Easy Kettlebell Exercises: First, the human body is designed to move, period. Besides the obvious benefits of maintaining healthy body weight, exercising has numerous other benefits.
- Fights disease
- Improves your mood
- Gives you more energy
- Helps you sleep better
- And better sex
“A recent survey showed that seven out of ten adults do not exercise or Kettlebell Exercises regularly and close to four out of ten are not physically active. If you do not exercise, then you will risk getting stroke, diabetes and heart disease. This has lead to death for about 300 000 people.”
Before you start exercising or any Kettlebell exercises, you should consult a physician. This is very important if you’ve been on the couch for a long time and haven’t been exercising.
When it comes to fat loss, there are many different opinions in existence today. Most people start their exercise routine by running. After all, it raises your heart rate and it is aerobic too.
Aerobic training is what burns the most fat, right? The answer may come as a surprise-running isn’t really that effective for fat loss. That’s because you often plateau once your body becomes conditioned by the exercise (Peele, 2010).
In contrast, I’ve uncovered a method that consistently demands more with each workout, ensuring you never stagnate. Also, it is up to 3,000 percent more efficient at burning fat than your morning run!
What are Kettlebells All About?
A kettlebell exercises is an extensive, cast-press load weight with one handle.
A new addition to several gyms, kettlebells have really been around since the 1700s.
It is ostensibly the most versatile piece of weight gear equipment out there and there
are many approaches to lift, swing, squat, press, and push a kettlebell which will be discussed in this article.
Adding Strength Training With Kettlebells to Your Routine
In addition to your HIIT workouts, strength training with kettlebells is also a valuable tool. Many men are quick to hit the weight room, but women avoid it.
You may think that this type of exercise will cause you to appear bulky and muscle-bound, rather than giving you the lean look you probably want.
Yet, when you perform it in the correct fashion, weight lifting with kettlebells is highly effective for weight loss.
With this workout I’ve included, you will build lean muscle giving you a nice athletic look-while maintaining your flexibility too.
Load bearing activity is also beneficial for other reasons, and it has been shown to prevent osteoporosis (Rogers, 2012).
While simply walking is enough to gain this benefit for your lower body, you need to lift weights to get the same bone-building effects for your upper body.
In addition, resistance workouts can also give your metabolism a boost for several hours after your workout is complete, adding to your weight loss results.
So, for all of these positive features, women need to take full advantage of the weight room and the powerful kettlebell as well.
Why Train with a Kettlebell?
Fair question. The first time I saw someone train with one, I didn’t really get it. But then, I was invited to participate in a workout, and then I really saw just how effective these little gems could be in getting in shape.
The kettlebell originated in Russia, and unless you’ve been living in a cave in Afghanistan, have been accepted by the fitness community with open arms.
Let’s discuss the numerous advantages to the kettlebell training:
- Makes you stronger
- Muscular endurance
- Burns Fat
- Weight loss
- Build lean muscle
- Mental toughness
- Builds a strong core and sexy abs
- No gym membership required
- Workout outside or inside
Kettlebells Prepare Your Life
Many of us have been guilty of training for a specific event. The military, up until recently primarily trained for the pushup, sit-up and the 2 mile run.
What this ended up creating was a bunch of men and women who may have had muscular endurance, but if you asked them to move any amount of weight they would collapse.
Move the clock ahead to 2013 and finally, General Physical Preparedness (GPP) has made it not only in the military, but mainstream as well.
Essentially the short answer on GPP is that you become conditioned in order to do work.
Exercise and lifts with weight require some basic abilities in order to be done successfully. GPP will help you build those.
This is why the kettlebell is such a powerful tool in your fitness arsenal.
Just implementing the kettlebell swing, squat, and Turkish-get up will get you in the best shape of your life, and you’ll be stronger, leaner, and fitter than you’ve ever thought possible.
When you think about it, the human body is only as useful as its core. If you have a weak core, you are weak.
So throw out those ab gadgets, quit doing crunches, and start working with the kettlebell so that you can be prepared for anything that life throws at you.
Choosing the Right Kettlebell
This is a very important decision when embarking upon any kettlebell exercise program. Men should begin with a 35lb bell and women should start with an 18lb kettlebell.
In the beginning, these weights should get you off on the right foot and when the workouts are done with the proper intensity they are plenty heavy.
The only kettlebell you should consider are the ones endorsed by Pavel.
Safety First
I’ve mentioned this before, but it is important that you consult your physician before implementing any physical fitness program.
Even though the kettlebell is relative “light”, if done improperly you can sustain an injury. It is also important that you warm-up properly before any of the workouts which are provided in this article. Take it slow in the beginning and learn the basics.
Footwear
When using a Kettlebell it is important that your feet are flat and in contact with the floor at all times.
You shouldn’t wear “running” shoes with the heel raised. This will cause you to not stand properly and possibly cause injury. You can wear minimalist shoes or simply go barefoot to save a few bucks.
