Going by the popularity wave, one is left wondering if the kettlebell is some kind of magical equipment which one needs to have for fat burning workouts. The kettlebell may look very obsolete when compared to new advanced weight training facilities available today, but nevertheless a kettlebell workout is very intense and allows free movement. Kettlebells can be used like other weights, to gain muscle mass, strength and fat loss.
The kettlebell is not a new invention; in fact it has been around for many years. But it only gained popularity recently in the United States after a former Russian special forces coach, Pavel Tsatsouline, brought it to the continent. Since then, many leading trainers, athletes and celebrities have embraced kettlebell exercises to increase their strength and flexibility.
A kettlebell is a weight, often made of cast iron, and looks like a cannonball, which has a suitcase type handle on top, for gripping. ‘Girya’ is the Russian word for the kettlebell, named so because of its shape. The kettlebell has long been and is still being used in Russian military institutes. These days’ kettlebells generally come with rubber grips, added for convenience.
An efficient workout with kettlebells can accomplish amazing results which even the most sophisticated gym equipment can not match. Most kettlebell exercises work on many body parts at a time, thus providing a total work out for the whole body. There are numerous kettlebell exercises aimed at a specific body part. Like dumbbells, many variations and combinations of kettlebell exercises exist. If one wants to gain total body conditioning, then one should choose kettlebell exercises like swings, cleans, jerks, presses,windmills and turkish get ups which work on the entire body.
Exercising with kettlebells burns the fat from your body and also works the whole nervous system. A highly intensive workout with kettlebells can leave your body totally exhausted in a few minutes. Since the body is not supported by any bench or machine, like in a gym. A kettlebell workout burns more calories and reduces fat quicker. Kettlebell cleans, snatch, jerk, swing and windmills are the most popular kettlebell exercises which can be done in under 10 minutes.
While kettlebell swings are good for muscle control and put emphasis on the posterior muscles; kettlebell cleans and jerks are lifting exercises which work on hamstrings, hips, arms, shoulders, and the chest. However, a kettlebell snatch is the trickiest of all kettlebell exercises as it combines many movements which involves muscles of the back, shoulder, forearm and abdomen, which works the whlle kinetic chain so it is a good workout for the whole body.
Doing repetitive kettlebell snatches with light kettlebells is also very good for metabolic training and can burn many calories in a short period of time. The kettlebell snatch can improve the muscle tone, increase body strength and stamina and is also very good for your posture.
While kettlebell exercises look as if you need the strength of goliath to perform the foundation exercises, they can be adopted by anyone male or female at any level- only if taught by a proper kettlebell coach. Through performing kettlebell exercises, one can develop muscles and joints to act in a full range of motion. Kettlebell exercises work wonders for grip strength and endurance; which are so essential for sports like tennis, martial arts, rowing, ball sports and many others.
