My anti-scientific pros and cons of weights. Kettlebell lifting - advantages and disadvantages

How did this sport become popular?

Literally 100-200 years ago, various circuses traveled around the world. There were a lot of them, and tickets were difficult to get due to high demand.

The circus performers showed a lot of wonderful things. But everyone boasted about their strengths. Yes, it is believed that the first weightlifters appeared in circuses.

To surprise the audience, they did incredible things: they bent horseshoes with their bare hands, lifted several people on a barbell, and broke chains.

The favorite exercise among strongmen was juggling and various heavy exercises with weights.

For example, the Russian “king of weights” could squeeze a 32-kilogram weight 86 times. At the same time, he kept his body perfectly level and swayed.

Kettlebell: features, benefits of exercise, video with kettlebell, selection of exercises, ready-made plan

Kettlebell lifting is a cyclic sports discipline aimed at fulfilling standards with a kettlebell (one or two) for the maximum number of repetitions in a certain time; for men and women there are certain requirements and differences in the weight of the equipment. All exercises are performed standing. The International Kettlebell Lifting Union has 56 federations around the world.

In the power biathlon program for men, kettlebells weighing 16, 24 and 32 kg are used. For power juggling, women and boys from 11 years of age use 8 kg weights.

What's good and what's bad?

This type of sports activity has positive and negative aspects. So, let's look at kettlebell lifting, the pros and cons.

It's bad because:

The weight of the projectile cannot be changed;

Requires strong joints;

There is a high incidence of injuries.

Speaking about kettlebell lifting, its pros and cons, we cannot help but talk about what makes it good:

Develops powerful muscles;

Places low demands on sports equipment;

It can be done anywhere.

These are the pros and cons of kettlebell lifting. Now let's take a closer look at each point of the disadvantages and advantages of this type of training.

In this article I would like to highlight all the pros and cons of kettlebell lifting. Despite its apparent simplicity at first glance, kettlebell lifting is fraught with a treasure trove of benefits for human life. This is an excellent means of healing, both for children and the elderly. It is suitable for both men and the fairer sex. It develops skeletal muscles in parallel with cardiovascular muscles, it fights physical inactivity and excess weight, it is not only useful but also varied and interesting. But there are also plenty of pitfalls in kettlebell lifting. These are mostly banal human prejudices due to ignorance and misunderstanding

. Here are some of them:

• — when doing kettlebell lifting, a person’s growth slows down;
• - the spine is destroyed;
• - the girl will subsequently not be able to give birth;
• - the girl becomes masculine;
• - negatively affects the heart;
• — scoliosis develops, etc.

I can assure you this is complete nonsense.

. If a person says such things, then he is simply not in the subject.

Over time, having gained experience in training various sports and teaching, a desire arose to compare all the PROS and CONS in kettlebell lifting. Weigh all the advantages and disadvantages on the scales of “JUSTICE”.

ADVANTAGES:

