Benefits of kettlebell workouts
Full-body conditioning
Noticeable results while spending less time in the gym
Increased resistance to injury
The ability to work aerobically and anaerobically simultaneously
Increased endurance
Improved mobility and range of motion
Increased strength without increase of mass
Enhanced performance in athletics and everyday functioning
Major calorie burning
Russian strongmen hoisted them effortlessly as far back as the 1700s, and they have been used for decades to train Soviet special-forces units, but you don’t have to be a body builder or an elite soldier to reap the benefits of kettlebells.
Russian Kettlebell certified instructor Nicole Money works with high school athletes as well as adult men and women of all fitness levels. Money currently has students in their teens as well as their late 60s in her classes at The Edge at Personally Fit in Dayton.
“We have people here who have had knee problems and can’t run any more, and we have people who have had chronic back pain and they can all do it,” Money said. “It’s all about moving correctly. We always say move well and then move often.”
Money, herself, used kettlebell workouts both before and after donating a kidney a few years ago.
Kettlebells are the main focus at The Edge, but there are only a few such specialized facilities in the region — another being Queen City Kettlebell in Cincinnati. But other gyms, particularly CrossFit facilities, incorporate kettlebells in their workout regimens.
“It is one of the most effective forms of fitness, but it is really important that people learn to do it the right way,” Money said. “Kettlebells are truly a specialty.”
Kettlebell basics
Kettlebells are cannonball-shaped weights with a single handle on top. The Edge has kettlebells ranging in weight from 12 to 106 pounds. Kettlebell workouts, however, aren’t simply a matter of weight lifting.
“It is anything but just weight lifting,” Money said. “It’s a great cardiovascular workout, and it’s strength-building. And it’s very efficient, you can get a well-rounded intense workout in 40-45 minutes.”
It’s not simply about lifting the kettlebell, it is about moving with the weight. You don’t just use your arms — on the contrary. The workout relies heavily on engaging the core and legs. It works multiple muscle groups, burns body fat and builds power. It also helps improve balance.
In Hardstyle Kettlebell (RKC), the basic exercises are the deadlift, the swing, the squat, the clean, the press, the snatch and the Turkish Get Up. Each one has several variations and levels.
And despite the use of weights, kettlebell exercisers don’t get bulky. They are, most often, lean and toned.
Kettlebell benefits
“I am in the best shape I have ever been in, strengthwise and muscl wise,” Kettering resident Diane Householder said. “I actually have muscle definition, I don’t have the bat wings that some old ladies get,” she said with a smile.
Householder, 55, is not a fitness newcomer. She has worked with a personal trainer, worked out in a traditional fitness facility and participated in aerobics and Jazzercise classes, but kettlebells have led to greater results than anything else she has tried. In addition to her toned arms, she has also noticed a “trimmed down muffin top” and was told after a recent bone scan that she has “great bones.”
Research conducted by the American Council on Exercise analyzed the energy cost and exercise intensity of kettlebell workouts. They found that participants burned approximately 20 calories per minute or 1,200 calories per hour.
Miamisburg resident Melissa Young knows firsthand what that calorie burning equates to.
“We call her the incredible shrinking woman,” Money said.
Young, 49, has gone down three clothing sizes since she started using kettlebells two years ago.
“I don’t mind spending money on clothes,” Young said. “And I have more energy than I’ve ever had. I also had acid reflux, and that isn’t a problem any more.”
Kettlebell progression
When Householder started working out with kettlebells two years ago, she used a 25-pound weight, she is now up to 45 pounds.
“One of the things that most appealed to me about kettlebells was that this is a progressive system,” Money said. “Much like martial arts, there is always another step.”
That progression also keeps participants from getting bored.
“Every class is different,” Young said. “It’s never the same class twice.”
The instructor and students agreed that the specialized nature of kettlebell workouts should not be a deterrent for first timers. As added encouragement, the first class at The Edge is free.
“I meet people where they are, and if you aren’t an athlete, we baby step into it,” Money said. “I really encourage people to go at their own pace. It’s not a competition.”
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