As triathlon coaches we place a huge emphasis on strength training, especially in the off-season. While we use all kinds of equipment, including medicine balls, suspension trainers, stability balls, slosh tubes, resistance bands, and dumbbells, we have a special place in our hearts for kettlebells. Our weekly kettlebell class is unique in the Nashville area and we believe it provides incredible training benefits to our athletes.
What’s so special about kettlebells for triathletes?
1. Kettlebell training increases flexibility just as well as stretching. Kettlebell training is an excellent antidote to the extremely tight hip flexors common to triathletes. Prolonged sitting and time spent on a tri bikes are common causes of tight hip flexors, and move like the kettlebell swing are the perfect antidote.
2. All kettlebell exercises are core workouts. No matter what you do with a kettlebell, it will be moving and dynamic. The dynamic nature of kettlebell training requires your core to constantly work at stabilizing your trunk as you move weight with your limbs. Traditional resistance training with machines cannot mimic this training effect.
3. Kettlebell training corrects muscle imbalances common in triathletes. Most triathletes (and non-athletes) are quad dominant and have weak glutes and hamstrings. If you see an old man shuffling down the street with almost stiff-legged look, check out his butt – I guarantee it’s flat as a pancake! What you are seeing is quad dominance, and kettlebell training can fix it. Kettlebell swings and snatches can correct this imbalance and make you a more efficient runner.
4. Kettlebell training improves balance. Many of the exercises we do in kettlebell class are slow and controlled movements that challenge the athletes balance. One-leg Romanian deadlifts are one example of an exercise that demands balance, core stability, concentration, and strength to execute. Improved balance makes triathletes much less injury prone.
5. Kettlebell workouts burn a ton of calories and are an excellent tool for off-season weight loss. According to a study published by the American Council on Exercise, kettlebell training can burn a whopping 20.3 calories a minute! That’s about the same as running a 6 minute per mile pace and much higher than other forms of strength training.
6. Kettlebell class can be used as a movement assessment. Just about all triathletes have movement dysfunctions and muscle imbalances that can turn into chronic injuries. We could use a functional movement screen to identify these but it’s just as effective to watch an athlete perform a Turkish get up with a kettlebell and note areas of difficulty. Once problems are identified, we can prescribe exercises for our athletes to do at home to fix imbalances before they become injuries.
It’s clear to see from that list that kettlebells are a uniquely useful tool for triathletes. While we enjoy using all the tools available to us, the kettlebell will continue to be the most effective and useful tool in our strength-training and conditioning arsenal. If you want to try our Kettlebell for Triathletes class, send us an email and we’ll save you a spot.
