Sponsored Athlete, Ariel Torres
Kettlebells are one of the most versatile and undervalued pieces of equipment, helping you achieve faster fitness with heart-rate spiking benefits similar to that of high intensity interval training – HIIT.
Kettlebell exercises lend themselves effectively to full body workouts, fat burning, building muscle and increasing fitness and will allow you to optimize power, endurance, muscle and strength simultaneously.
Discover our performance supplements to help support your training.
Benefits of Kettlebell Training
The growing popularity of CrossFit® and Strongman are continually driving kettlebell training into the mainstream. The benefits of kettlebell training are exponential, providing a wide range of ways to optimize your training.
Kettlebell training can help you to:
- Simplify Training
Owing to the design, the handle allows for optimal grip to bring simplicity to your workout. Adapting to a range of fitness levels, kettlebell training allows for a range of abilities to train effectively for strength, building muscle, and conditioning.
- Substitute Cardio
Kettlebell workouts feature high rep ranges and activate multiple muscles at once. The intensity is similar to HIIT, helping to improve aerobic fitness – performing a kettlebell workout may help to increase your VO2 max.
- Increase Range of Motion
Kettlebell exercises require movement through multiple planes of motion – swings, presses, carries and more dynamic movements. Kettlebell training helps towards a healthier lower back due to the loading and movement patterns, helping to increase strength and stability.
- Build Posterior Chain Strength
The posterior chain comprises of the muscles on the backside of your body. Kettlebell swings are the best exercise for strengthening your posterior chain as the shape and size of the kettlebell means they will work your muscles differently to barbells and dumbbells.
- Activate and Isolate Muscles
Kettlebell exercises are excellent for targeting specific muscles to build both muscle and mass for optimal training. The exercises can be altered in a variety of different ways which means it’s a lot easier to continually challenge your muscles.
Preparing for a Kettlebell Session
Before beginning any workout, it is important to assess injury risk and ensure you’ve warmed up properly. Kettlebell training is effective in improving stability, however poor form can have adverse effects on the body and may lead to lower back injuries.
An essential position within a kettlebell workout is the rack position. This is often the start and finish positions for presses, so it’s important to make yourself familiar with this position before kettlebell training in order to reduce the risk of injury.
Due to the high intensity of your kettlebell workout, Klean Pre-Workout is excellent for supporting athletic endurance and performance, uniquely designed with 300 mg of nitrates derived from beet root extract, vitamin C and 75mg of organic caffeine (less than an average cup of coffee). Caffeine may help athletes avoid the mid-workout “bonk” by promoting focus, alertness and endurance. Approximately 30 minutes before your workout, mix one scoop with water to fuel your body and enhance athletic performance.‡