• - Economical
  - you don’t need to invest a lot of money doing kettlebell lifting, all you need are weights, weights, a belt and a couple of replacement T-shirts.
• - Functional
  - you will gain phenomenal performance, which will be useful to you in all occasions in life.
• — Losing weight
  – you will get rid of excess weight and gain a slim figure.
• — Diversity
  – kettlebell lifting includes not only working with kettlebells in the gym, but also many other areas. Everything related to increasing endurance can be applied to kettlebell training. Cross-country skiing, running, martial arts, team sports, as well as strength training with a barbell in the gym, crossfit. Kettlebell workouts are varied and interesting.
• - Does not require investment in sports nutrition
  - there is no need to spend a lot of money on sports nutrition (creatine, protein, amino acids). Everything you need is on your table. Well, if only a few multivitamins for recovery.
• — There is no dependence on anabolic steroids
  - kettlebell lifting is the “cleanest” in terms of prohibited drugs, unlike other strength sports. It is not directly dependent on the tablets eaten or injected solutions. You don’t have to constantly look for “miracle” pills in pursuit of results. They don't operate there. Your diligence, patience and willpower will be your dope.
• - There is no connection to the gym
  - if a bodybuilder needs complex equipment for training, which is very fashionable now, then for a weightlifter a kettlebell replaces an entire gym. The kettlebell is a universal apparatus and a universal means of training strength and endurance. Therefore, you can train at home if for some reason you don’t get to the gym, or throw a couple of weights in the trunk of your car and train in a hotel when you’re on a business trip.
• - There is no attachment to food
  - when doing kettlebell lifting, you will not be a “maniac” in food. You don’t have to think about protein supplements every two hours; you don’t have to fill your stomach to capacity after training to close the protein window. You don’t have to think about food during the day like an antediluvian dinosaur. Naturally, a competent approach to balanced nutrition is necessary, but there is no need to take it to the point of absurdity. Turning eating into hard work is out of the question. Moreover, training on an empty stomach with weights is more comfortable than on a full one.
• — Universal
  – the acquired skills and functionality in kettlebell lifting will allow you to demonstrate yourself at a high level in other sports. You won’t fall flat on your face if you try your hand at another role.
• - Calms
  - if you are angry, irritable, nervous, your nerves are on edge, you don’t need to take antidepressants, it’s better to take weights and work out. You will gain peace and tranquility. Those who practice weights are calm and balanced. As high-class athletes say, after a ten-minute push, all the negativity comes out of you and you feel great.
• — Creative approach
  - to improve your results, you will constantly come up with something new in your training, include new exercises and modes of their execution, invent, as athletes say, new “tricks” in technique, individual and suitable only for you. For example, by placing the kettlebell at a different angle, you will notice that it becomes easier for you, and this will primarily give you an increase in results.
• - Feeling of flight
  - after a properly conducted workout, there is a feeling of lightness throughout the body, a feeling that you are soaring in the air. The resulting fatigue is comparable to euphoria. As one top-class weightlifter said, “I train for this feeling.” If during the training you accomplished everything that was planned and even more, then pride is added to the euphoria, and you go home with a sense of accomplishment.
• — Non-traumatic
  - compared to other sports, kettlebell lifting is the least traumatic sport. By following certain rules and with the careful supervision of your mentor, the occurrence of injuries can be minimized.
• — Prevention of scoliosis
  – all technical actions in kettlebell lifting, both classical exercises and additional ones, are aimed at strengthening the back muscles. Also, many exercises with weights are corrective to correct posture.

FLAWS:

• — Lack of understanding
  – the main disadvantage of kettlebell lifting is its lack of understanding by other people, but until they themselves take the kettlebells in their hands.
• — There is no intensity of passions
  - kettlebell lifting is not spectacular, that is, it does not catch and fascinate when watching competitions, because the whole struggle takes place inside the athlete. Very rarely at competitions can you see an interesting fight at the limit between athletes with a gap of one point.
• - No look
  - a weight lifter does not look like a giant, cannot boast of a beautiful figure or big biceps (there are, of course, exceptions).
  BUT YOU Agree, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS NOT THE BEAUTIFUL PACKAGING, BUT ITS CONTENTS.

The sports equipment that jitsers love to practice with is the kettlebell. Regardless of where the wrestler lives, in Russia, Moscow, or abroad, if he goes to the gym, he must perform exercises with a kettlebell. Are these exercises really that useful? Let's try to figure it out.

Interview with Master of Sports of Russia Ivan Semchenko

I had the opportunity to talk with Master of Biathlon and Long Cycle Ivan Semchenko. And asked him about what exercises he uses in his training. I won’t distort his words, so I’ll convey verbatim everything he told me...

Additional exercises in the pre-competition period

In the pre-competition preparation period, all the exercises that I use in my training are only with weights (with the exception of abs, hyperextension, squats with a barbell). I train the clean and jerk together every workout.

General physical training with weights. I throw weights like I do in a long circuit; pushing out two weights (from the starting position in the jerk I push the weights out without fixing them, reset them and push them out again, without a rest interval). Walking around the gym with weights in your hands, walking around the gym with one weight above your head (holding the weight like in a snatch). I also do jumping jacks with a weight behind my back, swinging two weights in front of me (you can alternate with throwing the weights to the starting position), bench presses of one weight alternately, and rows of a heavy weight to the chin. I do walking lunges with weights to failure, then I take one weight and immediately do jumping exercises to the limit. I also do the kettlebell snatch with a glove, in a regular work glove, I just select the most slippery part of the kettlebell and snatch it!

