When Gerard Butler needed to buff up for his role as King Leonidas in the film "300," he turned to kettlebells. The weights look like cannonballs with handles attached, and when you exercise with them, you are combining strength training and cardio into a single workout. While kettlebells can be very effective and efficient, they can also be dangerous if not used properly.
Benefits
Kettlebells help you build strength, endurance and balance quickly. An American Council on Exercise-sponsored study published in January 2010 measured the heart rate and oxygen consumption of 10 male and female adults during a 20-minute kettlebell snatch workout. On average, participants burned 272 calories, or 13.6 calories per minute, plus another 6.6 calories per minute from anaerobic effort. According to the researchers, such a workout is equivalent in calories burned to running at a six-minute mile pace or cross country skiing uphill.
Kettlebell Basics
Most kettlebell exercises rely on the momentum of the weights to train your muscles. The kettlebell swing and hip hinge, both simple movements, are the foundation for more complex kettlebell training exercises. To perform a hip hinge, wrap both hand around the handle of a single kettlebell, and let it hang in front of you. Bend your knees slightly and contract your abdominal muscles. Keeping your back straight, push your hips backward as far as you can without rounding your back. Contract your buttocks as you push your hips forward and return to an upright position. Pick up the speed of the hip hinge to build momentum until you're swinging the kettlebell backward through your legs and up in front of you.
Exercising With Kettlebells
Start with an 8- to 15-lb. kettlebell for women or 15- to 25-lb. kettlebell for men. It's always better to start on the lighter end until you've mastered basic technique. Perform deadlifts, single-arm swings and lunges to work your lower body and Turkish half get-ups, rows, shoulder press and pushups to work your upper body. Kettlebell halos will work your core abdominal and lower back muscles.
Safety
If you're new to kettlebell training, get instruction from a qualified instructor with both fitness and kettlebell certifications. Before reaching for heavier weights for a challenge, try adding repetitions to your workout or taking a shorter break between sets. If you're performing 15 repetitions and still need a challenge, try a slightly heavier set of kettlebells. You'll be swinging a heavy weight around as you exercise, so take the time to check that the area is clear of objects or other people. Perform the exercises over a padded surface or surface that won't get damaged should you drop the weight. If you feel the weight slipping during exercise, release it and step backward out of the way.
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