When you look around Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, you’ll see that our gym is chock-full of workout options. From machines and free weights to classes and climbing walls, you’ll find whatever you need at AFAC to reach your fitness goals.
Sometimes, however, it’s tough to know where to start. While machines are great for improving your form and measuring your progress, free weights also have their own advantages. Unlike machines that give you a fixed range of motion, free weights allow you to move in any direction you please, forcing you to work against gravity and use your stabilizer muscles to stay steady.
One of the most popular free weight options at our Thornton gym is kettlebells. If you’re not familiar with these free weights and all the advantages they offer, read on to learn more. You can also ask anyone on the AFAC staff for assistance.
What is a Kettlebell?
A kettlebell is a free weight that’s made of cast iron or steel. With its round cannonball base, flat bottom, and arched handle, the kettlebell resembles a teapot without a spout and thus earned its name.
Due to the way they’re constructed, kettlebells can be picked up from the top and swung, thrown, and moved in hundreds of different ways.
Where did Kettlebells come from?
While their history is murky, kettlebells are believed to have originated in Russia about 350 years ago. The Russian word for kettlebell is “girya.” Initially used as counterweights to measure out dry goods on market scales, kettlebells were also thrown for entertainment and lifted for building muscles.
Other cultures throughout history have used weights that are similar to kettlebells, including the Scottish, Chinese, Romans, and ancient Greeks.
In 1900, Dr. Vladislav Krayevsky founded the St. Petersburg Weightlifting Society, which led to the birth of weightlifting as a sport in Russia. A pioneer in the creation of the modern fitness gym, Dr. Krayevsky also authored “The Development of Physical Strength with Kettlebells and without Kettlebells.” By 1948, kettlebell lifting became the National Sport of the Soviet Union.
Today, Kettlebell Sport Lifting is the National Sport of Russia. Kettlebells have caught on in the United States, as well, with the FBI and Secret Service incorporating kettlebells into their training programs. Likewise, celebrities such as Jessica Biel, Sylvester Stallone, Matthew McConaughey, and Vanessa Hudgens have touted their use of kettlebells to strengthen and tone. And worldwide, exercising with kettlebells has emerged as a popular way to enhance cardiovascular fitness, lose weight, and get stronger, more sculpted muscles.
What is a pood?
As you become familiar with kettlebells, you’ll probably hear the term “pood.” Dating back to the 12th century, a pood is a measure of weight used by Russians. One pood equals 36.11 pounds or 16.38 kilograms. In Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, kettlebells are still weighed in poods.
What is the difference between Kettlebells and Dumbells?
Both kettlebells and dumbbells are excellent tools for exercise and fitness training, but there are some distinctions in design that set kettlebells apart from their dumbbell counterparts. Kettlebells are known as the “freest of free weights” because:
- Kettlebells have a wide space between the handle and the weight. Dumbbells, however, have the weight and the handle in one line.
- You can hold a kettlebell in a neutral position so that the weight is distributed evenly throughout your hand and arm. With dumbbells, the weight is focused on your hand and wrist.
- You can do a higher number of repetitions with a kettlebell before your forearm muscles get too fatigued. This is due to the neutral position of the kettlebell.
- The kettlebell’s weight is positioned away from the hand, which allows for swinging movements and other full-body workouts. Barbells are mainly used to exercise isolated muscle groups like the biceps or triceps.
- The shape of a kettlebell allows you to hold it in different ways, which means you can switch up your workout and make it more challenging with the same kettlebell. For example, you can hold the kettlebell by its handle, on the sides, or on the bottom. Dumbbells are typically only held from the center bar.
- You have a greater range of motion with a kettlebell which allows you to do many exercises that are not possible with dumbbells. This means better flexibility and mobility for you in the long run.
- Kettlebell exercises are said to burn more calories than traditional weightlifting exercises. One study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) said that kettlebell training can burn up to 20 calories per minute.
What are the benefits of training with Kettlebells?
While it’s clear that kettlebells have become a popular fitness tool, many people still hesitate to use them, perhaps because they don’t understand the many benefits that come with kettlebell training. Are kettlebells really effective, they ask? What can kettlebells do for me? Here are some answers.
Kettlebells are a one-stop-shop workout tool for all fitness levels.
Kettlebells can enhance the four main aspects of fitness — strength, cardiovascular, flexibility, and balance — and are used by beginners, professional athletes, and everyone in between.
Kettlebells improve core strength and stabilization.
Because kettlebells can be swung and manipulated in so many directions, they require your core muscles to control to the acceleration and deceleration of the weight. These constant adjustments work out the abdominal and other core muscles incredibly well.
Kettlebells improve grip strength.
When you think about it, grip strength is vitally important in weight training and in life. A stronger grip means a stronger you. If you work out with kettlebells consistently, your grip strength will improve because the kettlebell forces your forearms, wrists, and fingers to work hard to control the kettlebell as you exercise.
Kettlebells are safe and effective.
Compared to bench presses, barbell squats, and deadlifts, kettlebell exercises are considered safer on your joints and spine.
Kettlebells enhance coordination and balance.
As you swing a kettlebell side-to-side, between your legs, and above your head, you must be focused both mentally and physically. This focus on dynamic movement will improve your coordination and balance.
Kettlebells are great for cardio, too.
Using a lightweight kettlebell for a high-rep, high-intensity workout provides an effective way to improve cardiovascular health.
Kettlebells increase range of motion, mobility, and flexibility.
Because they require you to move through several planes of motion while controlling the weight, kettlebells will help you increase your range as well as your joint stability and strength.
Kettlebells are fun to use and offer variety.
Compared to machines that give you a predictable, controlled workout, kettlebell exercises require you to be more mindful and involved in what you’re doing. Kettlebell training exercises are also extremely versatile and can be used in many different workouts like HIIT, circuit training, mobility training, and more. Long story short, you won’t get bored with kettlebells.
Learn more
While kettlebells offer many benefits, not every gym offers them. Thankfully, Adventure Fitness Athletic Club has a range of kettlebells onsite for our members to use. We also have a friendly, experienced staff to help you incorporate kettlebells into your workout. It’s no wonder why we’re considered the best gym in the Thornton area! Call us or visit our front desk for assistance with kettlebells or any of our other workout equipment. You can also call Susan at 720-849-0245 or email her at susan@adventurefitness.club.
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