Additional exercises after competitions

I do more of the general physical training without weights in the period after the competition. I do a lot of squats with a barbell, lunges with a barbell, deadlifts, deadlifts, rows of the upper block, rows of the lower block, bending with the barbell and bending over the horse (I do a lot of hyperextension) - this concerns the back and legs. I've always had weak hands, so I train them hard. I do the following circular set: first holding the weights (I try to hold them with my fingers), then bending my arms with a reverse grip on the barbell, then walking with weights in my hands around the gym until failure for 3-4 sets. On the shoulders I do a seated dumbbell press, a standing bench press with one dumbbell alternately, a military press and a barbell row to the chin. As well as standing dumbbell raises. For triceps I do arm extensions on a pulley with a rope, French bench press, bench press with a medium grip, arm extension with a dumbbell standing behind the head. I try to combine physical training and vary exercises so that each workout has variety. All this because it becomes psychologically tiring to do the same thing day after day. And diversity increases efficiency and impact! I have 6 workouts a week. A day in the gym, a day of running (I run with 2 kg dumbbells in my hands). At this point, Vanya finished describing his training. I will say that Ivan Semchenko is a master of sports in both biathlon and long cycle. His best results with 32 kg weights: clean and jerk - 101 lifts, total snatch - 115 lifts, clean and jerk - 61 lifts.

Exercises with a kettlebell

Jason S. Brown, CSCS, KBA trans. from English Karina Bushaeva

Critics of kettlebell exercises

speak of this activity as a simple “tribute to sports fashion”, not realizing the true historical importance of such training, and also not knowing the general history of the development of kettlebell lifting and fitness.

I am very aware of the volume of advertising promoting the benefits of kettlebell exercises.

. In some cases, this is a marketing ploy, but there are good reasons for this. Kettlebell exercises have distinct advantages over other training programs in professional fitness and general conditioning programs.

1. Exercises with kettlebells

help increase the athlete's strength. This is probably one of the main reasons why I train with kettlebells! Such classic exercises as “Kettlebell snatch with arms outstretched above the head and push”, “Snatch and push” cannot be performed at a slow pace, they contribute to the development of such qualities as strength endurance and the ability to perform the exercise for a long time. Don't confuse strength endurance with general strength endurance. General strength endurance allows you to generate the force with which you perform an exercise over a long period of time. Another component of strength endurance is the ability to withstand rapid muscle contractions for a long period of time. And although strength endurance and general strength endurance are important qualities that an athlete must have, strength endurance still determines the winner. Strength endurance training is a great way to stay fit and lose weight.

2. Exercises with kettlebells

teach you how to deal with an ever-changing center of gravity. Due to the design of the kettlebell, its center of gravity is 6-8 inches from your hand; this structure replicates the loads that you will encounter in sports or in everyday life. All this will help you achieve good results in sports.

3. Exercises with kettlebells

train forearm muscles and grip strength. Training the forearm muscles and grip strength occurs because the handle of the kettlebell is thicker than that of a barbell or dumbbell. As society moves further away from manual labor, our grip weakens. Kettlebell training will help change this trend. The unique shape of the kettlebell brings one unique component to grip training. It is a combination of dynamic and statistical muscle contractions. This muscle contraction occurs during an attempt to control the change in the movement of the center of gravity of the projectile.

4. Exercises with kettlebells

improve the functioning of the body's cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Many kettlebell exercises have an element where you hold the weight above your head. In this position, the muscles involved in the respiratory process begin to work, not allowing the work of other muscles to interfere with this process. This muscle work activates the most important respiratory muscles, which play an important role in the functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body.

5. Doing exercises with a kettlebell

does not require specially equipped rooms. The fitness industry has now changed a lot, both “externally” and “internally”. At the moment, small halls are better than large ones... their number is growing every day, and so is the profit. All this makes exercises with kettlebells ideal for such conditions. Exercises with a kettlebell take up very little usable space. Kettlebells do not require expensive equipment and can be stored under other equipment.

6. Exercises with kettlebells

will not take up much of your time, and you will be able to pay more attention to studying theory, rest and recovery after training. We all know very well how limited we are in time now. Therefore, a quick and effective warm-up is the order of the day, and kettlebell exercises can give you that.

7. Exercises with kettlebells

combine strength training and cardiovascular training; there is no difference between playing sports and real life.

8. Working out with a kettlebell

, you will never miss a workout. Let us repeat, we all know very well how limited everyone is in time now. But you can train with a kettlebell anywhere: in the park, on the beach, at home or outside.

Today, kettlebell lifting is not as popular as it was decades ago. Modern people prefer gyms and fitness. But there are still avid adherents who recommend kettlebell lifting to everyone. The pros and cons of this type of activity will be discussed in this article.

