Kettlebells develop endurance, flexibility and functional strength that can be used on the field or in your sport, not just in the gym … they are a great all in one portable gym.
The kettlebells primary purpose is to be used for high repetitions ballistic moves and for developing an efficient Central Nervous System, essential to all athletic endeavours.
This does not eliminate non ballistic moves (Co-concentric) out of training however. Non ballistic training has its place in a well rounded exercise program and must be included.
Ballistic: relating/ characteristic to the motion of objects moving under their own momentum.
A ballistic move involves a burst of muscular activity followed by a phase of relaxation during which the motion of the KB continues.
There are exercises and programs specific to the KB sport ( such as jerks and snatches). Other exercises are more conventional and intended for general fitness.
One doesn’t train so much with sets and reps as in conventional weight training, where one tries to develop maximal strength ( as in power lifting) or produce hypertrophy ( as in bodybuilding) as a focus.
When training kettlebells, we train movement, not just muscles. Therefore a fluid and flowing technique is employed by competitors as it is more efficient.
Co-concentric training: This is the more common way to lift weights or do body weight exercises.
As part of general fitness and sports specific training, non ballistic exercises play an equally important role, and also have to be trained. In this type of exercise, agonist and antagonist muscles work together under constant tension to produce controlled movement.
Concentric: raising ( muscle shortens) phase
Eccentric: lowering ( muscle lengthen) phase
Isometric: static hold
Sport specific training is important, and one can choose from a variety of tools to train with. I do not recommend shunning barbells over kettlebells if they are better suited to an exercise.
Activities such as running , swimming , cycling , rowing, rollerblading , skiing and ball sports are encouraged to develop and maintain all round sports skills. A solid base of kettlebell training will ensure that at any age the athlete will have qualities enabling him to excel at these activities.
What kettlebells are not
Kettlebells are not a magic tool to achieve all your strength and fitness dreams.
There is a lot of misleading hype and far-fetched claims of unrealistic proportions on the internet.
They are not the best suited tool to more common progressive resistance training methods as they come in fixed weight(12, 16, 24 and 32 Kg being the most prevalent weights).
If interest lies in hypertrophy or a rapid max strength increase, kettlebell training shouldn’t be your primary focus and development method.
Remember though that in many cases, added muscular mass will not contribute to improved performance in sports. Improved strength and endurance will.
Maximal strength alone is also of little value if you become fatigued after 10 minutes of play, demonstrating unbalanced athletic qualities.
Be specific as to what your goals are and determine the most appropriate tools to reach your personal goals.
For best results with your kettlebell training, you have to follow kettlebell protocols, not bodybuilding/ power lifting routines or hybrid methods.
It is not just a matter of picking up a kettlebell and start swinging it( as it is often suggested on the internet) that will bring out all its potential benefits.
A sound knowledge of joint mobility, specific warm ups and cool downs, restorative techniques and training regimes is essential to progress steadily and safely.
