We’ve been using kettlebells for years, long before they became popular and we are still using them long after they have gone out of fashion it seems. For good reason too – they are awesome. When carried out correctly, kettlebell training is the ultimate fat burning and strength building tool and I’m about to tell you why.
We fell in love with kettlebells the moment we used them for the first time many years ago. Nothing had targeted my hamstrings and glutes in such a way not to mention the ache I got in my abs for days afterwards which was insane considering not a single crunch or other abdominal exercise was done. Once I had mastered the kettlebell lifts myself it was time to spread the love to my clients who soon enough shared my love of this highly versatile training tool. So let’s get to the juicy stuff.
1) You burn a ton of calories
When clients come to me with a fat loss goal I love incorporating kettlebell lifts into their routine because of the dynamic nature of kettlebell training. Plus, it’s focus on more compound moves which work the larger muscle groups such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and back muscles. This means you burn more calories in less time which sounds like a pretty awesome combo to me. The ability to move from exercise to exercise with ease because you are not using multiple pieces of equipment allows you to keep intensity high which again will burn more calories.
2) You increase EPOC
EPOC stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. This is essentially the calories your body burns whilst resting and trying to recover and repair from the workout you just had. The more intense the workout, the harder your body has to work to repair itself and get it back to its pre-exercise levels so to speak. This means you burn a greater number of calories when at rest for hours after the workout has finished. #WINNING.
I’m not suggesting every workout should be crazy intense because we need to be smart with our training to ensure we recover between workouts efficiently, so we can continue to progress and NOT get injured. I simply want to highlight this benefit to you, as when supported by good nutrition and effective recovery strategy, it is highly successful.
3) They can be used anywhere
I work with a lot of clients who simply can’t get to the gym as often as they like so I get them to invest in a few kettlebells. This means on days where time is of the essence they can crank out a short but effective full body routine at home. Most gyms have them now of course however if you are like me and enjoy getting outside for a workout sometimes take some with you out in the garden or to the nearest park (‘farmer’s walk’ them there if its not too far 😉 and get the job done – a great way to top up your vitamin D levels too.
4) You can achieve more in less time
As mentioned earlier, the ability to go from exercise to exercise with a quick transition and minimal fuss means you can get a hell of a workout in minimal time. In fact you’ll be surprised at just what can be achieved in as a little as 15-20 minutes using kettlebells with no muscle group going untouched.
5) They target weak areas
The glutes and the hamstrings are often areas of the body that are neglected which is a real shame. Now only are a strong pair of glutes and hamstrings incredibly attractive they are crucial to having a strong foundation and reducing risk of injury to the back and knees for example. Fortunately using kettlebells correctly and mastering the foundation moves such as swing, squat and clean variations targets the glutes and hamstrings perfectly. The extra good news here is that this has a fantastic carry over to other exercise such as barbell squats, deadlifts and running.
So now you know just some of the reasons why we love kettlebell training so much and why its such an effective fat loss tool. This is exactly why we put together our 6 Week Kettlebell Challenge training and nutrition plan. We see far too may circus tricks going on when it comes to using kettlebells and we wanted to bring it back to the basics and get people lifting with safe and effective technique with a structured and progressive training plan which is complimented by a nutrition plan designed to fuel your workouts, optimise recovery and burn body fat. So why not join the hundreds of people who have already purchased the plan and are getting amazing results.
You can get the training program and nutrition plan here or if you would just like to have a go at the training plan you can get that here. Check them out and get in touch with any questions.
Fancy learning kettlebell training in person? Then head over to our awesome Optimal Body Workout in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 3rd September. Last few places left. You can find more information here.
Matt
