Kettlebell workouts are a great way to mix things up. I personally think kettlebells are pretty fun to use and I like the way they fit in my hand. If you aren’t exactly sure of what they are, they are defined as “a traditional Russian cast iron weight looking somewhat like a cannonball with a handle.” Who doesn’t wanna hold a cannonball with a handle? That’s awesome!
They’re an incredible piece of fitness equipment that are available in a wide variety of weights. There are so many exercises you can do with these. One of my favorites? The Kettlebell swing. It works your entire body – especially your glutes, abs and quads. My butt and abs are almost always sore after I do this exercise.
Kettlebells are for all fitness levels. You don’t have to be advanced to use them but you should definitely check out some YouTube videos to see proper form to prevent injury.
If you haven’t used kettlebells before you might want to start on the lighter side to get a feel for them. Light kettlebells are great for upper body exercises and heavier kettlebells are nice for lower body moves. I tend to like the cast iron kettlebells but they also have vinyl-coated kettlebells in fun, bright colors if that’s more your style.
We have a few cast iron kettlebells and two vinyl-coated ones (one of them is our daughter’s and it’s purple – so cute!). The cast iron has held up really well so I personally stick to those. Vinyl can tear but the colors are nice.
Kettlebell Workouts/Videos to Consider
- Jillian Michaels Shred-It with Weights
- Iron Core Kettlebell
- Absolute Beginners: Kettlebell 3-in-1 with Amy Bento
- The Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout: Awaken the Athlete Within
- Kettlebell Exercise Cards (not a dvd)
One of My Kettlebell Workouts
Kettlebell Workout Featuring 16# DemonBell
Also see: 6 Simple Kettlebell Exercises for Women
Kettlebell Books to Consider
- Kettlebells for Women (includes workouts)
- The Ultimate Kettlebells Workbook
What I love most about kettlebells? They’re perfect to use in your home. They don’t take up much space and you can do so many different exercises with them. If you decide you really love kettlebells you have to check out DemonBells (me with mine pictured above) and Iron Skull Fitness (hubby has two). They’re more expensive but the skull designs are really nice!
Happy kettlebell swinging!
