In ancient times, the kettlebell was an extremely important weapon and form of fighting apparatus. For centuries, it has been in use by the world’s greatest fighting champions. The simple reason for this is that the kettlebell was one of the best tools that allowed a person to train in all sorts of diverse physical strength and muscle group exercises. The ancient Greeks would often use the kettlebell as a form of weight lifting and body building device. Today, the kettlebell is back in the spotlight as one of the most popular exercise items in the health and fitness market.
The kettlebell is simply a heavy cast iron ball with a handles attached to the bottom. It is typically used to do various kinds of exercises, which include arm swings, ballistic movements that combine strength, cardio and flexibility training. A basic kettlebell exercise will involve you swinging the bell from between your legs up to at least chest level, then swinging it again from the same position back down to your legs, and finally swinging it from the hips back to your chest level. This type of exercise works the whole of your body, and therefore perfecting the ability to swing with power, speed and strength. Remember, you are never at the same strength or speed during each of these swings. Eventually, the kettlebell will become one of your favorite pieces of home gym equipment.
One of the most important things to focus on when it comes to developing the ability to swing with power is to get used to lifting the kettlebell with your shoulders and hips. Many people are intimidated by this aspect of exercise, and think that getting the weights overhead will help them to put too much force on their shoulders and hips. But, instead of doing that, what you want to do is to get the weight overhead while at the same time rotating your torso. This makes it easier for you to use your shoulders and hips to swing.
If you haven’t been following a workout routine for quite some time, you may be skeptical about using this type of workout for building muscle. Don’t let that stop you; it is actually easier than you think. In fact, you can even use this type of exercise for your doctor first recommendation! The great thing about kettlebell workouts is that they are extremely effective, and they do not require you to do anything more than set the weights down and hang them on the wall for the workout.
There are many different kinds of lifts you can do with kettlebells, and for each of the lifts you use your muscles are getting stronger. The easiest of these exercises to do is known as the preacher curl. To perform this exercise simply take the weights you have stashed in a heavy bag and stand shoulder-width apart. Next, straighten your arms and place your hands together and make a prayer symbol motion toward your head. Lift your upper body until your shoulder blades are touching and then slowly lower yourself down to a seated, straight position.
Next, perform the exercise by lifting your one hand to a high position and slowly lowering it down to just above touching the ground in a slow controlled manner. As you reach the bottom of the movement, tighten your stomach to absorb the extra energy and then return to the starting position. You should now be able to see your one hand on the floor in front of you in a similar position to when you first started. Perform this exercise fifteen times.
Another great exercise that will build up your glutes and help you build strength all over your body is called the cat squat. To perform this exercise simply take a heavy ball or a pair of dumbbells and position them next to your toes. Next, without taking your hands off of the balls or your feet, slowly bend at the hips until your back is straight. From here you should tighten your glutes and gradually allow them to lengthen again. Once fully stretched, return to the starting position and repeat as often as necessary.
These exercises are just a couple of the many you can do to get stronger, add size to your arms, and develop true core strength. They will not only add mass to your physique but they will also add the cardiovascular conditioning needed for running and even walking to your workplace. If you’re looking for a workout that you can do anywhere at anytime, I highly recommend kettlebell training. Not only is it fun to do it is a sure fire way to build up true core strength that you can use for years to come.
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