Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor Pavel Tsatsouline developed a kettlebell workout that raises the heart rate, burns fat and develops highly toned, useful muscle strength throughout your entire body. Popular in Eastern Europe for several years, kettlebells are cast-iron balls with grip handles at the tops. They range in weight from 2 to more than 100 lbs. Beginners should start with a weight that will not strain muscles -- this is a serious, full-body workout -- and perform the motions slowly. If you seek a trainer, find one with the initials RKC or AKC after their names, which stand for Russian or American Kettlebell Certified.
Types
Kettlebell exercises include multiple forms of a variety of movements that each have a similar foundation. Each focuses on using different parts of the body in each repetition for core and limb strength. Some of the types of kettlebell exercises include swings, cleans, presses, snatches, windmills, flipping and throws. RKC trainer Josh Hanagarne reports at World's Strongest Librarian that Tsatsouline recommends beginners can get an workout with the basic swing and the Turkish Get-Up, a press exercise. Add in the basic clean when you develop your core strength, but before moving onto other intermediate exercises.
Swings
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Lower you glutes toward the floor in order to allow the legs to stabilize your body. Grab the kettlebell off the floor by the handle and swing it up to chest height. Swing it down between your legs and back up to the chest. Repeat by swinging back down between the legs and up again. Do this for 12 minutes twice a week.
Turkish Get-Up
The Turkish Get-Up works the entire body. This isn't an easy exercise, but it targets core strength and developing the shoulders and arms for later, more involved workouts. Lie supine with one leg bent, holding the kettlebell in the air over your chest. Stand up, using the bent leg, keeping the elbows locked to hold the kettlebell over your head. Once you stand straight, step back down, reversing the same motion you used to get up, to lie supine. Repeat this twice a week on different days than your swings for five minutes each time.
Basic Clean
Kettleball trainers Craig Fingrutd and Izzy Barish explain this swing variation on their training site, Kettlebell Works. Perform a swing with one arm. As the arm raises up to the chest, continue the motion by bending the elbow and bringing the kettlebell up by your shoulder, centered with the chest. As your elbow bends, turn your wrist vertically in order to avoid smacking yourself with the kettlebell. Keep a continuous straight line from elbow to knuckles. Once you've used kettlebells for a few weeks, you can replace the basic swing with a basic clean 12 minutes a day twice a week until you're ready for intermediate exercises.
References
- World's Strongest Librarian; Kettlebell Routines For Beginners; Josh Hanagarne RKC; August 2010
- Kettlebell Works; Kettlebell Cleans; Craig Fingrutd RKC, AKC, MKC and Izzy Barish AKC
- World's Strongest Librarian; Kettlebell Squats – Variations and Efficiency; Josh Hanagarne; February 2010
- Dragon Door: Pavel's Biography
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