Ready-made kettlebell lesson plan

“Flying kettlebell” as a sport is still in its infancy. The competition is not great, and you can very well try to become a champion. Inspired? Follow Vyacheslav Borisov's advice. They will help you develop the foundation you need to begin training in strength juggling. By the way, the first five points from this list will also be useful for those who simply want to learn how to technically exercise correctly with a kettlebell, developing a grip with the core and accelerating their metabolism to cosmic speeds.

You've probably already heard about them. This is a swing (aka swing) and a jerk. Without mastering them, moving on to throws is at best useless, and at worst dangerous.

When mastering the swing and jerk, in all phases of the exercise, keep your back straight with a slight bend forward in the lumbar spine

Pay special attention to this from the very beginning. The first thing you might have to do is learn to just squat with a straight back.

When performing a swing and a jerk, during the swing phase, fully extend your knees (at the moment when the weight has already entered between your legs and reached the highest point of amplitude in this part of the exercise). This will make your swing more powerful and, in addition, you will get a couple of moments of respite due to the hanging weight. And when the weight goes back, bend your legs again.

Without refusal

Never lift a kettlebell to failure. Your task is to always perform all movements technically perfectly. At the limit of your strength, you will make mistakes that can become a habit, and then it will be difficult to get rid of them.

Throws

Once you have mastered the swing and jerk, you can try throws. To do this, you make a swing, and in that part of the amplitude where the weight is at the level of your face, release it, twisting the projectile with your hand so that it flies up and not forward, and the weight does at least one full somersault in flight. At first, it is better to catch the weight with the wrong hand with which you throw it.

Looking for a coach

Have you mastered swings, jerks and simple throws? Find a strength juggling coach. This sport should not be taken seriously without supervision. Try asking around about it in the gyms where they do kettlebell lifting.

Like is warmed up with like Before working out with a kettlebell, supplement your warm-up with a simple exercise, with which in 6 minutes you will focus on those muscle groups that are most involved when working with a cast-iron apparatus

Take in your hand (no matter which one) a kettlebell of the weight with which you will train. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, straighten well, straighten your shoulders, tighten your hips, buttocks, core muscles and, maintaining perfect posture, begin to rotate the weight around your torso clockwise, passing it from hand to hand

Increase the speed of rotation so that you feel the centrifugal acceleration of the weight. After a minute, change the direction of rotation - also for a minute. Finished? This is the first warm-up block. Make two more of these and start training.

We offer you a ready-made workout plan with kettlebells: for the upper body, for the lower body, for the abs and for the whole body. If you want to work on muscle mass, then perform no more than 15 repetitions with the maximum possible weight. If you want to work on fat burning and definition, then perform exercises for 15-20 repetitions with a medium weight.

If you set aside one day for kettlebell training and plan to train the whole body, you can perform all the suggested exercises in one approach. If you train the upper and lower body separately, you can perform each exercise in several approaches or repeat the exercises sequentially in several circles.

Kettlebell exercises for the upper body:

• Overhead kettlebell rotation: 15-20 reps
• Kettlebell Press: 10-15 reps (each arm)
• Kettlebell Rows for Back: 10-15 reps (each arm)
• Casting: 10-15 reps (each hand)
• Kettlebell Pull to Chest: 15-20 reps
• Push-ups: 10-20 reps (can be done from the knees)
• Kettlebell pullover for triceps: 10-20 reps

Abdominal exercises with kettlebells:

• Mill: 10-15 reps
• Russian twist with kettlebell for abs: 10-15 reps (each side)
• Horizontal running: 20-25 reps (each side)
• Rotation of the kettlebell around the body: 10-15 repetitions (each direction)
• Abdominal sit-ups: 10-15 reps
• Side plank: 30 seconds (each side)

Kettlebell exercises for the lower body:

• Kettlebell Chest Squat: 10-20 reps
• Squat with legs raised: 15-20 reps
• Single leg deadlift: 10-20 reps
• Back lunges with weights thrown: 10-15 reps (each leg)
• Jump squats: 15-20 reps
• Combo squat: 10-15 reps

Full body kettlebell exercises:

• Kettlebell Squat: 10-15 reps (each arm)
• One-arm kettlebell push: 10-15 reps (each arm)
• Kettlebell deadlift: 10-20 reps
• Swing: 10-20 reps
• Lateral lunge with kettlebell press: 10-15 reps (each leg)
• Squats biceps curl: 10-15 reps
• Turkish get up: 5-7 reps

