Kettlebell Training Basics

Kettlebell Training Basics

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Kettlebell training has now been well proven to work and it is an effective weight training system that was first developed by the Russians in order to improve athletic performance. Sports science has now proven it works to improve strength and endurance as well as developing more explosive power when playing sport.

It is strongly advised that when starting kettlebell training for the first time you should already have at least some experience of traditional exercise and have some strength and some fitness that you can call on. You will need to borrow or purchase kettlebells and have a light kettlebell as well as a medium and a heavy kettlebell with around 10-25 lbs for women and 15-35 lbs for men.

As usual your workout should start with a ten-minute cardio warm up that you could do on a stationary bike or a stair-master. You should then perform the following movements straight after each other with only a 30 to 60 second rest between movements. You should start with a light kettlebell to see how strong you are, as you try to rest as little as possible between sets.

Modified Turkish Get Up

This movement starts by lying down and holding a light kettlebell in your right hand with that arm fully extended straight over your shoulder with a locked elbow. You then look up at the weight while raising yourself up onto your left elbow while bending the right knee. You then lower back down from this position the same way with the arm holding the kettlebell still fully extended until you're all the way down and lying on the floor to repeat this 8 times before you switch sides.

Kettlebell Swing

Hold a heavy or light kettlebell in both hands with your legs hip-width apart. You then squat down while at the same time swinging the weight between your legs, making sure that you shift the weight onto your heels. You also need to make sure that you always manage to keep your torso upright and your abs braced. When you get to the bottom of this movement you then thrust upwards through the hips. This thrusting upwards uses the power in your lower body in order to bring the weight up to the level of your hips. You would then slowly bring the weight back where you started the movement and then repeat for 16 reps.

One Arm Swing

This is the third exercise and you should start feeling it and begin to breathe faster. You start the one arm swing by holding a kettlebell in one hand with your feet about the same distance apart as your hips. Keeping you balance by using the hand with no weight in it to keep balanced. You then squat down taking the weight between your legs and then swing the weight to about shoulder level and complete 8 times and then repeat.

Front Squat

You should do this movement with a medium kettlebell if you have as you hold the weight in the "rack" position, which is shoulder height with your elbow bent, using the other arm with no weight for balance. You then squat to get your thighs parallel to the floor always keeping your knees behind the front of your toes while using your abs and back in order to always keep your body stable. You then push deeply into the heels thrusting your hips upwards, using all the explosive power in your lower body to go back to the starting position. Repeat for 16 reps and switch sides.

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