Why You Should Consider Training with Kettlebells
If you’ve ever been to a commerical gym, you may have spotted a set of kettlebells lying around here or there. Most of the time, those kettlebells remain untouched...which is a real shame. Kettlebells can be extremely useful given your specific fitness or performance-related goals. Just because they don’t have the same clout as your conventional gym equipment, doesn’t mean they’re not beneficial to you. Here are a few reasons why you should consider using kettlebells for your next workout.
Dynamic Uses
The primary selling point of kettlebells is the amount and variation of exercises you can use them for. From kettlebell swings to Turkish get-ups, kettlebells allow you to perform various dynamic movements that incorporate several muscle groups in each exercise. For example, a kettlebell swing will recruit your legs during the squat portion of the exercise, and will inevitably activate your shoulders, chest, and core when you swing the dumbbell upwards. This works wonders when it comes to getting in a full body workout.
Cardio Work
Many exercises performed with kettlebells won’t just work your muscles, they can give you an awesome cardio workout as well! Several exercises performed with kettlebells activate respiratory muscles within your chest, giving your respiratory system a much needed workout. Grow your lean muscle tissue while improving your overall heart health with kettlebells.
Useful Anywhere
As you may have noticed, kettlebell workouts don’t require a large space to work out in. This is incredibly convenient if you’ve decided to conduct your workouts at home. Most exercises using kettlebells are in-place (though aren’t limited to this). Kettlebells also don’t require a large space for storage as they are relatively small compared to your typical workout equipment. That’s what makes them useful anywhere you decide to work out.
If you have a solid set of kettlebells at home, you really never have an excuse to miss a workout. They’re incredibly convenient and allow you to get the job done, if you’re willing to put in the work. I love to sprinkle kettlebell exercises in my workouts, such as during leg or ab workouts, just to get that dynamic and performance-based exercise in to my regular routine. What kinds of exercises have you used kettlebells for in the past, and how effective were they for you? Please let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you as well!