Kettlebells

Kettlebells are hugely popular when training with free weights, They are extremely versatile and can help you with your cardio workouts, build strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance all in one. So let’s understand a bit more about these weights, their history, and what workouts you can do with them. 

Kettlebells are free weights that comprise a circular mass of metal and topped with a handle. You hold the kettlebell by its handle and engage in swinging, lifting or pulsing exercises. Their origin is credited to Pavel Tsatsouline, a Soviet Special Forces trainer, who brought it from Belarus to the United States. However, kettlebells have a much longer history, dating back to ancient times. Archaeological evidence from ancient Greek, Chinese, Scottish and German sites have revealed that people would use equipment that resembled the modern-day kettlebell to train their warriors in free weights.  The “Halteres” is considered to be one of the predecessors of the kettlebell use in Ancient Greece.
 

Benefits

Kettlebell workouts can be incredibly beneficial to our bodies. They combine the benefits of both a cardio and a strength workout. Here are some ways in which kettlebells can help you.

1. Muscle toning, without bulking up
   These weights can strengthen your lower back, glutes and thighs while keeping them lean. This is one of the reasons why endurance athletes and track & field athletes love using kettlebells.
2. Burn Fat Fast 
   Studies by the American Council on Exercise show that just one minute of exercise with a kettlebell can help us burn up to 20 calories. This equates to 400 calories for a 20 min workout. 
3. Increase your range of motion and improve your posture
   The swinging and bending motion that kettlebells stimulate, strengthen the whole body making it more flexible and fluid in movement. Kettlebell regular exercises such as the swing will help strengthen your core and lower back muscle groups. Due to its shape and size, the kettlebell will train your muscles differently so you will burn fat faster and improve your posture in a short period of time.  One of the best kettlebell exercises to strengthen lower and upper back muscles is the kettlebell deadlift. Another great exercise for pulling your shoulders back and improve your upper body strength and posture is the kettlebell military press.
4. Grip Strength
   Working out with Kettlebells will help build your grip strength. Training with free weights is perfect for building up your grip strength, however, the kettlebell is in a league of its own. The off-center shape of the weight will challenge your muscles to both hold and stabilize the free weights, so your arms really need to grip the kettlebell tightly. These repetitive movements will lay a strong foundation for your wrist, and forearm strength, eventually developing to powerful grip strength.
5. Full Body Workout
   In addition to your lower back workouts, the kettlebell is extremely versatile and can be used for full-body workouts.  You can build strength everywhere from your legs, arms, pecs, core, shoulders and back. The beauty behind kettlebell workouts is they will engage a wide range of muscle groups in a single workout. 
    

Types of Kettlebells

Our weights come in various forms and sizes:

• Cast iron kettlebells are the most popular weights and are used in home and commercial gyms. We manufacture from the highest quality iron and each bell is made of 100% cast iron and one single piece of iron ore. They’re extremely robust, reliable, and long-lasting made for the toughest environments.
• Competition kettlebells are designed to meet competition standards. They are made from steel and are all identical in size so that you can train with consistent technique as you progress through the weights. Their handles are more porous and absorb chalk better, making the grip more comfortable.
• Rubber-coated kettlebells are made using cast iron ore but are coated with rubber to create a better aesthetic appeal and protect your floor from accidental drops and scratches. 
• Vinyl Coated are cast iron and coated in vinyl material. Designed with an ergonomic handle they are perfect for domestic use since the vinyl coating also prevents scratches on the floor.

At Stronger Wellness, we have all of the above for sale in our store. You can choose from a wide range of weight options according to your needs and level,  such as: The 10kg kettlebell, 12kg kettlebell, 16kg kettlebell,  20kg kettlebell,   24kg kettlebell and more…

Exercises & Workouts 

Want to do a kettlebell workout? Here are 8 excellent exercises you can do: 

• Kettlebell swing – A great way to elevate your heart rate and perfect to improve your posture, balance and lower body strength.
• Kettlebell Goblet Squat – It strengthens glutes & thighs and improves lower-body flexibility.
• Two Arm Military Press – A military press targets both the deltoids in the shoulders, as well as the triceps, it also works the legs and core.
• Russian twist – These improve your flexibility and rotational range in the midriff and core.
• Kettlebell windmill – They help increase your stability in the obliques, while also strengthening your glutes.
• Thrusters- Improve your core strenght and stablity and prepare for a full body workout.
• Deadlifts – A great compound exercise for the strengthening of glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and muscles of the lower and upper back.
• Reverse lunge with the single-arm overhead press – They help increase the flexibility, strength and stability of the frontal and sagittal planes in the body. They also improve balance and posture.