1. Is the kettlebell a safe training tool?
Due to the dynamic nature of the kettlebell, it is perceived at first glance as a dangerous form of training. But anyone with an open and reasonable mind would realize that any form of fitness training can pose a risk if taught and performed in an unsafe manner. The kettlebell requires the training aspirant to learn how to utilise the kettlebell in a safe and proficient way by a qualified instructor. This is no more or less the case with other forms of training.
It is not due to the dynamic nature of the kettlebell that it is potentially unsafe. Rather, it is the risks posed by so called kettlebell “instructors”; people picking a kettlebell up and attempting to use it with no prior training experience that the kettlebell can potentially become an unsafe training tool
At Sydney Kettlebells, we teach people the value of training with kettlebells in a safe and proficient manner. Safety principles are of paramount importance and are a prerequisite for workshop participants who wish to join our regular circuit classes.
2. ‘Kettlebell training is bad for the back’!
Kettlebell training is all about training functionally. ‘Some of the exercises in kettlebell training appear to be “bad” for the back’ so the observer says at first sight. Every kettlebell exercise has a sound execution component to it and the principles behind utilising the kettlebell have a firm scientific basis. By targeting the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles), certain kettlebell exercises such as the swing, enhances the core stability of the individual. Once again, if a swing for example is taught without the proper technique e.g. not getting the client to activate the glutes, no hip snap, the back is then jeopardised. No rocket science here just basic principles of biomechanics at play.
Kettlebell exercises are functional and practical in nature because the individual is taught and so comes to understand by a good instructor that muscle groups do not work in isolation but synergistically. What functionality is there in a bicep curl or a seated chest press? Not much at all! Movement based exercises are what most people seek and need in day to day life. This is where the kettlebell debunks such misconceptions and enlightens those who are misunderstood by years of gym based training consisting mainly of machine weights and so working muscles in isolation.
3. ‘Kettlebell exercises are out of my league’
The answer to such a statement is a categorical No! What is true however, is some kettlebell exercises such as the Turkish Get-up, involve levels of coordination in far more depth than say a bicep curl or a seated chest press. By utilizing coordination, agility and whole body movements, kettlebell training targets the nervous system in ways that other forms of training do not. This is to say that more muscle fibres are recruited faster and more effectively when called into action. Equally important is the coordinated effort of other muscle groups working synergistically to perform a particular movement in the most effective and efficient manner. For example, it is quite a revelation to those who do not realize that to perform a squat properly the following muscle groups are called into action: Glutes (butt muscles), quadriceps group and the stabilising muscles of the core
When it comes to the kettlebell, there is no other fitness tool that matches the degree of versatility it offers. You can go from standard low intensity exercises and workouts to dynamic “hard core” training. In other words, the kettlebell is as flexible as you allow it to be. There is no right way of training other than the right way of performing each exercise.
4. Kettlebell training is only for Men
The masculine image which the kettlebell displays is a deception in the eyes of the female observer. The startling aspect of kettlebell training is that it is not designed as a fitness tool that will make you big. That is to say, kettlebells are a functional form of resistance training. More specifically, the focus is on the development of the nervous system as mentioned in the previous point. Structural resistance training such as with dumbbells and barbells, are aimed – at least from an unqualified universalistic gym approach – at what is called hypertrophy or the enlargement of muscles. This is purely a matter of aesthetics and not necessarily strength. The dumbbell and barbell have their purpose which has appeal to many strength enthusiasts. But the beauty of kettlebell training and the associated exercises – and to emphasis the point again – is the functional nature of it. Therefore it is women friendly because let’s face it, how many women want to get big!?
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