Training and Workouts

10 Minute Kettlebell Workout For A Total Body Workout

September 27, 2015

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Kettlebelle Exercises

The kettlebell is one of my favorite workout tools to use.You can strengthen every muscle from head to toe, becoming stronger and leaner in a short time. When you use the kettlebell, you also engage your core the entire time(My favorite fact!)

Here are three reasons you should be adding this to your workouts…

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1. You’ll have an easier time performing daily activities
Working out with a kettlebell is the definition of what fitness pros call a “functional” workout. That means it works your muscles in the same way as when you do everyday activities, like picking up a toddler, carrying your laptop bag, hoisting a gallon of milk, or lugging a heavy grocery bag. If swinging a weight around instead of holding it in your hand like a dumbbell seems intimidating, think of it like a heavier version of your purse, which carries the weight on the end of its strap.

2. You’ll fire up more muscles
One of the biggest mistakes novices make with kettlebell training is not taking a session or two with a certified trainer. The trainer can help you to learn proper form as well as be more creative with the movements. Sure, you can hold the weight in front of your chest as you do squats or lunges or use it to do arm curls, but if that’s all you do, you’ll be missing out on all the incredible three-dimensional movements it’s made for—and the effects those exercises can have on your body.

One major difference between traditional weights and kettlebells is that while you try to avoid “cheating” by using momentum in everyday dumbbell moves, kettlebells are all about creating—and controlling—momentum. By swinging the bell in different patterns, and then controlling the momentum to change directions, you tap into big powerhouse muscles (like your legs and butt) and smaller stability muscles (like your abs) throughout the workout. If you’re looking for inspiration and instruction, book a couple of sessions with a qualified instructor or buy a kettlebell workout book or DVD. Make sure you start off with a total-body warm-up. Getting the blood flowing to your muscles is essential for any workout, but more than ever when you’re swinging an iron ball around.

You also might like: HIIT For Beginners

3. You’ll lose more weight in less time
Kettlebell Workouts can tighten and tone your whole body, but the dynamic all-muscles-on-deck movements also burn a heck of a lot of calories—on par with running a 6-minute mile, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin‚ La Crosse, who evaluated the energy output of a typical kettlebell session. In their tests, exercisers burned about 20 calories a minute, or 400 in a 20-minute session.