We Tried It: The Iron Truth about Kettlebell Training

I always try to stay on top of the latest fitness trends—not only because it helps me to answer questions from our members and keep our fitness content fresh, but also because I'm a bit of a fitness junky. I like to try new things so that my workouts stay fun, exciting and effective. Kettlebells recently caught my eye, and I can't even tell you how I first heard of them. But then, I kept hearing more and more about them and began to see trainers working with them at the gym, too. I started to watch kettlebell videos on YouTube just for fun—it looked so different and intense—and that led me to researching and writing an article for SparkPeople that explains the benefits and basics of kettlebell training. (If you've never heard of kettlebells or don't know much about them, I suggest starting with that article.)

One thing was clear to me from my research and my interviews with kettlebell experts: Kettlebell training isn't something you can just jump into without the proper instruction. As a fitness professional, I understand a great deal about how the body works and how to move in a safe and effective manner, but kettlebell training looked so different and unusual to me, that I knew I had to learn about it directly from a true expert if I was going to do it right. So that's exactly what I did!

I gathered a couple of my co-workers who were also eager to try kettlebells, and we met up with Henry Marshall, a NSCA-certified personal trainer and IKFF- and AOS-certified kettlebell trainer for an hour-long workout at HealthStyle Fitness club in Cincinnati. This was our first time trying kettlebells. Want to hear what we thought about it (and see the short video we filmed during our session)?



This video (below) shows just a sampling of the moves that we learned and practiced during our workout. It gives a good idea of what kettlebell training is like. Notice how we squat deeply (all the way to the floor), lock out our knee and elbow joints during the movements, and harness momentum—techniques that most fitness professionals avoid during traditional workouts because of their potential injury risk. That's a big reason why you should always get expert instruction and oversight when you begin exercising with kettlebells.


If you have trouble viewing this video here, please click here to see it on YouTube.

Overall, here is what each of us thought about our first kettlebell workout:

Paul tried a 16-kilogram (35-pound) kettlebell. He said, "I loved it, and it was very difficult! I'm pretty active—I do weight training 4 or 5 days a week, and I do cardio like running and boxing/wrestling, too. Still, I found my first workout with kettlebells to be pretty challenging. There is a lot to coordinate and think about when you're doing the moves, which involve your whole body. I was pretty sore for a couple days—especially my hamstrings and, strangely, the arches of me feet were a little sore even during the workout. I would say kettlebells would be very good for people who want to switch up their workouts to something more full-body, and/or something that involves a little more thought, skill or coordination. I definitely think you wouldn't get bored doing kettlebells!"

Tim used a 16-kilogram bell, too. "I have to say I really enjoyed the workout—it was both challenging and fun," he commented. "This full-body workout combined strength training, cardio, anaerobic activity and coordination. The different movements allow you to work muscles you wouldn't normally use, which meant that I was sore for a few days following it! I consider myself an active person; I lift weights and do some type of cardio about 5 days a week (running, sports, hiking, biking etc). I'm the kind of person who loves to mix up my workouts and find new ways to stay active and kettlebells seems like a great additional 'change of pace' workout to add to the routine!"

My Take: I LOVED the kettlebell workout! I am hooked! I worked out with a 12-kilogram (about 26 pound) bell to start, and near the end that become too difficult and I had to drop down to the next level they had available (8 kilograms or about 18 pounds). I knew that kettlebells were supposed to combine strength training and cardio into one workout, so I wore my heart rate monitor during the workout and my heart rate was way up—near the top of my aerobic range (80% to 85%) during most of the workout. It was intense! I was dripping with sweat and I felt tired as if I worked out much longer. But at the same time, it flew by because it was so fun and different.

I loved how kettlebells train your muscles (strength training) and your heart (cardio) in a single workout—it's like multitasking! I'd liken it to other mind-body exercise, like Pilates or yoga, because you have to focus so intently on the task at hand. You are coordinating so many parts of your body at once that you really have to pay attention and think about what's going on to do the move safely and correctly. Some people like a mindless workout where they can distract themselves for an hour, but I like a mindful workout where you focus on what you're doing. To me, it was like a sort of meditation—other thoughts don't creep in because you're so "in the moment" during the workout. But beyond that, it was just a great workout. I used my body in new ways and felt really strong and accomplished by the end.

I was sore for a few days afterward—especially in my hamstrings, butt, inner thighs and lower back (in a good way). Since our workout with Henry, I've purchased my own 20-pound kettlebell and I've been practicing what I learned at home once or twice a week, as well as trying out some of the kettlebell DVDs that are on the market. I highly recommend learning directly from a kettlebell professional before you try it on your own, but I do plan to review some of these home fitness products in future blog entries.

Thanks again to HealthStyle Fitness and Henry Marshall for the great kettlebell experience!



Are you interested in kettlebell training? Have you tried it yourself or seen others use kettlebells?



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