Written by Abbey D’Costa
Looking for a new activity to mix up your exercise regimen? You might want to try a kettle bell. A kettle bell is a ball with a handle attached on the top. Kettle bell training has proven to be an effective workout regardless if you are a beginner or at a more advanced fitness level.
Kettle bells have been around since the 1700’s. Nearly every exercise with the kettle bell uses multiple muscles and provides a full body workout. Lifting the ball helps strengthen your upper body and also helps work your core because it also focuses on improving your balance.
To get started, choose a kettle bell of an appropriate weight that will insure proper form. As you feel more comfortable and are ready for a challenge, you can add additional reps and eventually increase the weight. ACE recommends that women start with eight to fifteen pounds and men begin with fifteen to twenty-five pounds.
John Porcari, PhD of the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, published a study that can be found in ACE Fitness Matters involving ten men and women between the ages of 29-46. The participants performed a typical kettle bell workout by doing kettle bell swinging and lift exercises to a certain rhythm during a twenty minute period. All participants were experienced with the use of kettle bells.
The participants’ fitness levels were measured before and during the workout by measuring heart rate and oxygen consumption.
The results showed that the average participant burned 20 calories per minute during the kettle bell workout, which equates to 400 calories during a 20 minute kettle bell workout.
A popular beginner’s exercise is a two arm swing. With feet a little wider than the shoulder, place the kettle bell in front of you. Reach down with both hands and grab the bell’s handle. Stand up with your arms hanging in front of your body. With knees bent, push the bell back between your legs and use momentum to swing it up to chest level.
Traditional weight training exercises such as rows and presses can also be used with a kettle bell.
With any exercise, if not done properly, injuries can result. Elbow tendonitis and strained wrists have been reported with kettle bell use.
If you don’t have a great deal of time, but want to get a great workout in, kettle bells are the perfect fit.
References
Schnettler, Chad, Porcari, John, Foster, Carly, and Anders, Mark,
“Kettlebells: Twice the Results in Half the Time?”
January/February 2010 http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/kettlebells012010.pdf.
You could be right. It’s not always simple seeing what the end result is supposed to be though and it’s very easy to lose your way.