1. Be sure to warm up before your workout and cool down after your kettlebell workout. When preparing to perform exercises with a kettlebell, the muscles and ligaments should be well warmed up.
2. Choose the weight of the kettlebell based on your strength capabilities: the last repetition in the approach should be performed with maximum effort. You can start training with a 4 kg (for girls) and 8 kg (for men) weights, gradually increasing the weight of the apparatus.
3. If you already have sufficient training experience, then on average the recommended kettlebell weight for men: 16-24 kg, for women: 8-16 kg.
4. During exercises with a kettlebell, keep your back straight and do not slouch. During squats, move your pelvis back to protect your lower back from injury.
5. Try to keep your hands in a neutral position, without any bending. You can use special wrist braces to help you support your joints.
6. Perform each exercise slowly while maintaining complete control. Do not swing the weight and perform exercises quickly and at speed. Proper exercise form is the most important thing in kettlebell training.
7. If you are working on muscle growth, you should not do kettlebell exercises more than once a week. Kettlebell training allows you to develop endurance and explosive muscle strength, which will help move the plateau and provoke muscle growth. But for anabolic training it is better to use dumbbells and a barbell.
8. If you have two kettlebells available, you can perform exercises using both kettlebells at the same time. Please note that in this case the kettlebells must be the same size to avoid imbalance in muscle development. Examples of exercises:

Read more: How to pump up your chest in the gym

How did this sport become popular?

Literally 100-200 years ago, various circuses traveled around the world. There were a lot of them, and tickets were difficult to get due to high demand.

The circus performers showed a lot of wonderful things. But everyone boasted about their strengths. Yes, it is believed that the first weightlifters appeared in circuses.

To surprise the audience, they did incredible things: they bent horseshoes with their bare hands, lifted several people on a barbell, and broke chains.

The favorite exercise among strongmen was juggling and various heavy exercises with weights.

For example, the Russian “king of weights” could squeeze a 32-kilogram weight 86 times. At the same time, he kept his body perfectly level and swayed.

Kettlebell lifting training consists of 4 parts:

1. Warm up. This usually involves running or jumping rope, warming up the joints, and working with light weights.
2. Practicing special exercises with a kettlebell . As a rule, one exercise is selected for each workout: the clean and jerk, the snatch, or the full cycle snatch. Depending on the current task, the athlete works either with heavier kettlebells, but with fewer repetitions, or with lighter ones, performing repetitions with timing.
3. Performing auxiliary exercises. In this block, barbell and dumbbell exercises are performed to improve strength or endurance during competitive lifts, such as deadlifts, barbell squats, standing barbell presses, seated jumping jacks, etc.
4. Hitch. Light running and stretching.

Training is carried out 3-4 times a week, which allows you to work on each competitive exercise in a separate training session. As a rule, training is carried out at a fairly high pace, which allows you to prepare the body for extensive work in special exercises. With a serious approach to training, progress in this sport can be achieved quite quickly, which will affect not only the results of competitive exercises, but also endurance and physical fitness.

So, let’s summarize what are the advantages and benefits of kettlebell lifting.

What does kettlebell lifting develop?

1. Functional capabilities of the body
2. Physical strength
3. Spinal flexibility
4. Strength endurance.

It is probably difficult to give an example of another sport that would allow you to develop your capabilities in such a diverse way. Of course, emerging new trends in fitness are trying to offer something similar, but they do not have such a well-developed methodological basis for constructing training, tested in history. In addition, kettlebell lifting is not as dangerous for the spine and joints as other strength disciplines, since there are no exorbitant weights lifted by athletes.

If you have back problems, read how to strengthen your back muscles.

What's good and what's bad?

This type of sports activity has positive and negative aspects. So, let's look at kettlebell lifting, the pros and cons.

It's bad because:

The weight of the projectile cannot be changed;

Requires strong joints;

There is a high incidence of injuries.

Speaking about kettlebell lifting, its pros and cons, we cannot help but talk about what makes it good:

Develops powerful muscles;

Places low demands on sports equipment;

It can be done anywhere.

These are the pros and cons of kettlebell lifting. Now let's take a closer look at each point of the disadvantages and advantages of this type of training.

Unlike a barbell or dumbbell, a kettlebell cannot be disassembled or reassembled to set the weight that suits you.

