Kettlebells Workout: How Do They Compare To Other Workouts?

A Kettlebells workout is different from your traditional weight lifting and other fitness regimes in many ways.

Unlike other programs, Kettlebells combine a cardiovascular and strength training workout in one program. There are not many fitness programs the provide such a good combination and those that are available are not easily learned by a beginner. Something that requires a similar level of power and strength is Olympic power lifting but even this lacks the skillfulness of Kettlebells. Have you ever tried swinging one of those barbells between your legs?

In any case it is far easier to learn to use Kettlebells than it is to become an Olympic power lifter. Would you want to squat 400 pounds on a regular basis to achieve the same result?

The beauty of a kettlebell workout is it works on all of your major muscle groups. Traditional dumbbell exercises focus on one muscle group but Kettlebells work multiple muscle groups with each and every exercise. This produces a workout that's more efficient, quicker and most importantly more effective than a conventional fitness workout.

One of the attractions of a kettlebell workout is you don't need much equipment to be able to start. So what do you need to start? Well simply just one kettlebell, pick the right size at the start and you wont need another one for quite a while. Don't panic, your not going to have a collection of old kettlebells gathering dust in the corner as you can use the lighter ones for warm ups etc.

Even experienced kettlebellers only have two or three kettlebells but when you compare that to other fitness programs its clear this is an inexpensive fitness tool.

The only other items you will need to complete your kettlebell workouts are a stopwatch and a yoga mat if your floor is not carpeted. If you have a carpet then its just a stopwatch. You should be able to utilise household items such as a chair for the various type of exercises.

Before you use your kettlebells you need to ensure you understand how to position your spine and work your hips to increase the effectiveness of your workout and most importantly to reduce the risk of injury. Most traditional workouts don't need to focus on these essential principals so you must understand how to position your spine and hips.

For example when you perform a squat with a kettlebell you need to start the movement from your hips (to avoid hurting your back), brace your abdominals (control the movement and stabilise your core) and press your hells to trigger your glutes and hamstrings. As you can see kettlebells ensure that the way you move during your workout is actually the natural way to move.

You also need to master the art of breathing as you work through your workout program. Like with movement, when you have learned how to breath during your kettlebell workout you will find your everyday breathing to be more powerful. The technique is called diaphragmatic breathing and it's simply a way to tighten your 'virtual belt'. This will allow you to protect yourself from the force and weight of the kettlebell before you complete an exercise by stabilising your core with breath control.

Like any exercise program, warming up, cooling down and simply not over doing it are all key steps to success with your routine.

John has been writing articles on and off for over 5 years. For more useful articles and to find out more about Dudley and the surrounding area go to activdudley.com Dudley Guide