Millions of people around the world are looking for exercises that can enhance their strength and fitness. While running, cycling, swimming, and aerobics are effective, sometimes changing a routine is necessary to get a mental break and to avoid plateau. A kettlebell cardio workout may be what you need in order to accomplish your fitness goals.
Kettlebell workouts have grown quite a bit in popularity in recent years. They focus on building both strength and stamina. All you need to get started is: well, you guessed it, a kettlebell.
The origin of the kettlebell dates back almost three centuries ago in Russia. It wasn’t until 1948 however until kettlebell lifting was made into a sport. A kettlebell is made up of cast iron that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. The handles are grasped firmly so the kettlebell can be swung or lifted. While being used as a sport, it was later utilized for military training as well as mixed martial arts.
You can get a number health benefits from this cardio workout. For one, swinging kettlebells would help build strength. A very fundamental movement in this exercise involves swinging the kettlebell from a half-squat position, then using glutes and thighs to propel the body upward. Even a few repetition of this exercise can lead to muscle development throughout several areas of the body. Doing a high number of repetitions and exercises without taking a break will get your heart rate up and burn a lot of calories. Moreover, the movements also will help strengthen your core muscles.
Kettlebell routines can be considered intense because you are moving around while carrying some weight. The kettlebell cardio workout has been praised by many runners and sprinters who experienced an increase of as much as 30% in their speed. What’s also nice is that you can choose a kettlebell weight that works for you, and increase it over time as you get stronger.
For the average person, a kettlebell workout is used as a cardio exercise or as a part of circuit training. You can do various other exercises for strength or cardio training, while lifting kettlebells in between. Once you stick with a routine for a few weeks or month, you just might be surprised at how effective it is.
While using as an actual kettlebell is recommended, you can use a hand weight as a substitute. There are various kettlebell exercise DVDs that you can purchase.