MY HEALTH AT FIRST

For exercisers on a time budget, finding a whole hour for a total body work out, two to three times a week, can be a challenge. Add in warm-up, cool-down, and stretching before and after, and that time can become even longer. In gyms across the country, Kettlebells are coming to the rescue. Kettlebells cut workout times in half, provide aerobic activity, and offer significant strength and aerobic conditioning.

The History of Kettlebells

Kettlebells, or giryas, originated in Russia in the 18th century and were recognized as a superb fitness training tool. The unusual weights were introduced into the United States by Pavel Tsatsouline, a one-time physical fitness trainer for both the United States and Soviet Union forces. Today in America, the kettlebell is used in civilian and military fitness regimens.

Kettlebells Burn Calories and Cut Time

According to recent tests conducted by The American Council on Exercise (ACE), a typical kettlebell interval workout of 25 minutes, including a five-minute cool down, results in a caloric expenditure of more than 270 calories, not including the anaerobic consumption of more than 13 calories per minute. This result rivals a longer workout with traditional free or machine weights and provides an aerobic workout as well.
The Volume of Oxygen Maximum result of a kettlebell workout compared to a treadmill workout shows that the treadmill wins by 23 percent, however an aerobic workout with kettlebells still greatly outperforms the aerobic output of traditional weight training.

Kettlebells and Exercising Heart Rate

The result of The American Council on Exercise research for exercising heart rate during kettlebell interval training ranged between 86 and 99 percent, with the average being 93%. Again, this statistic outperforms weight training with traditional free or machine weights.