Fitness Minutes 23: Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Train with Kettlebells!

A Kettlebell is a traditional Russian training tool that has been used since the turn of the century to develop full body conditioning and fitness. A Kettlebell looks like a cannon ball with a handle.  The shape of the Kettlebell allows for unique positioning of the weight directly above your center of mass (unlike a dumbbell or barbell which must be held in front of the body) and allows you to keep your hand and wrists in neutral alignment, which enable for greater endurance and longevity in the core lifts so that you can produce a much higher volume of exercise and thus greater conditioning and fitness.
The benefits of training with kettlebells are numerous and here’s my top 3 reasons why you should train with them!

1. Effective!

Instead of training for your cardio fitness and strength separately, KB training allows you to work on both  at once! You reduce training time and possibly reap twice the results! Since many kettlebell exercises take place with your arms in an overhead position the muscles responsible for assisting the breathing process are engaged in muscular activity, not allowing them to assist in the respiratory process. This forces the muscles most responsible for breathing to play an even larger role in cardio-vascular fitness.

2. Anytime, Anywhere!

At home, at the gym, at the beach or even at the parks! Kettlebells allow you to train anywhere! You need not miss a workout because your gym is closed or because you can’t travel to a fitness facility due to bad weather. I store a couple of KBs in my car and I take them to the local park, beach, outside or inside. KBs also do not require expensive racks; they can be stored in the corner or underneath other equipment.

3. For Power & Endurance

Classic KB exercises cannot be performed slowly and thus develops one’s power-endurance, which differs from strength-endurance. Strength- endurance is your ability to produce force over an extended period of time. Power-endurance adds another time component; power-endurance is your ability to sustain fast muscular contractions over an extended period of time. Power-endurance is usually more beneficial for sport and is also excellent training for fat loss and conditioning. 

* This article is contributed by Mr. Arwan Lumbri ACASP,IFPA,IKFF CKT. You may email him @ arwan@energii.asia

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Health and Energy
 
Hansen Bay
Program Director/ Coach (Mental Skills)
BA P.E. (S'pore) NTU
Dip Hypnotheraphy (USA) NGH,IMDHA,IACT
www.hypnosports.sg
www.vitagefitness.com
"The First Wealth is Health"-Ralph Waldo Emerson