Add a kettlebell to your workout and get these 5 benefits in return

Originating from Russia and now popular in multiple geographies, kettlebells are cast iron weights ranging from 2 kgs to over 50 kgs. These weights are shaped like a ball with a handle providing an easy grip.

Kettlebells facilitate a broad range of dynamic movements that help with endurance, strength, balance, agility and cardio endurance. The base movement requires you to hold the kettlebell in one or both hands and perform a variety of exercises ranging from goblet squats, lunge press to Russian twist. The exercises using kettlebells get the heart rate up as they engage multiple muscle groups at the same time in the body.

So, to implore you to include kettlebell in your workout, we present 5 reasons highlighting how this exercise equipment will be advantageous to your fitness regime: 

1. Burns calories quickly as it combines strength training and cardio

This equipment requires practicing ballistic movements that combine strength, cardio, and flexibility training providing a full body workout. Kettlebells give resistance through its weight while doing squats or twists, thereby helping you build strength and fulfilling the cardio requirements and the dynamism improves range of motions and burns fat. In fact, a study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) observed that on an average, a person could burn around 20 calories per minute during a standard kettlebell workout.

2. Improves functional strength

Functional strength increases as kettlebell exercises engage multiple muscle groups that supplement performing everyday tasks that require core and back strength. The fluid swinging movements required to be performed using this equipment helps with aligning posture and improving balance.

3. Protects against back injuries

Kettlebell exercises train the body in eccentric deceleration, leading to a healthier and stronger body that can ward off injuries. Several back related injuries can be avoided using kettlebell swings as they increase lower back strength, thereby enhancing the body’s ability to effectively respond to an outside force colliding with it.

4. Portability

Kettlebells are small and just two of them are enough for training the entire body. Their size and shape make them easy to store and carry along if required.

5. Adds variety to workouts

Kettlebell can be used to perform a wide range of movements targeting every muscle group in the body. Exercises consist of swings, twists and pulls, movements that are missing in other forms of workouts. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that various movements require you to change the weight from one hand to another as you swing the kettlebell or move laterally.

Therefore, try adding kettlebell to your workout as this portable equipment makes exercising dynamic and swift.