The weight is a ball cast from metal with a handle. The most common: 8, 16, 24, 32 kg. And you have to train with them.

This sport is not suitable for people who have weak hands. During the exercises, this part of the body will be tense all the time. If you don't hold the weight, it will immediately fly out of your hand.

Children are not allowed to study

Analyzing kettlebell lifting, the pros and cons of all exercises, it is necessary to note the heavy load on the back.

The spine is quite heavily loaded during all basic movements. In this regard, coaches do not want to take young children to training.

The heavy weight of the kettlebell can harm the proper formation of the skeleton at this age. Therefore, you should not teach your child to lift a weight correctly from an early age.

Frequent twisting of the wrist during exercise may cause noticeable pain in the joints.

It's up to you to decide

Of course, each person must decide for himself what to do and which sport is more suitable.

As in weightlifting, kettlebell lifting has different pros and cons. One of its features is a real result, proven over the years.

Even in those distant times, when bodybuilding or weightlifting did not exist, and weight lifting was a circus entertainment, weights gave men the opportunity to have a strong and athletic body.

The technique of performing kettlebell lifting exercises is much easier to master than in modern bodybuilding, which has several dozen, if not hundreds of different options for pumping up muscles.

The whole gym is in your hands - that's what kettlebells are. The simplicity and simultaneous effectiveness of training with kettlebells allows you to increase physical strength and increase flexibility and endurance.

Most of the exercises have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and all of them allow you to build a powerful and beautiful body, the possibilities of losing fat and building muscle mass are simply amazing.

What muscles are pumped by kettlebell lifting?

Many men are interested in the question: what does kettlebell lifting develop? They are mainly interested in whether a beautiful figure and sculpted muscles will appear. It is believed that in this sport only the muscles of the arms are developed, but this is not so. Equipment can be used to pump up the pectoral and back muscles, legs and deltoids. This needs to be done correctly; there are several rules for pumping up muscles:

1. For the back and upper shoulder girdle – exercises “snatch” and “push”.
2. For the chest muscles - squeeze while lying horizontally or at an angle.
3. For the latissimus dorsi muscles - pull-ups with a kettlebell.
4. For the deltoid muscles, press overhead.
5. For legs - squat or walk with weights on your shoulders.

You can squeeze the load over yourself one by one or at the same time. The alternating approach develops strength, while the simultaneous approach develops endurance. Experienced trainers advise using a jerk that is repeated many times, then the risk of injury is much lower. The basics of kettlebell lifting are training in motor actions and training methods; there are several of them; the trainer selects the methods individually for each athlete.

Among the most popular sports, one of the leading positions is occupied by kettlebell lifting. It has long been known for helping to develop enormous strength, build muscles and improve health. From epics we all know about the power of heroes who lifted huge stones to increase their strength. Working with weights has its pros and cons, you need to know them.

In kettlebell lifting, as in many other areas, almost all muscle groups work to develop endurance and functionality of the body. The deltoid muscles, trapezius, muscles of the back, abdomen, as well as the legs and buttocks are subject to special stress.

Deep muscles also work, which can often be trained under static tension. Often stabilizer muscles work in exercises that use inertia. To lift and jerk a weight, you need the help of the buttocks, quadriceps, and abs in order to throw the projectile by inertia without special involvement of the shoulder muscles.

Kettlebell exercises build strength

Standard kettlebell exercises develop strength and endurance primarily in the lower back, legs, and shoulders.
However, nowadays there are many new exercises and techniques that work all the muscles. Exercises with weights, as a rule, are global; several muscle groups are involved simultaneously, and they are performed continuously for several minutes, with little rest between approaches.

Due to this feature of training with weights, the load on the cardiovascular system is higher than that of traditional weight training in the gym. And this is just great, because in addition we will get cardio training.

The compactness of the weights is proof of our statement that weights are a whole gym in a cast iron ball! They are safe, recommended for rehabilitation, and can improve your physique in a minimum amount of time.

Essence

Exercises with kettlebells involve cycling. The athlete is given a limited time. The goal is to complete as many correct repetitions as possible without dropping the weights (otherwise the cycle ends immediately).

Men compete and practice classical biathlon:

1. Push - taking two weights on the chest and throwing them up until the arms are straightened.
2. Snatch – swing a kettlebell with one hand from a half-squat until your back and legs are straightened with a fixed arm with a kettlebell extended upward. Moreover, you can change your hand only once.

