Kettlebells originated in Russia and were used for many years in the old Soviet Union and the other Eastern Bloc countries. They are a round ball of metal with a flat base and a handle on top to enable the ball to be swung around.
The unique design of kettlebells with the centre of mass displaced from the handle makes exercises difficult to perform but simple in concept. There are a large variety of exercises that can be performed with kettlebells.
The basic training exercises are:
- the swing
- the clean
- the snatch
Soviet weightlifters started using kettlebells many years ago. Kettlebells have traditionally been used by weightlifters because the Olympic lifts like the snatch and the clean and jerk, can be learnt quickly using kettlebells. You can now get all the benefits of the Olympic lifts without having to master all the finer technical points of Olympic lifting.
Recently have kettlebells been introduced to the West and they are now becoming the preferred choice for people wanting something different for their training regimes. Professional USA sports teams, martial arts practitioners, law enforcement officials and athletes across many sports now use kettlebells because of the results achieved.
Kettlebells can be used to perform traditional exercises or special kettlebell exercises. They can be used for a cardio workout as high rep kettlebell drills are excellent at burning fat. For years fitness trainers have encouraged long steady cardio sessions such as on an exercise bike but the trend is changing and power type cardio workouts are all the rage. Short intense workouts using the large muscles of your body have been demonstrated to indirectly burn more calories. There is a growing trend towards power cardio workouts and kettlebells are perfect for this type of exercise - and you don't have to go to a gym class at a certain time.
You can also do a strength workout using heavy weight/low reps. Used correctly, kettlebells can develop your endurance, flexibility and functional strength - they are the ultimate one piece home gym.
The basic kettlebell exercise is the two arm kettlebell swing. Once the swing is mastered, you should learn the one-arm swing.
The next progression is to the weightlifting based exercises - the clean & jerk and then the snatch. Other common weight training exercises such as military presses and overhead squats can also be adapted.
A more challenging lift is one called ‘the bottoms-up swing and press’. You take two kettlebells and swing them overhead in the bottom-up position, then bring them down to the shoulder level and press them back up into the bottoms-up position.
Most males can begin with a 16kg (1 pood) kettlebell to master all the movements. Although 16kg does not seem heavy, the dynamic nature of kettlebell training combined with the off center weight makes them more difficult and harder to control. Once the basic techniques have been mastered users, can progress to a 24kg kettlebell and eventually a 32kg kettlebell.
Females should begin with a 8kg kettlebell and only progress to a 16kg if they are sure they have mastered the techniques. Kettlebells are a great training tool for women because they provide resistance training and muscle stimulation that provides muscle toning without bulking up. They also build coordination and muscle control; developing muscle endurance and muscle tone and when used in a proper manner are safe and effective.
Getting started with Kettlebells
1. Decide for yourself if you are going to undertake a kettlebell training program.
2. Seek out kettlebell training information from the Internet.
3. Seek out kettlebell training information from book and tapes.
4. Evaluate your training alternatives and structure your own program.
5. Decide your equipment specifications for yourself. How tall? How heavy? Loadable? Revolving?
6. Get prices for your requirements.
7. Evaluate the quality control of the supplier. Is accuracy a factor?
8. Make a selection, and get to work.
9. Seek out some expert advice from a dedicated kettlebell trainer.
10.Most importantly enjoy your training experience!
Tips for mastering the Swing
The Swing is one of the key drills in kettlebell training. Without proficiency in this fundamental drill, you will never master the Clean, the Snatch, or any of a multitude of other drills.
Yet many people, when they first come to kettlebell training, have trouble with the basic Swing. The motion feels foreign to them - they either bend over rounding their back or they just squat down bending their knees far too much and projecting them too far in front of their feet. They can’t seem to make the mind/muscle connection needed to push out their butt with their back straight and shins vertical.
If you have this problem too:
1. Hold the kettlebell behind you in both hands, the backs of the hands resting on your butt.
2. Lock your knees, then break them slightly but hold them fairly stiff.
3. Fix your eyes on a point on the horizon, or if indoors, at eye level directly in front of you.
4. Then slowly push the kettlebell back as far as possible with their butt. Keep your knees fairly stiff, keep your eyes locked on what you’re looking at, and just push the kettlebell back slowly with your butt. Don’t do anything else, just push the kettlebell back as far as you can.
