8 Reasons You Need To Try Kettlebells ASAP

Kettlebells have come a long way since someone decided to add a handle to a rusty cannon ball and swing it around for exercise. Not only have Kettlebells come along way to becoming beautiful looking, they are by far one of the best tools that you can have in your home gym tool kit for unlocking the body transformational potential of strength training. 

Unfortunately, many women tend to avoid them (just like the time in the not so distant past when they avoided lifting weights) because they aren't clear on what they are or how to use them to achieve their fitness goals. At BodyRock, we are always trying to level the playing field when it comes to providing women with knowledge and access to the best that the fitness world has to offer, and part of that responsibility is to break down barriers that are often just the result of feeling intimidated about trying something new. Think of this article as a PSA for women who haven’t yet benefited from Kettlebell workouts. We’ve also made picking up your first Kettlebell easier than ever with 50% off the price of our gym quality Kettlebells - exclusively for the people reading this article - use code LIFT50 at checkout here while supplies last. 

Here are 8 reasons why women should make Kettlebells part of their workout routine. 

They will help you achieve a lean-muscle toned, athletic physique. 

The key word to focus on here is lean. Kettlebells do not create bulk, so they won’t make you look like a Russian beet farmer or bodybuilder from using them (nothing against beet farmers, or Russian beet farmers for that matter - it’s just that ‘bulky’ is not a look that most people aspire to). To get a sense of what Kettlebell enthusiasts look like, actresses Jessica Biel and Penelope Cruz are avid Kettlebell users, and multi-talented threat Jennifer Lopez uses them as a staple of her workout routine. It’s been reported that most of our favourite Marvel & DC universe actors use Kettlebells to get in shape for these demanding action roles. 

Kettlebells will help you through your daily physical activities with increased power and endurance.

Working out with your Kettlebell is the textbook definition of ‘functional’ training. What this means is that the Kettlebell exercises activate your muscles in a very similar way that they are engaged when you are doing everyday activities - like picking up a weighty bag of groceries, struggling with an overloaded suitcase, or carrying around a heavy laptop bag. 

If you feel intimidated by the idea of swinging or lifting a Kettlebell, then shift your perspective and think of your Kettlebell as just a heavier version of your purse or work bag - and we know how heavy those can get.

Your Kettlebell will light up all the muscles in your body.

By swinging your Kettlebell along different patterns of motion, and controlling the momentum to change directions, you will be firing up your biggest fat burning powerhouses (like your legs and glutes), and engaging all of your smaller, interknit stabilizer muscles. That’s likely a lot more muscle activation than you are likely getting from your straight bar or dumbbells which will result in better workouts and faster gains towards your fitness and body transformation goals. 

Your Kettlebell will help you lose weight and burn fat faster. 

The Kettlebell is so effective as a toning and fat burning tool, that many trainers agree that if they could only do one exercise for the rest of their life, the Kettlebell swing, by far, would be their first choice. The Kettlebell swing might be the most perfect exercise ever invented.This one move can transform your entire body, and as a strength training, cardio infused move, it can burn upwards of 400 calories in just 20 minutes. That is an epic burn rate in a very short window of time, and because you are strength training, the ‘after-burn’ effect will keep you frying off calories for hours after you finish your last swing. 

The 100 Swing Challenge. 

Looking to give your fitness a shake up and take a few leaps past your current plateau? Start doing 10 swings per day in addition to your regular routine. Add 5 more swings per day, until you build up to 100 swings per day. You can take breaks, but as your strength and confidence improve, you will start to notice that your power does too. Once you experience this boost, it’s likely that your Kettlebell will become your new favourite fitness tool for smashing your body goals. 

You are stronger and more capable than you realize.

Your go-to weight with Dumbbells might be 5-10 lbs, but most coaches that train women with Kettlebells suggest that women start with 20-30 lbs as a light option, and then have a second heavier option that is 30-40 lbs in weight. Most Kettlebell exercises just require one bell, but having a light and heavy, gives you a lot more room and flexibility when it comes to exercise options. If that weight seems like a big increase from your dumbbell weight, don’t worry - you will want to use a heavier weight when all of the power and force comes from your legs and lower body (your largest and most capable fat burning muscles). You can always switch to your light Kettlebell when the exercise focuses on your upper body (which is why coaches recommend you have two available). With the momentum of your swings behind your largest muscle groups, you will be able to handle far more weight than you think can. If a heavier weight still seems intimidating, ask yourself how much trouble you typically have lifting a 40lb toddler. If you can lift a small child up into your arms, you can swing a ‘heavy’ Kettlebell.

Kettlebells are like magic for your core and butt. 

Kettlebells fire up so many muscle groups that your core has to stay engaged 360 degrees to stabilize each movement. This means that working out with a Kettlebell is the most effective core workout that you can do - even when you are focusing on targeting other muscles like your legs, back, arms or butt. The core is always getting hammered, which makes the Kettlebell a must have piece of gear if you are interested in developing visible tone on your stomach. 

Everyone that is capable needs to start doing Kettlebell swings ASAP. This ‘perfect’ exercise simultaneously firms your abdominals and glutes with every swing. ‘Yoga bum’ is a popular expression that refers to the tight and shapely shape your butt gets from practicing yoga. There is a similar expression for Kettlebell butt known as ‘shelf butt’ or ‘shelf booty’, which refers to the incredible lift and toning Kettlebells deliver to your glutes. 

We hope that you’ve learned a thing or two about what makes Kettlebell training such an opportunity for women (and people in general). To help you pick up your first Kettlebell, we currently have them on for a whopping 50% off (use code LIFT50 at checkout). This offer is exclusively for readers of this article, and will be available as long as supplies last.

Our gym quality Kettlebells are available now for 50% off here (use code LIFT50 at checkout for an automatic 50% savings.