Kettlebell Training Benefits: The Handheld Gym at Home
7 Undeniable benefits of kettlebell training
Kettlebells are becoming increasingly popular in training for musculoskeletal fitness. The research being done into the health benefits of kettlebell training provides compelling evidence of why this is. For example, a study by ACE (America’s workout watchdog) found that ‘kettlebells kick butt’ and deliver significant increases in core strength, aerobic capacity, and dynamic balance.
In this article, we take a closer look at kettlebell training benefits and how we use kettlebell workouts to deliver total body benefits to our clients.
The benefits of training with kettlebells
Jenna Langhans, one of our personal trainers, started training with kettlebells a couple of years ago when the pandemic hit. For many people, it was a game changer, because it’s a fantastic way to do a full-body workout in the comfort of your own home, or because they are so portable, anywhere else you happen to be.
Here are the seven major benefits that Jenna has experienced personally and witnessed with Reload’s clients.
1. Kettlebells are a terrific way to work out anywhere
Portable and versatile, working out with kettlebells means that you don’t need to take a bunch of equipment with you when you travel. They are great for when you’re visiting friends or family during the holidays, or if you’re a businessperson traveling for work.
You can use them for pretty much all your fitness needs, too ─ for strength endurance exercises, calorie burn, and cardio workouts. There are also ways to use light weights to feel heavy, so a single kettlebell can be used as a workaround for weight training.
2. Kettlebells are affordable
When you compare them to other training systems, kettlebells are very affordable.
“Kettlebells are a great investment,” says Jenna. “They’re iron, so they last forever, and they are more affordable than big systems like treadmills.”
3. Kettlebells are empowering
When you get into kettlebell training, you really do get to see the progress that you are making. As you build strength using kettlebell exercises, you can push more weight, do more reps, and increase the size of the kettlebell you are using. It’s a very easily measurable metric and a linear progression that can be tracked simply.
4. Kettlebells are fun to use
There is an enormous range of kettlebell exercises to choose from, and you can adapt your exercise regime to your needs.
“We have a big range of clients at Reload, all with different jobs and lifestyles. They come from a variety of training backgrounds and cover a spectrum of ages. Most of them end up falling in love with kettlebells,” says Jenna. “They feel good and empowered. They feel their posture changing over time from consistent use of kettlebells.”
Of course, there will always be limitations – as there are with any modality of fitness training – which is why we take a holistic approach.
“We’re not married to kettlebells,” explains Jenna. “It depends on the person and what they are looking for. But, from our experience, as a training tool, kettlebells help people to feel stronger and more resilient both physically and mentally. Plus, it’s a fun thing to do. It’s centered around the community (the kettlebell community is strong), and people want to come and work out and see their friends.”
Our philosophy encompasses training, teaching, and technique, but also that people should have fun when they work out. A positive experience motivates people to continue on their path to their fitness goals.
5. Kettlebells improve flexibility and mobility
Training with kettlebells improves your range of motion and flexibility. There are many exercises that can help with these crucial functions, including:
Active single-leg raise
Each kettlebell exercise you do puts you into isolated positions and helps train your body for greater flexibility and mobility. The weight you use helps you get deeper into these positions, in a way that using only your body weight can never replicate. Kettlebells provide resistance, a little like someone pulling your arms or legs to increase your range.
6. Kettlebells are great for strength training
The versatility of kettlebells also lends itself very well to those who are focusing on strength training. You can use kettlebells in more traditional ways, as you would use a dumbbell, for example. You can also use adapted kettlebell swings and other techniques that are specific to kettlebells.
The versatility extends further, too. We can vary exercises and weights to adapt to clients of all abilities, improving aspects such as grip strength and core strength.
7. Kettlebells are ideal to develop endurance
Kettlebells are also a fantastic training tool for those who want to get their heart rate up and improve their endurance. In fact, kettlebells can provide terrific cardio workouts, too:
You can change the amount of time you’re doing an exercise to create a full workout
You can go for 10 minutes or 20 minutes depending on what you’re doing, and change the weight as well
You can train at higher volume (reps) but with less weight
Using kettlebells to help recovery from injury
While using kettlebells to help in recovery from injury depends upon the nature of the injury and the person, our physical therapy team certainly uses kettlebells for rehab. Thus, we have two main kettlebell strategies: training and rehab.
“Across the board, while it doesn’t have to be kettlebells that we use, kettlebells have proved to be a great tool – especially over the last couple of years when most of the training was done virtually or with limited equipment,” explains Jenna. “You see, rehab is just training in the presence of an injury.”
This isn’t to say that we don’t love other modalities here at Reload. Clients have diverse needs and respond uniquely to distinct types of exercise. Want to know more? Get in touch and learn about fitness programs at Reload.
The beauty of using kettlebells in rehab from injury is that they are great for strength training, mobility, flexibility, endurance, and conditioning. With just one or two kettlebells, you have infinite possibilities for workouts – and this makes them the ideal tool for those who are training to recover from injury.
Of course, the most essential element is to ensure that whatever training you do, that it is optimal for you. That’s why here at Reload we always start your journey to your fitness goals with a comprehensive fitness assessment.
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