Hey lovies!
In hindsight of my last post and my current stomach/weight problems, today I switched up my usual cardio session in place of an easy 3 mile treadmill run followed by my first Kettlebell class. And oh man. Did I feel it?! I seriously did not think that it would hurt so much! My arms feel like they just want to drop off! I think I’m definitely going to be sore tomorrow ouch..
Kettlebells are cast iron weights, ranging from 5 lbs to over 100 lbs, shaped like a ball with a handle for easy gripping. Kettlebells have become a new ‘craze’ because they offer a different kind of training using dynamic moves targeting almost every aspect of fitness – endurance, strength, balance, agility and cardio endurance. People love it because it’s challenging, efficient and you only need one piece of equipment.
The idea is to hold the kettlebell in one or both hands and go through a variety of swings, presses or pulling motions. Some movements have you changing the weight from hand to hand as the weight swings up or as you move laterally, requiring you to stabilize the body and engage the core in a whole new way. Other moves require power from the legs and hips to move the weight, giving you whole body movements that are often missing with other types of training.
For my first class I was given an 8kg kettlebell and aswell as a 4kg one. The majority was done with the heavier one for most of the swinging and man did it hurt! There was one particular exercise where we had to swing the bell in between our legs and back up as high as you can whilst walking back and forth and although it doesn’t sound hard, it was a killer! My arms definitely felt the heavier kettlebell exercises! The lighter one was used for holding whilst doing more floor exercises like sit-ups and also for bicep curls and for pushing the weight up in the air whilst stretching out your legs. We did 3 sets made of 3 exercises which gave it a lot of variety and I seriously did not expect to be doing 2 minute planks every 5 minutes as well as situps to go along with all the swinging! Given that my strength and core is not great – it definitely worked me! The exercises were also quite simple to follow so it wasn’t too hard to pick up in my first class
When you exercise with a standard dumbbell, the weight is in your hand and, therefore, within the mass of your body. By contrast, because a kettlebell is on the end of a handle, the weight is outside your body mass and so when you swing it, it exerts forces that have to be controlled through your core, thus working the deep, stabilizing abdominal muscles.
This means that kettlebells will give you a brilliant cardio, strength, core and flexibility workout all rolled into one short, intense session, so they’re a great workout for the amount of time you do it for.
Increasing your strength is a good thing: it gives you muscle definition, it protects you from osteoporosis in later years, an increase in muscle mass helps you burn more calories when you’re at rest and – no – you won’t end up looking like body builders!
Regular kettlebell training improves body composition, making you leaner and reducing body fat percentages.
It can help protect athletes from injuries – Many injuries happen when you’re moving fast and have to come to a stop. Kettlebell exercises actually train the body in eccentric deceleration, which can translate to a healthier, stronger body.
Increased power development and endurance, which is great for a variety of sports
When you exercise with a standard dumbbell, the weight is in your hand and, therefore, within the mass of your body. By contrast, because a kettlebell is on the end of a handle, the weight is outside your body mass and so when you swing it, it exerts forces that have to be controlled through your core, thus working the deep, stabilizing abdominal muscles. This means that kettlebells will give you a brilliant cardio, strength, core and flexibility workout all rolled into one short, intense session, so they’re a great workout for the amount of time you do it for. Increasing your strength is a good thing: it gives you muscle definition, it protects you from osteoporosis in later years, an increase in muscle mass helps you burn more calories when you’re at rest and – no – you won’t end up looking like body builders! Regular kettlebell training improves body composition, making you leaner and reducing body fat percentages. It can help protect athletes from injuries – Many injuries happen when you’re moving fast and have to come to a stop. Kettlebell exercises actually train the body in eccentric deceleration, which can translate to a healthier, stronger body. Increased power development and endurance, which is great for a variety of sports
Have you ever tried a kettlebell class before?