They say first impressions last the longest. In the case
of kettlebells, my first impression was way off. I was
formally introduced to kettlebells about three years ago by
my colleague Josh Henkin during one of our weekend training
sessions. My wife got hooked on them and almost
immediately started looking for them on eBay. To say I was
a little hesitant about kettlebells would be an
understatement. As a matter of fact, when I learned that
she had purchased a pair of 12 kg kettlebells, I believe my
comment was something like, "You can do the exact same
thing with dumbbells."
My how things have changed. I now have at least 10
kettlebells in my facility and will probably add a few more
in the relatively near future. I also drag around another
six or so in my truck for my outdoor fitness camps. I'm
sure some of you are thinking that I have gone and drunk
the proverbial kool-aid.
No, what actually happened was I realized two things.
1. All of the best coaches that I know use them for many
different types of clients. Whether they're coaching for
athletic development, fat-loss, powerlifting or
hypertrophy, you will likely see kettlebells being used
during some portion of a training day. There must be some
merit to the implement if all those guys use them with
their clients.
2. As a coach and businessman, I can't afford to ignore
such a versatile implement. I have a limited amount of
square footage and a limited budget so it is important for
me to invest in equipment that I can get a lot out of in a
small amount of space.
In other words, kettlebells are just too big a deal and too
good a tool to ignore. Whether you are a fitness
competitor or a powerlifter, there are many reasons you
should at least consider kettlebells. These are my top 10:
1. Pound for pound they are the best piece of home
equipment you can purchase. Not nearly as expensive, and
they take up a helluva a lot less space than the "clothes
hanger" err... treadmill many of you have. For a modest
investment, you can get a kettlebell, an instructional DVD,
and probably one or two sessions with a local instructor -
a much more effective start to a fitness program than "some
assembly required."
2. Price Point - They say duplication is the highest form
of flattery. Well, that must be true in the case of
kettlebells. It used to be that you could only get
kettlebells at Dragon Door. Now there are no fewer than a
half-dozen other distributors out there. Are they all the
same quality bell? No, but if you do a little research and
ask around, you can find out who is selling the best bell
at the best price.
3. Instant Feedback Loop - One of the keys to coaching is
having the client/athlete understand the difference between
proper and improper technique. With the kettlebell, drills
such as cleans and snatches provide clients/athletes with
instant feedback. The way the kettlebell falls gives them
a not so subtle reminder of their improper technique, and
after a workout or two, they won't have any trouble with
the technique at all.
4. Teach Olympic Lifts Fast - The bane of teaching Olympic
lifting has always been that the lifts are difficult to
teach. Kettlebells make an excellent segue. Not only can
you teach variants of the Olympic lifts but things can be
taken back a notch farther. One of the first things you
learn, even in the most basic kettlebell drills, is hip
drive.
5. Great for Fat-Loss - I don't know if there is a better,
more easily learned drill than a two-handed kettlebell
swing. There are so many different complexes available
that the opportunities for ass-kicking fat-loss work are
endless. If you could do only one drill, this is it
because what you need for fat-loss is to move a load for as
long as possible. That's exactly what kettlebells allow
you to do and you can add some speed as well.
----------------------------------------------------
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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