Sometimes we fall into a rut and no matter what we do it just seems as if we are going through the motions and not really gaining any significant benefit from our weight training program. I’ve always had a good selection of dumbbells at home just so that I can play around and work on alternative exercises and see what can help to break through the plateau. Recently I’ve started to experiment incorporating kettlebells into my routine as well. With my background in martial arts and the knowledge that kettlebells are a favorite of martial artists and combat art experts it seemed a logical step for me.
Even if you have no interest in martial arts, it can still help a lot if you want to spice up your workout routine. These exercises will help you to build muscle and burn calories in a very short period of time. Typically kettlebell exercises are done is a cardio program so it benefits overall fitness and endurance while building muscular strength and muscular endurance. Lets look at the benefits for the martial artist:
- It forces the use of more stabilizer muscles that is essential to many punches and kicks as well
- It will help you to get used to absorbing shocks effectively
- It typically takes the target muscle through a bigger range of motion than usual dumbbell or barbell exercises
- It increases joint and ligament strength
- It develops explosive power and
- It helps to build a killer grip
Now you’ll begin to understand why this is a favorite of martial artists and other combat training. But don’t think that it is only limited to this group of people. No, many actors and celebrities is also using it, both men and women. These are versatile training accessories that will help anybody to reduce weight, increase fitness, and increase strength. But what are the specific benefits of kettlebell exercise for everyday use:
- Increase flexibility (a favorite of mine)
- Combine cardio and strength training into a single workout
- A whole body exercise that will strengthen your core and is known for helping with posture and back problems
- It builds greater mobility
- It is easy to learn, and most importantly fun
There are actually endless benefits to kettlebell exercises, but I don’t want to bore you with all the minor points. I think you get the idea by now that it is something that can easily transform a mundane workout routine or become your new favorite type of workout. If you are looking for a great way to burn fat and build muscle in one simple workout, then look no further than a good kettlebell workout.
If you want to learn more about kettlebell workouts then do some research online or be sure to subscribe to my newsletter or the RSS feed from this blog. I’ll have lots of updates in this block and some sample workouts and recommended combination programs in the future.
Lookout for my next post when I’ll be looking at one of my favorite cardio workouts: jump rope. I will tell you why you should try to include this as part of your program and how to gain countless benefits that you never knew about.
Until next time,
Kobus
Tags: benefits of kettlebells, kettlebell, kettlebell program, kettlebell workout, kettlebells
