Kettlebell workout: this is how you train correctly with the trend tool

Fitness at home
Kettlebell workout: what you need to know about training with kettlebells

Kettlebells are a practical alternative to “normal” dumbbells. If you want to keep fit and don’t shy away from weights, you should try the kettlebell workout.

© Inger Diederich

If you don’t have space for a weight bench and pull-up bar at home, you should think about kettlebells. The weights with handles are true fitness all-rounders. With personal coach Maximilian Longrée, we clarify the most important questions about smart kettlebells.

More than eleven million Germans were active (or at least paying members) in one of the approximately 10,000 fitness studios or fitness clubs in 2019. Ascending trend. The corona pandemic slowed this positive development. Statista determined that there were only just under ten million members for 2020. Because the studios were closed for many months and some of them are still there, fitness and strength training has shifted to the living room or hobby room at home for many. And that’s good. One of the most versatile tools to at least maintain fitness are kettlebells.

Fitness equipment for the home: fitness coach and author Maximilian Longrée

Maximilian Longrée (39) – Since the end of his professional career as a triathlete, the native of Essen has supported companies and offers after-work fitness courses for employees. In his book “Faster with Strength Training” he devotes himself to the subject of kettlebells, among other things.

© Inger Diederich

In this article we clarify the most important questions about the practical dumbbells with a handle. The basics on the topic and all exercise examples come from the textbook “Faster with Strength Training” by Maximilian Longrée. Here you can contact the book author and personal coach Instagram Follow.

What are kettlebells anyway?

Like many other fitness tools, the kettlebell trend came across the pond to fitness studios in Europe. The weights with handles probably have their origins in Russia in the 18th century. At that time, circus artists performed daring feats with the round dumbbells, made them fly through the air and flex their muscles in the process. In the meantime, kettlebells have become an indispensable part of global weight training. In addition to barbells and dumbbells, they are part of the basic equipment of every fitness studio with an area for free training. There they are then sorted by weight – the lightest weigh 2 kilograms, the heavyweights weigh an impressive 40 kilograms. In between, fitness fans will find almost everything their heart desires and the body is able to do. A 6 kilogram copy is available here.

Which muscles are trained with kettlebells?

Kettlebells are one of the most versatile fitness tools out there. Used correctly, individual muscles, entire muscle groups and muscle chains can be trained in a targeted manner. In addition, kettlebell workouts improve that Strength endurance, as well as the agility, speed and coordination. In short: if you work regularly and properly with kettlebells, you train your whole body. The amazing thing about it: With just one sequence of movements, namely the swinging movement typical of kettlebells, at least seven muscle chains are challenged. In addition to the Calf muscles are they the Hamstring flexors and – straightener, the hips, the Abdominal muscles as well as the Glutes and the Back extensor.

Kettlebell Workout: What’s the Right Weight?

Wrong ambition in kettlebell training – as with most sporting challenges – is rather out of place. However, there is no rule of thumb to find the right weight for you. Beginners in particular should therefore start with smaller kettlebells. You can always top up later. Women who are trying their hand at kettlebell training for the first time use the 6 kg balls. For men, the recommended starting weight is twelve to 16 kilograms. If you have been training your muscles a little longer in the gym, you can also start with eight kilograms (women) and 20 kilograms (men). The increase is then at the earliest after four to six weeks – in steps of two or four kilograms.

Would you like to find out more about fitness equipment at home? Here you will find tips and tricks from Ironman winner and personal coach Maximilian Longrée.

Iron or sand: which kettlebell is the right one?

Ten kilograms is ten kilograms. The famous joke question about the feathers and the iron should be well known. Basically, the question of the material of the kettlebell is more about where the dumbbell is used for training. In gyms there is usually a special floor that can cope with a rough landing of an iron ball. It usually looks different in a rented apartment. So if you don’t necessarily want to train with bare iron, it is best to use a sand-filled variant of the material, for example available here is. This not only protects the laminate or tiles, but also the nerves of the subtenants. A good compromise are kettlebells with a neoprene cover or a textile cover. A variant of this is available here.

Which exercises should kettlebell beginners start with?

Even with a kettlebell workout, the first thing to do is to familiarize yourself with the new training device and to gain a sense of achievement. If you go straight to the limit, you don’t just risk injuries. If demanding exercises do not work right away, there is also the risk that beginners will quickly lose interest. Here are two popular exercises that will help beginners want more.

  1. Deadlift | A classic from weight training. The starting position is the upright stance; the feet are hip-width apart; the kettlebell is right in between. Now the bottom is pushed back and the kettlebell is first lifted a few centimeters with both hands and a straight back. Then slowly straighten up and bend down again with your back straight. The weight does not touch the ground. Beginners should start with 10-16 repetitions per set. It doesn’t have to be more than three sentences with pauses of one minute each to start with. Deadlifts are next to the Back muscles also the Buttocks- and Shoulder muscles trained,
  2. Swing with both arms | Probably the most famous of all kettlebell exercises. The starting position is a little more than hip width, the toes point slightly outwards. Now the knees are bent slightly and the kettlebell is gripped with both hands with the torso bent. Important: The back stays straight. Now the kettlebell is swung with an explosive movement from the hips and maximally tense gluteal muscles to about eye level. The strength must not come from the arms or shoulders, but solely from the hip extension. Keep your arms straight as you swing down. The bottom only goes back when the upper arms touch the upper body during the back swing. Also here are three sets of 10-16 repetitions perfect for getting started.

The exercise examples and basics on the subject of kettlebell workouts come from the book “Faster with strength training” by Maximilian Longrée.

Handy ones are also suitable for further exercises and tips for the first kettlebell workout Training cards with exercise descriptions in text and pictures. A selection with 50 exercises is available available here.

Sources: statista.de, “Faster with strength training” (from Maximilian Longrée)

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