Saturday, May 25, 2013

Fitness Tip of the Day: Saturday Something New --Kettlebell workout


I discovered kettlebell workouts maybe about a year ago.  I didn't actually have a kettlebell, so I did the workout using a dumbbell.  In December I finally went out and bought one, and I love it.  The original workout I did was a Shred It video put out my Jillian Michaels.  Bob Harper also has some awesome kettlebell workouts in his Inside Out Method videos.  

Instead of using a dumbbell, I love the idea of using a 1/2 or full gallon milk bottle filled with water or sand.  You can vary the amount that you put inside, you just have to be careful about the contents moving around inside the bottle as you swing it around--I'd suggest going with a full 1/2 gallon bottle if a full gallon bottle is too heavy.  My kettlebell is 10 pounds.

I found this great beginner workout from Fitness Blender.  The thing you have to remember when you swing and lift the kettlebell, it shouldn't feel heavy and it shouldn't feel like your arms are doing the lifting.  The lift should come from the legs and momentum.  The key factor to this workout is control.  You need to use your body and muscles to control the movement of the kettlebell.

I would suggest doing a longer warm up and then finish with a cool down and stretch.

I've included links to a couple of articles that explain the concept and background of kettlebell training.

http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/exercising-with-kettlebells

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/kettlebells-smart-replacement-dumbbells


Beginner Kettlebell Workout

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