They also have access to a long cycle push: a jerk of two weights, taking the projectiles to the chest and then pushing them up.

Women only perform the snatch.

The exercises involve the muscles of the whole body:

1. Hands : hold and secure weights.
2. Legs : create force for pushing, reduce the load on the spine.
3. Torso : maintain body balance, help maintain a comfortable position for the athlete.

The number and quality of repetitions depends on the correct grip, tempo of execution, distribution of forces, and personal endurance.

Natural movements with a kettlebell

Movements when exercising with weights are natural for a person, and the intensity and inertia of movements in exercises allows you to engage large muscle groups and burn more calories, compared to isolated exercises with a barbell.
Research from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) found that the average person can burn 400 calories in 20 minutes of weight training.

20 minutes - 400 calories = amazing! That's the equivalent of an hour of intense exercise on a stationary bike or doing 450 burpees!

Differences between weights and exercise machines and barbells

So what are the differences between training with kettlebells and training with a machine or barbell?
Simple! The simulators force you to perform isolated exercises in one direction, determined by the design of the simulator. In life, our body and all movements are quite diverse, so you won’t be able to fully develop your body in exercise machines. Dumbbells have limited weight, which is why we are forced to use them to train small muscles.

The barbell, on the contrary, is heavy and cumbersome and does not allow us to perform movements that are natural for our body, with the necessary load, amplitude and intensity.

Working out with kettlebells is not a fad; the significant results that are achieved when working with kettlebells are hard to deny.

As mentioned earlier, kettlebell exercises work your muscles and heart at the same time. But be careful, without introductory training and basic knowledge, this can lead to injury.

Benefits of kettlebell lifting

With due diligence, regular training and compliance with safety measures, working with heavy weights will make a person resistant to heavy loads and strong.

• Economical . You don't need a lot of space or expensive equipment to train. All you need is sportswear, a small platform and the weights themselves. Wraps or wristbands are also useful to protect the wrists and knee joints, and a belt to protect the back. Suitable shoes are special weightlifting shoes or regular sneakers. If you can’t go to the gym, you can work with weights at home.
• Stealth and tranquility . Kettlebell lifting classes are practically silent - there are almost no sudden movements, and there is also no visible tension. No special training is required - there is no bulky equipment, you just need to put the weights in front of you and warm up your muscles and tendons. Having completed the exercise and putting the heavy iron aside, the athlete feels a surge of lightness: gradual and methodical execution of the exercises relieves stress and adds a sense of peace.
• Thinking training . Kettlebell lifting develops not only endurance, but also willpower. The main difficulty in most exercises is moral weakness. While holding weights in your hands, you need to fight the temptation to throw the equipment and maintain self-control. Athletes learn to plan and calculate time - how much to rest, when and for how long to work with weights, so as not to become exhausted and not drop the iron from their hands at the wrong moment or “cool down” due to a long break.
• Versatility . Working with kettlebells is perfect for anyone who wants to combine different sports. Strengthening the tendons and coordinated strength load on all the muscles of the body will be an excellent addition to training in fighting and wrestling disciplines, weightlifting and (partially) athletics. Diligent and constant improvement of results will allow a person to develop stamina and endurance in 2-3 years of regular exercise, as well as receive a sports rank or even the title of master of sports.
• Healing and development of the body . Exercises with small weights are used to prevent and correct postural disorders. Working to improve results strengthens the back muscles, makes them mobile, which is useful for a sedentary lifestyle. Training with weights makes a person more resilient – ​​both mentally and physically. The energy supply increases - over time, the body endures an increasing amount of work (not only in sports, but also in work matters). During one session, the body burns a huge amount of calories, which makes kettlebell lifting an excellent way to lose weight.

The main advantages of weights, when used correctly:

• Rapid fat loss and maintenance of tone
• Functional fitness exercises
• Increased stamina
• Strength growth
• Improved coordination
• Reducing the risk of disease
• Normalization of blood pressure/cholesterol levels
• Reducing the risk of osteoporosis
• Stress Reduction
• Minimum inventory costs
• Saving time for classes
• Comprehensive development

Kettlebells are also one of the best tools for rehabilitation after illness or injury.
According to Patrick Roth, MD, neurosurgeon, kettlebells are an ideal tool for treating back pain. They not only strengthen the back, but also improve posture, the shape of the spine and the patient’s self-confidence.

Although, if you are already training with weights, then this is already obvious to you?

Dr. Roth's article can be found here.