With so many fads sweeping the fitness world, it can be hard to figure out which workouts will give you the best results, and which workouts are just making you feel a little better by exerting some effort without really making you work for it. For some people, kettlebell workouts seem like a new trend, but they are actually one of the original pieces of equipment that have been used in strength and body building.
There are several practical advantages that come into play with kettlebell workouts:
• Kettlebells are versatile and allow for a full range of muscle exertion
• This piece of equipment is very portable and does not take up a lot of room, so you can do exercises anywhere
• Kettlebells can be used to do traditional free weight exercises, but also allow dynamic instead of static movements
• Form is a big focus with this equipment, which means that you will get a more complete tone across the body
• Kettlebells offer resistance in both flexion and release, and this requires mental focus and body awareness for control
• Exercises challenge all the muscles in the body, even if you appearing to work a specific set of muscles.
Adding Oomph With Kettlebell Workouts
The most obvious feature that makes a kettlebell so versatile is the handle, and this can give you the ability to quickly change grip positions and intensify the number of muscles you are building. A regular military press is working your shoulders, chest, and arms on a single plane, since the motion is straight up and down. When you vary this exercise with a kettlebell, you get a press twist.
This not only works the upper body, but also the obliques and the quads. As a result, you gain power throughout the body with the explosive twist and press, while still building your shoulders. As you return to start, you also have to focus on the controlled release, and this further works the biceps and triceps, as well as your coordination and mental focus.
Although many traditional exercises like pushups and rows can be ramped up with the addition of a kettlebell, there are also workouts that focus specifically on the added control of momentum that a kettlebell adds. Many of the swinging exercises will do this, since you have to focus on the swing up and on the return to start. What most athletes find, is that they go into kettlebell workouts with a better sense of focus and body awareness.
Working Out The Psyche
This ultra sharp mind-body connection not only affects how intensely muscles are worked, but also how dedicated you are to completing your workouts. The kettlebell commands attention, and your benefit is that you start to pay attention to where you might be compensating, how you may not be fully engaged in your workout, and also gives you a better understanding of your body mechanics. When you start to use your minds to understand where the power of a punch or jump is really coming from, you can also work smarter as well as harder. For overall focus, and a more complete full body workout, kettlebells can be the answer to pull you out of average and get you back on the fast track to fitness.