The Best Piece of Home Fitness Equipment EVER!
Home fitness has been growing rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Human beings are going to work out. Now the only place they can do it is at home. Many people have created home gyms doing their best to stay consistent with their exercise routine. When making a home gym, you quickly realize that there is only so much room for equipment and or realize that fitness equipment is expensive. You want a piece of equipment that is effective, versatile, and weather-resistant but does not take up too much space. Enter the kettlebell. I would like to make my case on why the kettlebell is the best piece of equipment you can buy for your home gym.
One reason is that the kettlebell has stood the test of time. Kettlebell training has been around for centuries. Kettlebells originated in Russia as a means of measuring items sold at markets. Over time they became a popular training tool for soldiers. Kettlebell training has spread from Russia and is now used all over the world. There is no doubt that the kettlebell works. It’s not a gimmicky piece of equipment; it’s just a piece of metal, a blank canvas.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci
The quote above expresses my feelings on why the kettlebell is the best piece of equipment for a home gym. There is an endless amount of training options. The only limit to training is the limit of your imagination. It’s a ball of metal with a handle, and that’s it. It’s sturdy and takes up little space. In my opinion, it meets all the criteria listed above for home equipment. Another aspect of kettlebell training that I find enjoyable is the skill aspect of kettlebell training. Many exercises are rigid movements. They stay in one plane of motion, and there is no rhythm or fluidity component. There is absolutely a time and place for those movements. Still, there is also more to physical performance and fitness than named exercises. The kettlebell allows you to build on fundamental skills. It enables you to combine movements into complexes or “flows” of exercises. I would like to highlight several examples of the variety of ways you can use a kettlebell in your workout routine and get results. Here are some bread and butter exercises that are staples in any kettlebell training program.
The Kettlebell Swing. One of the most well-known exercises. There are endless variations, but here is the “hardstyle” kettlebell swing. This exercise can be used to develop power in the lower body and can be a useful conditioning tool. This exercise targets the hamstrings and glutes. These muscles are essential for many athletic movements and for filling out the jeans.
The Kettlebell Press. A proven upper body exercise that can develop the musculature of the shoulders and can increase strength. Due to the shape and handle of the kettlebell, the shoulder can move freely, which is joint-friendly and allows for variety. Here are two variations of the kettlebell press.
The kettlebell goblet squat is a terrific way to develop the muscles of the lower body without adding undue stress on the spine. There is an added benefit to the upper body and trunk musculature to hold the kettlebell. It is not going to make your biceps grow two inches but do 25 goblet squats and see how your arms and the rest of your body feels.
Due to the simplicity of the kettlebell, it is easy to do different squat variations. One of my favorite squatting variations in the split squat.; a great exercise to develop the muscles of the lower body and that has good carryover to athletic performance.
The next fundamental movement is the kettlebell row. Rows are useful for developing the musculature of the back and a good bang for your buck exercise. Here are a couple of different variations.
As mentioned earlier, kettlebells provide the opportunity for endless applications of their use. The only limit is the imagination of the person using the tool. Here are a few “alternative” methods of using kettlebells. These movements add more skill, rhythm, and fluidity that add a new training stimulus and help keep your training fun and exciting.
The kettlebell overhead throw is an exercise to develop power with the kettlebell. Power is force times velocity. If you are throwing an object as high as you can, you need to use as much force as quickly as you can.
As mentioned earlier, there are an endless amount of options when it comes to doing Kettlebell Swings. Here is the “Stepback” Kettlebell swing. Stepping back with reach rep increases the complexity of the movement. Small tweaks or variations in exercises allow for new chances for your body to adapt and new tools in your training toolbox so that your workouts never get boring.
This list is by no means an exhausts all of the kettlebell exercises out there, but I hope that it goes to show the versatility and potential that the kettlebell possesses. If you want an effective, fun, space-efficient home fitness tool look no further than the kettlebell!