Kettlebells are today’s most popular training tool. In case you don’t know what a kettlebell is, imagine a cannonball with a handle on it. They come in all different weights and can be used by the frail and the fit alike.
And kettlebells should be part of your long term weight loss solution.
Notice how I said “long term.”
Most of us think only of the short term – the here and now. But that is a mistake. It robs us of our future.
Now I’m not saying you should live in the future. Not at all. I’m saying live in the present. Do everything in the present to ensure your long term, future success.
And that’s where kettlebells fit into your exercise program.
With just one kettlebell you can set yourself up for current and future weight loss.
Here’s how.
1. Strength Training. This is arguably the most underrated method for weight control. Strength training focuses on making your muscles work harder than they are currently working. This means that you will be forcing your body to use more energy than it is currently using. If you are eating correctly, this newly required energy comes from fat stored in and on your body.
The concept of making your muscles stronger is arguably one of the most important concepts of all. By making them stronger, your body can move more. Moving more requires more energy too.
So by focusing on strength training, you get two bangs for the same buck:
- Muscles that constantly require more and more energy to function (fat stores are your energy) and
- You are able to move a lot more than you used to which also requires more energy from your body.
Kettlebell workouts focus on using all of your muscles at the same time.
This requires a ton more energy than traditional forms of strength training found at your local fitness center. That type of strength training focus on isolating each body part one at a time. This does not require that large amounts of energy be expended. Therefore, you’re not burning as many calories as you could be.
2. Cardiovascular Training. This is training that works your heart and lungs. This is vitally important for long term health, but more importantly, it burns stored energy (fat).
The best form of cardiovascular training is called interval training. It is the idea of periods of work interspersed with periods of rest. This form of training, when performed correctly, burns a ton of calories. In fact, when performed correctly, interval training burns a ton of calories long after you’re done exercising!
Kettlebells are the perfect solution for cardiovascular training.
With just one kettlebell you can swing, snatch or even perform a combination of exercises in a circuit and force your heart and lungs to work extra hard and burn off a ton of excess calories stored as fat.
Kettlebells have a ton of other long term weight loss benefits like joint health (say goodbye to aching knees and bad backs) but these are the primary two you need to focus on for long term success.
Remember, what you do today will set you up for future success or future failure. Why not ensure your permanent weight loss by incorporating kettlebells into your weight loss program?
