Kettlebells may seem like a torture device only accessible to those in an elite fitness category, but they offer a ton of potential for clients of all levels. Training with kettlebells can be a game changer for your strength, power, and athleticism. Simply put, if you know what you’re doing with them they are a great tool to have in your toolbox.
Not to mention they’re great for breaking up the same old monotonous exercises you may have been doing for years. You have been seeing them lying around the gym for long enough, now is a great time to find out what the big deal is.
Check out these 5 reasons why you should incorporate kettlebells into your training:
#1 – Short Workouts Are Effective
If you’re doing a workout designed primarily around kettlebells, chances are it’s going to be tough. Well designed kettlebell workouts flow together well and use a lot of muscle mass all at once. This means that work intervals can end up being long and demand a lot from the lower body, upper, and core. The easy transitions that kettlebell workouts allow for also mean getting a lot done without much downtime. Pair this together with the unique weight distribution that demands even more stabilizers to fire-up and it translates into more calorie burn to go along with the well documented athletic performance benefits.
#2 – You’ll Master New Skills
How long did it take you to master the bicep curl? Probably not very long, right? Kettlebells are a whole different ball game and that’s exciting for a lot of people. It doesn’t mean bicep curls suck, but the skill element can elevate the excitement and output of those that take to this style of training. Some kettlebell movements like the Turkish getup or the snatch are technical and as you get better at them, you can handle a lot more weight. It’s not for everyone, but this creates levels and an intrinsic desire to improve on daily skills, which oftentimes can be a lot easier to control than relying solely on the motivation from your (client’s) end goal.
#3 – They Focus On The Posterior Chain
Many kettlebell exercises rely upon the timing and activation from your backside muscles; specifically the glutes, hamstrings, and low back musculature. Obviously, everyone these days enjoys a nice set of glutes, so that’s nice but it can also help to offset the chronic back pain associated with sedentary and seated daily routines. Ironically, while many people are wary of kettlebell swings because of their back, learning to do them appropriately could be a great thing for their back health long term. Proper training and progression can make clients more resilient through doing swings, etc. and less likely to hurt themselves with activities of daily life.
#4 – They Improve Mobility
As you work your way to more challenging kettlebell exercises, you’ll put an increased demand for good mobility and flexibility on your body. Certain exercises may even look more like a stretch than a traditional strength exercise, like the Cossack Squat or Windmill.
Exercises like these can be thought of as “functional training movements” where you’re not just getting stronger, but also helping your body move better by using the kettlebell weight as an aid to get through more complete ranges of motion.
#5 – You’ll Improve Grip Strength
If you’ve swung a kettlebell you probably know that burning feeling in your forearm. Since the majority of the weight is outside of your hand (compared to a dumbbell where the center of the weight is in your hand) kettlebell exercises will test and build your grip strength. Besides having Spiderman-like forearms, why would that be important to your health? Well, there have been scientific research studies that found grip strength is directly correlated to longevity. There’s always a scene in life-or-death movies where someone is hanging off a building… just saying.
Conclusion
In short, adding kettlebell training into your workouts can keep you feeling good, engaging new muscles, and lead to even more enjoyment of your workout routine. Additionally, learning how to coach and apply the techniques that are kettlebell specific will also improve your mastery of other lifts.
Want to learn the nitty-gritty of kettlebell training, plus the philosophy behind them, and a whole lot of coaching techniques to help you apply them to your own workouts?
Make sure to register for our upcoming Level 1 Kettlebell Certification course. Just click here for more info!
