotorcycle\u201d your hand forward when holding the bell like this so that your wrist stays neutral and doesn\u2019t get yanked backward.\n"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I know how heavy my kettlebell should be?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"When in doubt, start light. It\u2019s pretty much always better to learn a movement pattern with light weight than it is with heavy weight. From there, it\u2019s a bit of trial and error, moving up only when the weight feels very smooth and easy.\nThe exceptions are some of the explosive movements, like the clean and swings. If the bell is flopping around with the movement, select a slightly heavier weight until the resistance is enough to help you perform the exercise better.\nFor upper body lifts, start a little bit lighter. So if you\u2019re looking to overhead press with a kettlebell, go a few pounds lighter than what you do with dumbbells to start off. With lower body moves, follow the same procedure \u2014 though you\u2019ll probably be able to progress much faster.\n"}}]}Featured Image: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock

Need some short kettlebell workout inspiration? Check out this 20-minute full-body kettlebell workout or this 10-minute total-body kettlebell routine. (Have a little more time, though? This 30-minute kettlebell workout is a great option.)

Adding weight to a sit-up adds an extra challenge for your core, and the press at the top works your shoulders and arms too. For these sit-ups, Sims says you can either keep your knees bent or put them in butterfly position, depending on what feels comfortable for your hips. (Here are some other kettlebell exercises that can give you a great core workout).

The American Council on Exercise commissioned a study to find out just how effective kettlebell training is. After eight weeks of kettlebell exercises, researchers saw significant improvement in endurance, balance, and core strength. The greatest improvement was in the core where strength increased a whopping 70 percent.

If you're interested in getting started with kettlebell training, it's best to take a class or get some guidance from an experienced instructor to get detailed breakdowns of the exercises. Many of the swinging movements may be unfamiliar and a professional can help with your form and in choosing your weights.

Kettlebells are a popular implement in many strength and conditioning programs, and their benefits are touted in popular literature, books, and videos. However, clinical data on their efficacy are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine whether kettlebell training transfers strength and power to weightlifting and powerlifting exercises and improves muscular endurance. Thirty-seven subjects were assigned to an experimental (EXP, n = 23; mean age = 40.9 ± 12.9 years) or a control group (CON; n = 14; mean age = 39.6 ± 15.8 years), range 18-72 years. The participants were required to perform assessments including a barbell clean and jerk, barbell bench press, maximal vertical jump, and 45° back extensions to volitional fatigue before and after a 10-week kettlebell training program. Training was structured in a group setting for 2 d·wk(-1) for 10 weeks. A repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to determine group × time interactions and main effects. Post hoc pairwise comparisons were conducted when appropriate. Bench press revealed a time × group interaction and a main effect (p < 0.05). Clean and jerk and back extension demonstrated a trend toward a time × group interaction, but it did not reach significance (p = 0.053). However, clean and jerk did reveal a main effect for time (p < 0.05). No significant findings were reported for maximal vertical jump. The results demonstrate a transfer of power and strength in response to 10 weeks of training with kettlebells. Traditional training methods may not be convenient or accessible for strength and conditioning specialists, athletes, coaches, and recreational exercisers. The current data suggest that kettlebells may be an effective alternative tool to improve performance in weightlifting and powerlifting. 781b155fdc