5 Kettlebell Workouts For Women To Get In Shape
The kettlebell is fast becoming one of the most popular pieces of gym equipment you can come across, particularly for women. Most women who go for a gym induction with a personal trainer are moved away from the various machines and other instruments and pushed straight towards the kettlebell to work on all their major muscle groups and their body core. It is through the very design of the kettlebell (which dates back as far as 1704 Russia) that it is so incredibly effective.
“A kettlebell is a cast iron ball with a handle attached to the top of it (picture a cannonball with a handle on the top). This design makes kettlebells different from training with dumbbells because the weight of a kettlebell is not distributed evenly, thus creating the need to counter balance and stabilize during your workout.” – bodybuilding.com
Gym owners all over the world are becoming very worried, because it seems that people only need to purchase a few kettlebells in different weights, rather than having to pay for expensive gym memberships anymore! But just how do you use these strange weights? Let’s take a look at five of the best kettlebell workouts for women in particular.
1 – Burn 300 Calories in 15 Minutes
This is the type of language people understand and like to hear. Women in particular tend to use the gym for fat burning purposes rather than muscle building, so burning 300 calories in a quarter of an hour is absolutely amazing. Considering that this particular exercise builds a lot of muscle on top of that, you see why it is so popular. All you need is a kettlebell that is the right weight for you.
“Do a quick dynamic warm-up (1-2 minutes of jumping rope, jacks, or high-knee marches), and then do 1 set of the prescribed number of reps (or time) for each exercise. Move quickly from one move to the next with little rest in between. After you’ve finished the last exercise, rest 1-2 minutes, and then repeat the entire circuit 1 more time for a 15-minute, fat-blasting workout.” – shape.com
2 – Around the Body Pass
The around the body pass move is really good because it strengthens so much of your inner core and center. It is very important to keep your hips as still as possible with this particular workout, so that you really focus on that core, by doing this move 10 times in each direction.
“Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your torso and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Release the kettlebell into your right hand and move both arms behind your back. Grab the bell with your left hand and bring it back to the front (completing a full circle around your body).” – womenshealthmag.com
3 – The Deadlift
Deadlifting sounds like something very frightening that pumped up bodybuilders do. However, it is actually a very well-known and respected move that will help you build strength and muscle definition. Furthermore, it is the type of move that will help you increase the weights you can work with during your workout regime.
“Stand over the kettlebell with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and shift your butt behind you as if sitting down in a high chair. Keep your head aligned with your spine and maintain a flat back.” – oxygenmag.com
You then hinge your hips towards the rear, grabbing the kettlebell. Make sure your heels stay on the floor at all times. Extend your hips, keeping your legs straight, and squeezing your gluten to stand back up. Next, lower the kettlebell back to the ground and repeat. Remember to always keep your back straight as well.
4 – The One Arm Swing
The one arm swing is awesome because it works out your hips and thighs, your core, and your chest and arm muscles. This is a fantastic amount of benefit for a very simple movement! Essentially, all you need to do are squats while extending one arm, alternating the arm that is holding the kettlebell itself. This is one of the exercises that you can really use to push yourself, increasing the number of repetitions that you do or the weights that you use.
“Squat and lower kettlebell straight between the knees; keep your abs tight and chest high. Quickly straighten your legs and thrust your hips forward, creating momentum to help you swing the kettlebell up to chest height. Let the kettlebell free-fall with gravity, then quickly control it as you return to the squat.” – sheknows.com
5 – The Halo
Lastly, there is the halo. This one is specifically designed to target your abs and your back. Although, as stated, most women are more interested in burning fat rather than building muscle, many would often choose to have a nice pack of abs to show off as well. This is exactly what the halo is able to achieve.
“Hold kettlebell upside down by horns with both hands, arms overhead. Keeping shoulders down, chest forward, and abs tight, rotate torso from waist in a circle to the left. Kettlebell should make small, controlled “halos” overhead.” – prevention.com
As you can see, the amount of stuff that can be done with a kettlebell is absolutely amazing. These are but five of the possible exercises, which will give you a full body workout. However, you can do many more exercises as well. One of the great benefits is that, in a relatively short space of time, you can truly work out your entire body, focusing on both fat burning and muscle building – at the same time! This is something that was long believed to be impossible. Although a kettlebell will not sculpt you a bodybuilder’s body, it will help you get rid of the flab and tone you without compromising one of the two first.
A few rules to always bear in mind. Firstly, never carry a weight heavier than you can comfortably manage. Secondly, work with the weight, following rhythmic movements, rather than fighting it. Thirdly, always know your own limits in terms of how much you work out.
