Suzanne McGraw - Kettlebell Training Explained: Using Kettlebells To Get In Shape

Kettlebells,also called girya in Russia (the nation of their origin), are an alternative tothe modern day weights. It is a cast iron weight that looks like a cannonballwith a handle. You can get kettlebells in different sizes from 10-106 lbs. Inthe past few years, they have become one of the best and the most popularexercise tools in the US mainly due to the efforts of flexibility and strengthcoach Pavel Tsatsouline and the world record holder and world champion ValeryFedorenko.

Manypeople in the US are interested in trying kettlebell workouts, as they haveheard so much about the benefits offered by them. In fact, this sport took offin many countries around the world when the world famous Russian bodybuilderPavel Tsatsoilin attributed his success to the Kettlebell training.

Althoughsome individuals are not impressed with kettlebell workouts, the AmericanKettlebell Club states that more than 100,000 people in the US use these typesof weights. All those who have tried kettlebells also claim that they loseweight quickly and efficiently. They also believe that these workouts are moreeffective than other exercise routines theyve tried.

Theefficacy of kettlebells has been amply proven by those whove been using themsince years. Soviet weightlifting legends such as Alexeyev and Vlasov,Zhabotinskiy started their Olympic careers with these old fashionedkettlebells. In fact, Russian Special Forces personnel also owe their explosiveability, wiry strength and huge stamina to kettlebells. The Russian armedforces strength training manual has pronounced kettlebell drills as the most effectiveway to develop strength within a short time.

Theelite of the US law enforcement and military also recognize the immense powerof Russian kettlebells. There are so many Pavels certified RKC instructorsamong Dept of Energy nuclear security teams, Force Recon Marines, and the SecretService Counter Assault Team.

Oncethe kettlebell became popular among those whose life depends on theirconditioning and strength, it also took off among people from all walks oflife: athletes, and martial artists. Martial art heroes BJ Penn, FrankShamrock, Fedor Emelianenko, and Bob Sapp popularized the use of kettlebells inthe sport.

Thebasic kettlebells workout is the power swing, which is a full-body workout thatcan be done in just ten minutes. Brazilian Master Trainer Steve Maxwell hassaid that "the best kettlebell swing is superior to 98 percent of all thesophisticated strength training and conditioning programs."

KettlebellWorkouts

Asdiscussed above, a kettlebell is a cannonball shaped weight that is equippedwith a single hook on its top portion. It is quite heavy due to the cast ironmaterial used in this workout tool. Aside from that, resistance variesdepending upon the physical capacity of the user. These weights are suitablefor all individuals and this is the biggest reason why most of them opt forkettlebells in their daily workouts. Lets have a close look at some of itsbenefits.

Itencompasses aerobic and anaerobic exercises in a single workout. The differentmovements allow you to improve your cardiovascular health and resistance. Withkettlebells you wont have to use big exercise machines when you want to buildor develop your lean muscle mass.

Thekettlebell workouts do not require you to devote long hours daily to exercise.This is best exercise for all those who have a hectic schedule because just afew movements can target various muscle groups. This training also helps inboosting metabolism and mobilization of the stored body fat. Depending upon theexercise performed, you can easily burn around 1200 calories in an hour. Usingjust one kettlebell you can easily do various fat blasting workouts whereveryou happen to be.

Youcan also increase your core muscle stability, specifically the abdominal andback muscles. Even without using several machines and weights, you can workyour muscles with just one kettlebell.

Kettlebellworkouts offer complete body conditioning. By using kettlebells, you canexercise your large muscle groups in one go. Moreover, this training alsoincludes continuous activation of various core muscles. The next benefit isthat you dont need large amounts of space to store them or work with them.

Thebest thing about kettlebell is that they are not very expensive, especiallywhen compared to the machines like treadmills. With kettlebells there is noneed to keep up your expensive gym membership anymore.

Theextensive aerobic conditioning through kettlebell swings is very beneficial forthe older athletes who want to avoid potential accidents by jogging or running.Whether you are a male or female, you will get tremendous benefits withkettlebell workouts. Once you get going, you can include simple kettlebellexercises that incorporate both small and big muscle groups to take care ofyour equilibrium and your focus on the kettlebell handle.

Insteadof sprinting, an aerobics class, or various other high impact and highintensity workouts, you can easily perform kettlebell routines daily withoutany need for long recuperation time. Once you become skilled with kettlebells,you can move onto more challenging routines. As you are working practically allmuscles in your body during workouts, you will find that you can easily burnmore excess fat and build more core strength than from usual physicalexercises.

Ifyou are interested in an exceptional workout, you wont have to spend countlesshours in a gym. You can do all that with kettlebell exercises within 30minutes. You can easily vary the intensity of your kettlebell workouts, juststart with the light routines and move onto the heavy ones, and then alternateagain with the light ones to get your body used to this spectacular form ofexercise. Go ahead and try kettlebell workouts for that amazing difference!

BottomLine

Variousbenefits and features of kettlebell training has resulted in its hugepopularity among millions of fitness enthusiasts in the US and around theworld. This fitness routine really fascinates all those who need a simple,inexpensive and highly effective way to achieve that fabulous body and overallhealth.