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Benefits of Kettlebells
1. Serious cardio without the boredom of the hamster wheel (treadmill)
2. Functional strength without the monotony of isolated reps
3. Flexibility without long poses
4. Fun and varied, never boring
5. One compact, portable device
6. It’s safe — for any age, shape or size
7. Combines "cardio" and “strength” training
As one of the best kettlebell coaches once said, “life doesn't respect the difference." Try sprinting to catch a train while carrying a heavy package or pushing a stroller, did all that "cardio" training you did in "step class" or on the recumbent bike really help that much?
8. The solution for busy people
Busy people want the biggest bang for the buck. Kettlebells can be the solution to trying to squeeze cardio, strength AND flexibility training in an already overbooked schedule. Because of the intensive nature, the workout duration must be kept short. Best of all, they are so small and portable, training can take place in your bedroom.
9. Greater fat loss
Fat gets the in 3 ways. First, there is the extremely high metabolic cost of throwing the weight around. Second, it’s a strength training workout creating dense muscle mass, which burns calories from fat stores all day long while increasing your resting metabolism. Finally, combine that with the fat burning effects of human growth hormone that is stimulated by these kinds of whole-body, complex movements. There is no better way to burn fat. This is why sprinters have ripped muscles and marathon runners have a skinny look.
10. Very different from dumbbells and barbells
Anyone who has picked up a kettlebell has felt the difference. The off centered weight of a KB recruits more stabilizer muscles and works the targeted muscles through a wider range of motion. It’s because of the off-center design of the KB. Isolation exercises such as those done with dumbbells and barbells do not hit those stabilizing muscles to the same degree.
Very different . . .
“ It’s challenging,” said Pavel Tsatsouline, a kettlebell trainer and former instructor for the Russian special forces who helped introduce kettlebells to the United States. “It challenges the heart, the muscles, everything. You get a workout quickly. But you have to work. You can’t sit and watch CNN and do kettlebells. It feels very liberating. I think people are tired of sitting around like gerbils on machines. ”
—– New York Times, December 2008
