Friday, September 20, 2013

The Kettlebell Craze: The Skinny on the Bell


My first taste of kettlebell training was as an athlete while in our weight training sessions; I thought it was an enjoyable, solid workout. However, now that I am a fitness professional, I understand how great of a workout tool a kettlebell can be. There are so many different ways to utilize a kettlebell. Whether you choose to use them in everyday exercises like a curl or with a squat, or you choose to learn the technique and science behind the kettlebell swing and its progressions so much can be done with this simple training mechanism.

As a certified ACE Personal Trainer and certified kettlebell trainer for small groups, I have now begun integrating kettlebell moves into workouts with my clients. It is such a versatile instrument, yet such a simple tool. The focus of kettlebell movements is making sure it is functional rather than simply aiming to isolate single muscles.  The American Council on Exercise (ACE) defines functional training as “[involves] performing work against resistance in such a manner that the improvements in strength directly enhance the performance of movements, so that an individual’s activity of daily living is easier to perform.” (acefitness.org)

The real beauty of the kettlebell is that it not only trains your “mirror muscles” – also known as abdominals, chest, and quadriceps –, but sculpts and strengthens the posterior kinetic chain and promotes coordination among this group of muscles. The posterior kinetic chain includes muscles, tendons, and ligaments on your backside, including lower back muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Strengthening and coordinating this chain can help improve posture and imbalances, as well as alleviate back pain (Kettlebellscience.com). All of these reasons, and more, are beneficial to an exerciser’s body, meaning kettlebells should be utilized more often in training sessions due to the fact that 60-80% of all individuals experience back pain sometime throughout their lifetime. This functional training device should soon become a household name in the fitness world.

 
The main and foundational kettlebell move is called a “swing”; this movement and its variations will be discussed in my posts to come, so stay tuned!

1 comment:

  1. I love me some kettlebell!!! I recently introduced my brother to the kettlebell. He's is bigger and looks to be stronger than me, but when I put the kettlebell in his hand, he quickly realized that working the vanity muscles may make you look good in the mirror but they don't make you functionally strong. That 55lb kettlebell owned him.

    ReplyDelete