Kettlebells are awesome. Used correctly, they’re a seriously amazing training tool. They can offer a huge array of training variety, they are easy to carry and store, they can be used to train all of the muscles in the body and they’re available in a wide range of weights, so there’s a kettlebell for every need.
In terms of the technical aspects of what makes them so good, you can point to a couple of major plus points over other common resistance training tools…
They’re fantastic for training the posterior chain eccentrically (meaning the muscles contract when they lengthen).
The vast majority of kettlebell exercises (beyond swing and squat variations) are unilateral, meaning they train each side individually.
To many people, that may not mean a great deal. To a personal trainer though, those points are huge. Our muscles contract in a number of different ways. Enabling eccentric contraction across a lot of muscle is a big advantage and kettlebell swings do this better than most exercises.
The second point, the unilateral one is something that is only really shared between kettlebells and dumbbells.
Most barbell exercises and weight training machines use both sides of the body at the same time. Kettlebells and dumbbells (depending on the exercise) force each side to work independently. This means that the stronger side can’t dominate a movement, doing more of the work and leaving the weaker side to stay weaker.
Kettlebell exercises for you to try…
The chances are if you do already use kettlebells, you’re probably performing swings. You might be doing squats as well. The purpose of this article is to inspire you to switch things up a little bit. Here’s 5 exercises that you may not have done before, but will add an extra dimension to your kettlebell workouts…
Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean
The double kettlebell hang clean is a great way of generating power through the upper back. It also distributes the load across two sides, so it’s truly unilateral. It’s a strong hinge movement and helps to train the back, core and shoulders effectively.
Single Arm Kettlebell Thruster
Thrusters are a great exercise at the bets of times. Add in the single arm element of it and you take the challenge in a whole other direction. By loading one side of the body you force the core to work harder to keep the torso upright and stabilise the spine. It’s a classic all-body movement.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
These are the perfect combination of being functional, challenging and really helpful when it comes to improving knee, hip and back stability. It helps to train the quads and glutes, as well as the lower back. They’re humbling as well, so start with a light weight!
Kettlebell Bulgarian Split Squat
This is an amazing leg exercise - one of the best of them all in my opinion. There’s a few reasons for this, but ultimately it comes down to the unilateral element of the exercise, forcing each side to work independently. It also encourages/allows a greater range of movement at the knee, so can generate extra squat depth over traditional squats.
Single Arm Kettlebell Swings
I’ve no doubt if you’re using kettlebells in your training, you’re probably using them for kettlebell swings. This variation is a less commonly used one, but it’s a great way to exaggerate the eccentric loading nature of the swings. It forces each side to work independently and allows you more volume per side that the traditional swing. It’s a great exercise and uses essentially the same technique, just with additional core engagement thanks to the anti-rotation element required.
Switch Up Your Kettlebell Training With These Exercises
Hopefully you’ve learned a few things here and generated a few new ideas for your kettlebell training going forward. We can get stuck in a dogma with exercise, so every now and then a fresh perspective, a few new ideas and a different approach can work wonders for us.
Add these kettlebell exercises into your routine and see how you get on.
The AdMac Fitness personal training studio is in Bow, E3. We have personal trainers with a range of specialities, so we can offer the ideal personal trainer to help you achieve your goals. For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!