This Part 2 of a 2 part article series covering the top 10
reasons kettlebells are relevant fitness tool for almost
any fitness program.
6. Athletic Conditioning : <br><br> a. Kettlebells are
incredibly mobile, much easier to have available while
conditioning or even at skills practice.<br><br> b.
Kettlebells provide valuable variety in conjunction with
speed, agility, endurance, and quickness work. <br><br> c.
Additionally, what athlete couldn't use a little
development of hip drive along with learning to accelerate
and decelerate load?
These are some of my favorite athletic conditioning drill
and kettlbell combinations:
-Two-handed Swing + Hill Sprint <br><br>-Snatch +
Suicides/Ladders <br><br>-Horn Squat and Press + Squat
Thrust with Jump<br><br> -Cleans + Box Agility Drill
7. Strength Development - One of the knocks on kettlebells
has always been that "they are good for conditioning but
poor for strength development." This argument becomes
pretty much a moot point when you run into the likes of
Steve Cotter and Mike Mahler, both of whom are pretty damn
strong guys. Of course, then the argument becomes that it
doesn't transfer. Again, the answer is that it does
transfer. Coach Ken Black was recently here in Phoenix and
did some strongman training. He was easily able to lap a
300 lb stone and flip a 900 lb tire for several reps. Not
too bad for the first time on both implements. By the way,
Ken does the majority of his training with kettlebells.
Are kettlebells going to make you a 600 lb bench presser or
a 1000 lb squatter? Probably not. However, for the
majority of people out there who want to look good "nekkid"
and have a good amount of strength to boot, there is
definitely merit in using kettlebells for strength
training. Given that kettlebells are available for a good
price up to and beyond 105 lbs, most guys will be able find
a bell that provides more than adequate load stimulus.
8. Unilateral Lifting - The traditional programming for
the kettlebell is unilateral. One-arm cleans and snatches
are the basis of a lot of kettlebell work, but that is just
the start. Two of the most compelling reasons for
performing unilateral kettlebell lifts are:
a. The carrying position of the load while performing
press drills allows the shoulder girdle to open up which is
very beneficial in this day and age of shit posture.
Anything you can do to work against a kyphotic upper back
posture is huge.
b. The height at which the kettlebell hand is held when
performing drills such as the single deadlift is perfect
for quick and smooth transitions through a workout. When
performed in a traditional manner, single leg squats or
pistols place a massive demand on the trunk to provide
stability throughout the entire movement.
Want more unilateral movement and trunk stabilization?
Perform some one-arm cleans and snatches using a
kettlebell. You'll have it figured out after just a few
reps. Sure, all these drills can be performed with
dumbbells, but they are definitely enhanced when performed
with kettlebells, enough to warrant their consideration.
9. Easy Grip Strengthening - About 90% of the people who
walk through the door to my facility have the grip strength
of a nine year old girl. The kettlebell is a very
appropriate tool for improving grip strength because the
handle gets incrementally thicker as the weight gets
heavier. This works perfectly. As clients get
progressively stronger, they are challenged with thicker
handles. One of my favorite introductory drills that kills
two birds with one stone is the kettlebell farmer's walk;
simple yet very effective at accomplishing several training
goals at once.
10. Only One Priority - Whether you are a coach or someone
training hard for a particular goal, there is only one
thing that matters - Getting Results. The majority of
trainees with whom I have contact are very novice and the
mere sight of a barbell could send them running out the
door and leave me with an empty pocketbook. In contrast, I
can have clients deadlifting, squatting, pressing, and
sometimes even cleaning or snatching a kettlebell within
one or two sessions. To me the sacrifice of the barbell is
well worth it, not only from the business aspect, but also
because my clients lay down a solid base of good technique
due to the aforementioned benefits of using kettlebells.
Does this mean I have thrown out my barbell? Hell no! It
does mean, however, I have learned a new way to skin a cat.
A faster tool to teach = faster results. And that's what
really matters to me, and to my clients. (Note: Most women
do well starting with a 12 kg/26 lb bell and a somewhat
experienced male could start with a 24 kg/53 lb bell).
Could you and I argue the pros and cons of kettlebell
training until we were both blue in the face? Yes, and we
probably wouldn't come close to a consensus. Do you need
to own as many kettlebells as I do? Probably not. But you
would be ignoring a very valuable training tool if you
didn't at least consider having kettlebells in your
training toolbox. In addition to everything that I have
discussed here, it's a well-documented fact that
kettlebells can help you become bigger, faster, stronger,
and more athletic. I am pretty sure each and every one of
us is looking to develop at least one of those aspects with
our various training programs.
----------------------------------------------------
Troy M. Anderson is the owner of Anderson Training Systems,
LLC,
a fitness coaching business based in Tempe, Arizona.
Troy is often referred to as "the MacGyver of coaching" for
his unique ability to build effective fitness programs
using only
the most basic equipment.
For more articles and instructional video , visit
http://www.andersontrainingsystems.com
Fitness Ain't Pretty-RESULTS ARE!
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