Practice Makes Perfect
I understand that you are eager to begin training, and I appreciate you finally want to work to achieve the body you deserve. However, for the first week, all I want you to do is review the accompanying videos, and I really want you to practice the kettlebell swing.
The swing is the most important move that even I still practice, and I’m not looking for perfection, but maintain proper form when executing the movement.
In this article, you will find my recommended Kettlebell workout routine. This comes complete with illustrations and instructions for completing each day’s workout.
Kettlebell Workout Routine
Regardless if you’ve used a kettlebell or not, make sure that you select a weight you can safely move without injury.
Kettlebells are a very effective tool to get in shape but need to be treated with respect.
This workout works, and after 8 weeks with a proper diet and rest, you will see results. Ensure you get your physicians approval before starting any exercise program.
The workout is designed to be done 4 days per week. I suggest Mon/Tues with Wednesday as a rest day and then Thursday/Friday. Obviously, life happens. Try to stick to the plan as best as you can.
Below are the 8 Easy Kettlebell Exercises for Weight Loss
1. Front Plank
The starting position is on your hands and knees with the back flat. Contract the abdominal muscles. Without rotating the trunk or sagging or arching the spine, elevate yourself into the push-up position with your weight on your forearms and toes. Keep your head up looking forward. The goal is to hold this position for 60 seconds. If you cannot hold for 1 minute, then repeat until 1 minute has elapsed. Continue to breathe when conducting this exercise.
2. Kettlebell Swing
Movement:
1. Squat down with your back straight and lift up the weight. Don’t confuse this with a vertical back, simply keep it straight. Don’t round your back.
2. Squat up and stand erect with your shoulders back.
3. Think to sit back rather than dip down.
4. Ensure that your hips are extended as well as your knees at the top with your body in a straight line.
5. For the Russian style swing illustrated here, the bell should never go above parallel.
6. Ensure that you are either barefoot or wearing a minimalist shoe so that you are flat-footed.
Precautions: Work with lightweight initially until you can perform the movement correctly.
3. The Hip Flexor Stretch
Movement:
1. Start with left knee on the ground, and right leg up with both arms overhead.
2. Hold for approximately 10 seconds.
3. Switch to the other side and hold for 10 seconds.
Note: This warm-up exercise promotes stretching out the core, hip flexors, back, quadriceps, lats, and is just an overall great stretch to loosen up. This is perhaps the best overall stretch you can do before any physical event.
4. Kettlebell Deadlift
Movement:
1. Straddle the bell with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width. 2. Squat down with arms extended downward between your legs and grab the bell’s handle with both hands.
3. Ensure that your shoulders are over the bell and keep your back straight.
4. Pull the bell off the floor by extending your hips and knees ensuring your chest is up.
5. Lower the bell while squatting down and keeping your back taunt with a vertical back.
Precaution: Ensure you do not round your back. Ensure you can do an air squat with no weight properly before adding any weight.
5. Kettlebell Shoulder Press
Movement:
1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width.
2. Take the bell from the rack or clean it from the floor and position in front of chest with the bell against the outside of your arm.
3. Press the bell up until your arm is fully extended overhead.
4. Lower to the front of your chest.
Precaution: Ensure that you are utilizing a weight that will enable you perform the move properly.
6. Kettlebell Suitcase Carry
Movement:
1. Pick up the bell as you would a suitcase deadlift before carrying. 2. Keep the shoulders level and core tight with no compensation from one side to another.
3. A heavier weight may be required to reach the desired effect.
Precautions: Ensure you your back is straight and not rounded when picking up or setting down the weight. As always, select a weight you can move safely.
7. Kettlebell Exercises: Goblet Squat
Movement:
1. Grab the bell by the horns. 2. Feet shoulder width apart or a little more than shoulder-width apart. 3. Pull yourself down. 4. Keep your chest up while keeping your back as straight as possible.
5. Elbows come inside your knees with the weight on your heels and not toes. 6. Stand straight up.
Precautions: Do not round the back and select a weight appropriate for your abilities
8. Kettlebell Exercises: Turkish Get-Up
Movement:
1. Use both of your hands while in a fetal position to lift the kettlebell from the ground at the start of the movement and at the completion of the movement.
2. Next, you want to set the foot and hand. Notice that the arm on the kettlebell side is vertical with a straight wrist. The knee on the side of the kettlebell is bent to prepare you for eventually standing up. Both the lats and your core are engaged and ready for work. The arm opposite the kettlebell is positioned 45 degrees and your opposite leg is straight. 3. Lock your elbow and keep it locked for the duration of the movement. 4. Keep your shoulder in a “packed” position at all times during the movement. 5. Get up smoothly and slowly and concentrate on each position. 6. This is not an exercise performed rapidly.
Precaution: This looks deceivingly easy. Use a very lightweight (5lbs) or even a sneaker until you hit each position. In my Hard style Kettlebell Certification course, we used the sneaker. I highly suggest the sneaker.
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