Kettlebells look strange when you don’t know what they’re for, although if nothing else they would make for a pretty good doorstop. However, these strange-shaped weights can work wonders for your fitness and overall wellbeing, and there’s evidence to prove it. According to research, people who did 20-minute kettlebell workouts torched almost 300 calories. Lifting kettlebells is also beneficial for your muscle wellness, helping you to increase that energy expenditure by up to 50%! Kettlebells can also make traditional dumbbell moves more challenging. Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist Jen Ator, author of Shape-Up Shortcuts, explains, ‘Their weight isn’t evenly distributed, so your stabiliser muscles have to work harder.’ So let’s check out a few moves that can benefit from the use of a kettlebell.
1. Around-the-Body Pass: Ator instructs, ‘Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your torso and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Release the kettlebell into your right hand and move both arms behind your back. Grab the bell with your left hand and bring it back to the front (completing a full circle around your body). That’s one rep. Do 10, then switch directions and repeat without stopping to rest.’ Throughout this entire move, make sure you avoid moving your hips and remember to keep your core engaged.
2. Bent Row: ‘Take the kettlebell in your right hand, squat slightly, and bend forward from the hips until your torso is almost parallel with the floor,’ says Ator. ‘Let the kettlebell hang at arm’s length . Keep your torso still as you pull the kettlebell to the side of your chest, elbow close to your side . Lower back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10 to 12, then repeat on the other side.’
3. Dead Lift: You should do 10 to 12 reps of the dead lift to feel the benefits. Ator details, ‘Stand with your feet hip-width apart, the kettlebell on the floor between your feet. Squat down and grab the handle with both hands, keeping your back flat . Brace your abs, squeeze your glutes, and slowly push down into your heels as you stand up, keeping your arms extended.’
4. Figure of Eight: When doing this movement, you should be fluid but also slow and controlled. ‘Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, knees bent into a quarter-squat position, back straight, and chest up,’ Ator outlines. ‘Hold the kettlebell behind your left leg with one arm on each side of your leg . Grab the bell with your left hand and swing it in front of your left leg, between your legs, and behind your right leg . Grab it with your right hand and swing it in front of your right leg, between your legs, then behind your left leg. That’s one rep. Continue for 10 reps.’
5. Half Get-Up: You should aim to do five reps of this move on one side, and then another five on the other. Ator notes, ‘Lie faceup on the floor, legs straight, holding the kettlebell in your right hand straight above your shoulder . Bend your left knee, place your foot on the floor, and prop yourself up on your left arm. Keep the weight directly in line with your shoulder and sit up until your back is straight . Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep.’
6. Swing: This one needs more reps than all the others – 15 at a minimum but you should build up to doing 20. Ator instructs, ‘Grab a kettlebell with both hands and stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Immediately stand and swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height . As the kettlebell begins to arc back down, bend your knees and squat, swinging the kettlebell between your legs . That’s one rep.’ You can do this move without using a weight if you suffer from back problems.