Benefits
Kettlebells are a tool, and a tool can only be most effective if used properly in conjunction with a good training program, and clear definite objectives.
A good program should be a comprehensive holistic system that develops strength in several ways, fitness, co-ordination, flexibility, joint health and overall athletic abilities. Kettlebell training can offer all these benefits.
Like in sports and most of our daily activities, when training with kettlebells we stand on our feet, developing the ability to push, pull, swing and throw through a full range of directions, while generating and controlling force from the ground up.
Properly executed, full range of motion kettlebell exercises are essentially the functional expression of human and muscular anatomy under a load.
Kettlebell conditioning uses compound, full body exercises. This type of training involves the whole body, developing functional qualities because one has to stabilize a weight in all 3 planes of direction at the same time. More muscles are being used simultaneously, having a great positive effect on the neuromuscular system (Strength is related to how good your nervous system communicates with your muscles, not solely on your muscle mass), and the endocrine system.The repetitive explosive strength drills also target both the skeleto-muscular and cardio-vascular system.
Specific details proper to kettlebells
When swinging a kettlebell, the centre of gravity shifts through some of the lifts (the design of the kettlebell has its centre of gravity not resting in your hand but in front of it) and generate extra forces that the body has to compensate in order to stabilize itself and maintain balance.
Swinging the Kettlebell increases back resilience, developing the posterior chain of muscles, while maximizing one’s own anaerobic threshold and cardio-respiratory efficiency. The entire hip complex is utilized every single time you swing the kettlebell. Meaning that all muscle groups in the glutes, inner and outer thighs, abdominals and lower back are trained at once. Not to mention the mid and upper back, shoulders and forearms.
Ballistic kettlebell drills provide an intense load to the hips and posterior chain. Very similar to the vertical leap, this motion transfers to many athletic skills such as jumping, running and throwing. Strengthening the hips will add power and stability to your training and carry over into your daily life.
Also, ballistic drills teach the body how to generate and transfer power from the legs to the arms. An essential skill for any athlete!
While traditional weight training moves heavy resistance through a linear path (either a push or a pull), kettlebells involve training with moderate weights through multi plans of motion, rotational loading and full lockouts, all of which contribute to joint health, and injury prevention. Our daily movements naturally include these components, yet they are mostly left out of conventional training programs.
The traction forces (generated by swinging the bell) on the joints increase the production of synovial fluid, the joints own lubricant and forces nutrition into the joints. This lubricant is essential to joint longevity and health, helping to absorb shocks.
As with any resistance training, muscle, bone and connective tissues are also strengthened. ”Voluminous work of moderate intensity is required to strengthen the tendons, joints and ligaments ”(Verkhoshansky 1985, programming and organization of training).
These structures develop at a slower rate than muscle, which can lead to injuries if people rush to lift too heavy too soon or do a maximal effort on the playing field before their bodies are ready for it.
Kettlebell training will progressively and safely get your body ready to lift heavier weights, as the goal is not to see how heavy a bell you can lift at your next workout, but involves high repetitions of dynamic exercises.
Explosive strength/ Power is the strength quality most relevant to athletic endeavors. Kettlebell training develops a hybrid strength quality: Power endurance.
Kettlebell workouts improve body composition, tending to shape lean, athletic bodies. No outrageous muscular hypertrophy here, so athletes who have to stay a certain weight class and ladies need not to worry.
Being non conventional, training with kettlebells is challenging and fun. Juggling kettlebells and various lift develops eye to hand coordination. A lot of the drills involve unilateral exercises, which relate directly to sports.
Finally, kettlebells also teach you to keep going when the going gets tough, strengthening your will power.
The body as one unit
“The human body is one unit, one complete system. It works that way and likes to be trained that way.
When strength is acquired in ways that do not correspond to the patterns in which it is intended to actually be used ( such as isolation of body parts, restricted range of motion, not training in multi-planes of direction), the neuromuscular aspects of training have not been considered.”( Rippetoe & Kilgore 2007, Starting strength)
This leaves the body prone to potential injuries because of the too many weak links in its chain.
Sports involve rapid changes of directions and tempo, stressful positions and loading under rotational forces. If you have never trained in that way and slowly increased your resistance threshold, your joints and sinews will have less likely chances to withstand such forces.
It is the main difference between functional (Athletic) and non functional (Aesthetic) strength training.
Safely swinging a kettlebell overhead doesn’t allow the mind to wander from the exercise, therefore helping to establish a good mind to muscle connection, the importance of which is often neglected today. It is commonly accepted to train mindlessly while reading a magazine or watching a screen.
Needless to say, training this way does not maximize potential benefits.
Train smart for maximal results!
