Kettlebells have become a staple training tool in the fitness industry. They are found in all gyms and people who prefer to workout at home may have a few at home. Everyone is using them from pro athletes to weightlifters to cross-fit lovers.
There are almost too many ways to use a kettlebell to count. Yet, many people are still skeptical about adding them to their training plan. Incorporating kettlebells into your workout has tons of health benefits for both men and women.
According to fit and well, they say kettlebells are a “bang for your buck” exercise. If you’re one with doubts about incorporating kettlebells here are 6 benefits of adding them:
1. Total Body Workout
Kettlebells are really the all-in-one tool as they are so versatile with the number of exercises you can do and body parts you can hit. There are 4 main parts of fitness. Those are endurance, flexibility, balance training, and strength. With a kettlebell, you can hit all of these. That is definitely one of the largest advantages of the fitness tool. People search for convenience and kettlebells make working out convenient.
Research shows that kettlebells are actually one of the best tools for effective training that gives results in a safe way while achieving a full body conditioning workout. Kettlebell exercises are compound requiring multiple muscle groups to be engaged at the same time – making kettlebells one of the most effective ways to train the full body.
2. Improves Body Coordination
Many people who work out are actually not aware of their body coordination depending on the type of workout they do. Coordination means the sense of movement of the body and its parts. Good coordination is essential to things you do daily such as catching a set of keys. It is often neglected in fitness, but it lets you perform movements faster, more confidently, and with smoothness. This is a huge perk of kettlebells. They are very dynamic and force one to be aware of their body and coordinate effectively.
Training with kettlebells is very different from typical machines, dumbbells, or barbells. Movements you can perform with these are very dynamic as you will be swinging them around. Swinging them around your body, between your legs, side to side, or above you. This will require all parts of your body to be engaged and be aware of your body coordination. The focus on mind-to-body connection with kettlebells will drastically improve your coordination engaging parts of your body you would not typically engage. This is going to improve overall athleticism carrying over improvements from your fitness into real life. Athleticism is a huge advantage for men and women in an everyday life.
3. Fat Burning Workout Results
Many people start a fitness journey looking to shred fat off their bodies, but many people also do not have the time in their day to go to the gym for an hour. Fat loss comes directly from the high-caloric burn which is exactly what kettlebells offer.
A study performed by Ace Fitness showed that in just a 20-minute kettlebell workout you could burn fast and quick calories. During the study, an average of about 300 calories was burned by the volunteers in just 20 minutes. To run this, you would have to be running at a 6-minute-per-mile pace to achieve the same caloric burn.
What’s even better is that kettlebell workouts are often high-intensity workouts. You will have the afterburn even after the workout is over. This is known as EPOC, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, meaning you are going to be burning at a higher rate for longer after the workout is finished. So, not only are you going to be burning lots of calories and fat, you can get your workout in quickly and effectively.
4. Better Mobility & Flexibility
Range of motion is how mobile and flexible they are which is an important aspect of daily life. Kettlebells help keep the body loose as the movements performed are much different than isolating a body part to exercise. Movements performed with this tool require you to navigate through multiple planes of motion while in great control. You are slowing down your exercises and naturally will improve mobility. Over time, you’ll be able to increase your limits on the movements you are performing.
As kettlebells are incorporated into your workouts, you will be increasing your flexibility and mobility. Your joints will become more strong and more stable as a result of this. Many injuries come from joint issues, so it is crucial to train those muscles. Kettlebells will help decrease the chance of serious injuries in sports as well as the real world.
5. Find Muscle Imbalances & Improve Spots of Weakness
Finding the spots in your strength, coordination, and movement that are the weakest is important to pinpoint so you can make adjustments. Kettlebells do just that. You may notice you lack coordination on your left side over your right side. Or, you may see that you are lacking mobility when holding the kettlebell overhead. Once this is noticed, you can perform movements to specifically target those areas to help even things out. Muscle imbalances are common and normal, but not everyone knows how to correct them. Not correcting these imbalances that lead to compensating one body part for another. This is not something you want to do as it can lead to injury! Finding imbalances in muscles and targeting spots of weakness is just another reason why they are great for men and women.
You are very unlikely to get bored training with kettlebells. There are always new movements and variations coming out. Not to mention, being able to do kettlebell training right from the comfort of your home and get in a quick yet effective workout is a huge advantage. The benefits for men and women are endless. But, remember your workout is not everything when it comes to reaching your fitness goals. Nutrition is just as crucial to seeing results. Contact Betsy’s Nutrition today for a great health and nutrition consultant who is constantly educating her clients on overall wellness.