This should see you perform the initial Swing motion correctly. It has the added benefit of keeping your shoulder blades back as they go down.
Do several of these “push backs.” Then duplicate the motion without the kettlebell with your arms still behind the back. Repeat with your arms hanging in front. Then holding a kettlebell in front, try a Swing. Chances are good you will now do the initial motion correctly.
Hell's Bells!
So the idea of possessing the strength of Samson doesn't appeal to you? Lifting girls over your head with one arm while you drink a beer isn't enough for you? You want to know how you are going to get your precious "cardio"? You want to know where the real 'burn' is? Well grab on to a couple of of Kettlebells and get ready for the pain!
From weight loss to endurance training, combining kettlebells drills into a circuit will shake up your workouts and harden even the softest bodies.
Here is a taste of a Kettlebell circuit:
Basic Swing
Begin with some easy two hand swings. When doing a KB circuit you may choose to use time or reps as your benchmark. My personal preference is time. In the case of this circuit, use one minute intervals. Begin by performing your double hand swing for one minute. Perform as many repetitions as possible during that rep.
Body Pass
With a minute of "two arm swings" completed, make a transition to an around the body pass. The key to this exercise is to maintain a tight core and breathe throughout the movement.
Your arms go from loose to tight as you pass the weight from hand to hand. For those of you who are more advanced, you may want to pass the KB through your legs in a figure eight motion and for you real bodies out there, you can pass the KB though your legs as you do a wide side leg stretch.
One Arm Swings
After completing a minute of around the body passing in one direction, launch into one arm swings. Maintain good form and keep snapping your hips and knees.
As you enter the third minute of your endurance training keep yourself fired up and rip that Kettlebell off of the floor. Can you feel the burn? Good, now get back into a set of around the body passing.
As you pass the Kettlebell around your body remember to breath and keep a tight core. After you complete a minute of this exercise we are going to transition back to one arm swings and work on our other side. By the completion of the last set of one arm swings you should have been training for five straight minutes. Don't worry, that pounding in your chest is only your heart telling you its still working.
The Windmill
This movement resembles the Triangle pose in Yoga. You may get the Kettlebell overhead however you like, (clean + jerk, press). Kick out the hip on the side that is supporting the Kettlebell so that you leg and your overhead arm form a straight line. Maintain most of your weight on this foot. Point this same foot slightly to the inside, about 30%.
Look up at the KB the entire time and fold at the hip until you reach the limits of your flexibility. Contract your glutes and come up following the same exact path that you took down. Do not twist at any time during this movement.
Turkish-Getup
Lie on your back with a KB held directly over your shoulder. This arm should remain vertical throughout the entire movement. Bend the knee on the side that has the KB. Rise up onto the opposite elbow. Rise up onto your hand. Next, bring your straight leg back onto your knee, into a lunge position. Stand up. Come down by finding the ground with your knee, then your hip, hand, elbow and then finally lie down.
It is a good idea to perfect this exercise by using a lighter KB or even a Dumbbell to begin with. Clambering up and down with a heavy KB will not see you perform it correctly. Better to master the movement and then move onto a KB.
The following exercises can be woven into your training circuit along with some simple jogging in between sets.
Double Bottoms Press
Hold the Kettlebell with two hands on the handle. Maintain a tight core and press the weight overhead as you follow it up with your eyes.
Alternating Renegade Row
Perform a pushup with your hands firmly on the handles of the Kettlebells. Once you are up, press down hard on one Kettlebell as you lift the other off of the ground and to your side.
All of the above exercises can be substituted and many different variations are possible. The important part of this kind of training is to keep moving and maintain good form. Challenge yourself! Some people will find five minutes of this to be quite easy while most others will find thirty second intervals enough to make them wish their parents had reconsidered having children.
Start playing around with this circuit and create your own. Kettlebell practice can be - and should be a lot more than merely hoisting a weight over your head. All you need for a full body workout is a Kettlebell, some imagination and a desire to feel the burn.
Now you have the tools for a burn - but do you have the heart?
There is a lot more information and articles on kettlebells on the website: www.kettlebellsnz.com
I got my kettlebell from Mike Capper at Kettlebells NZ and am really enjoying the change to my exercise regime - I'm sure you will too.
