The use of kettlebells at the gym can be quite intimating for the beginners and usually avoided so we don’t look like an idiot. Today I wanted to cover kettlebell 101 for those of you who are new to the great workout tool. I love kettlebells for numerous reasons and always try to incorporate them into my client’s workouts. Here are just a few reasons why they work well…
1. Diverse and fun
2. Great bang for your buck (meaning you can get some killer workouts in a short period of time)
3. Really helps rev up that metabolism and gets your muscles and nervous system firing.
4. Different than your average dumbbells and just makes your workouts more enjoyable.
I found a great video for kettlebell use on beginners. Take a look.
I really like this video because she is thorough on the proper form and technique to master the sport. I also like how she divides up the upper and lower body parts to cover the entire body. There are some great push/pull exercises in here which I find helpful for tone, definition and strength.
Remember to practice and start LIGHT! The worst thing you can do is start swinging thinking, “Oh, this is super easy, I can go heavier.” I can guarantee that after 10 or so swings you wish you had started lighter. It’s also important to air on the lighter side to prevent lumbar (lower back) injuries and unneeded compression on your joints.
Don’t be hard on yourself and remember to be patient with your process of the use with KB’s.
Now you can walk into the gym and say, “Yeah, I got this.” People will be staring not because you look like an idiot but because they think you look cool swinging something heavy around.