When most people picture kettlebells they usually think of their weight-lifting machines. While those are very useful and popular kettlebells help you do many more kinds of lifts than machines do. Kettlebells were originally created in the late 1800’s by Ida Rolf, a big strong kettle bell handler who was looking for ways to make kettlebells stronger. She was using them for exercises at the University of Glasgow when she was studying engineering.
Kettlebells are an ancient strength and conditioning device. The kettlebell is basically a cast iron or steel ball with a handle on top. It’s used to do a variety of exercises, the most common of which include ballistic movements that combine power, flexibility and strength training. There are a number of benefits to be had from kettlebell workout, including fat burning, increased stamina and strength, muscle development and of course, fat loss.
One of the primary kettlebell exercises that you will perform with these tools is known as the Russian Twist. This exercise is done by first holding the ball between your legs with one arm locked out above the other arm curled at the elbow joint. You then have to twist the arms simultaneously while keeping the body in a straight line. The movement must be done from the floor to standing in one arm, then to standing in the other arm before finally returning to the starting position.
Another excellent kettlebell exercise is the double swing. To begin this exercise, you take a standard barbell and grip it tightly at the handles with both hands. Next, you will bend your knees and hips so that you are almost facing away from the stretch. You will then bend again at the waist, forcing the hips to move back to their original positions. You will repeat this process for as long as you can but keep in mind to make sure that your body stays in constant contact with the bar throughout the entire lift.
Now that we’ve covered kettlebells in regards to Russian and American weightlifting, we can move on to how they can benefit you as a home exerciser. The first thing that they teach you is proper form. Most of the sets that you will do in a gym will be performed using the strictest form possible. When using kettlebells, you are given more flexibility and are not limited to the same range of motion as what you would find in a regular gym setting. Instead, you are told to keep the weight close to your body and ensure that your elbows and shoulders remain locked throughout the entire lift.
The second thing that kettlebells can teach you is controlling the distance and being able to maintain proper rhythm within the lifts. A lot of times when a person starts a movement, they tend to rush the rest of the group and do other things. This causes a lack of focus in the person who has started all the movements. By starting each movement slow and staying relaxed, the trainee is able to focus on each movement without being distracted by what everyone else is doing. Once you master the perfect timing of each movement, you can then add other movement into the mix such as the plank position. This can drastically change the way that you look at kettlebell training and how you view the actual sport.
The last thing that kettlebells can teach you is how to perform two very important exercises. The single arm overhead press and the double arm overhead press have long been thought to be among the most difficult exercises to execute correctly. With kettlebells, however, you will learn how to execute these two exercises in a completely safe manner that even a beginner will be able to do. The best part about these two exercises is that you can perform them both with a one-arm overhead rack and a two arm overhead rack.
By now you have probably realized how great kettlebells are for any athlete or just someone looking to build muscle in their entire body. By adding the single arm overhead press and the double arm overhead press to your workout routine, you will notice a significant improvement in your overall strength as well as your endurance. If you are looking to improve your fitness level or just want to bulk up a bit, kettlebells are a great way to go. Best of all, they are incredibly safe and easy to use, so there really isn’t anything that you have to do differently.
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