11 of the Best Kettlebell Exercises to Build Muscle
It mightn’t look like much, but take it from us: the kettlebell is your ticket to faster fitness. Packing the same weighty punch as dumbbells, and well-suited to the heart rate-spiking benefits of HIIT, these cannonball-shaped weights develop power, endurance, muscle and strength simultaneously for heavyweight results.
Even today, the kettlebell is underused and undervalued by most of the gym-going community, but don’t let that fool you. As MH hero Arnold Schwarzenegger says, ‘The muscle doesn’t see what you’re holding in your hands. And since they’re compact, adaptable and versatile, the kettlebell is an ideal bit of kit for the home workout warrior.
Ready to add this tool to your armoury? We run through the benefits of training with a kettlebell, reveal the most effective kettlebell exercises and workouts to burn fat, build muscle and increase fitness, and share our cast-iron recommendations for the best kettlebells on the market. Let’s get to work.
Kettlebell Workouts Will: Simplify Your Training
Owing to their design, kettlebells are one of the easiest weights to move around during your workout and can be stored away easily, from your car boot to your garden shed or garage. “You don’t need anything more than one kettlebell in combination with your body weight to effectively train for strength, build muscle and conditioning,” says online coach and personal trainer Tom Morgan. They’re adaptable to your strength and fitness levels, too. Fitness brands such as Rogue and Bulldog stock kettlebells that vary in weights and sizes — from 4kg in weight all the way up to a whopping 68kg.
Kettlebell Workouts Will: Substitute Cardio
Usually, kettlebell workouts feature a high-rep range, meaning that multiple muscles are worked at once. If kept at a consistent pace, they can offer similar aerobic benefits to HIIT training. During a 2010 study, participants performing a 20-minute kettlebell snatch workout were found to burn 13.6 calories a minute, equivalent to “running a 6-minute mile pace”. Similarly, by performing kettlebell circuits three times a week, you’ll pump up your VO2 max by 6 per cent in just under a month, according to the NSCA’s TSAC Report.
Kettlebell Workouts Will: Build Posterior Chain Strength
Exercises like kettlebell swings can help increase your heart rate and burn extra fat muscle, but when it comes to building strength throughout your posterior chain – the muscles on the backside of the body – they really come into their own. Plus, the shape and size means they’ll work your muscles differently from barbells and dumbbells. “Kettlebells are best for swinging to develop your posterior chain,” says Rob Blair, PT at The Commando Temple. “As these are your body’s biggest muscles, you’ll also torch calories.”
Kettlebell Workouts Will: Train You to Move Better
Kettlebells are an incredibly useful tool for those looking to build their base of strength and mobility, so if you’re struggling with your barbell back squat, for example, utilising the kettlebell goblet squat is a good way of practising proper form with a safer exercise that can then be upgraded as your strength increases. “Kettlebells give you the opportunity to move athletically with additional resistance from a variety of angles and more challenging positions,” explains Jon Lewis, a personal trainer with fitness outlet Industrial Strength.
Kettlebell Workouts Will: Increase Your Range of Motion
Most kettlebell exercises require you to move through multiple planes of motion – from swings, presses and carries to more dynamic movements, where a dumbbell or barbell may be more difficult to use. ‘When you don’t have a barbell to throw a load of weight onto, you have an opportunity to move through larger ranges,’ says Morgan. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research also found that kettlebell training contributes to a healthier lower back, owing to the loading and movement patterns.
Kettlebell Workouts Will: Fix Muscle Imbalances
Many kettlebell exercises are unilateral, meaning you use a single arm or leg. “This gives you the chance to train both sides equally, rather than relying on your stronger side to get through a movement,” says Morgan. “It can help to address your weaknesses and make you stronger overall.” Training one limb at a time also has a beneficial effect on your balance, he continues. “You’re forced to stabilise yourself to manage the movement. For example, pressing overhead with one arm forces you to stabilise through your trunk.”
source: menshealth