All I Want for Christmas...KETTLEBELLS!

2020 has been the year of adaptation to many parts of my life due to Covid-19, becoming a step-father to three little girls, and maintaining my sobriety through extremely triggering scenarios. As I have mentioned in previous articles, my health and fitness have become the pillar of my recovery from alcohol addiction, with Power Fitness Gym having been my sanctuary. With my gym being temporarily “out of order” and balancing the hectic lifestyle of three kids between the age of 4 and 9 years old, I have had to alter my fitness regime to fit my new schedule and get creative with my home gym. Christmas is just around the corner and this year I am asking Santa for the one piece of equipment that I know would keep me functionally fit in a matter of 20 minutes a day in the backyard….a set of kettlebells!

The mighty kettlebell has risen to prominence in the fitness sector since they join fundamental weightlifting techniques with practical, whole-body conditioning, spiking the metabolic process and maintaining lean muscle mass. They look like the cannonballs you would find on a pirate ship, only with handles, making them bottom heavy and thus causing the movement of them to feel vastly different, and more challenging, than standard dumbbells.

Lifting and controlling a kettlebell powers the whole body, in particular chiselling a solid core, strengthening both cardiovascular endurance and muscle. Kettlebell exercises draw in various muscle groups simultaneously, making them an incredible choice for getting an entire body workout in a brief timeframe. My day to day schedule may be jam-packed, but I refuse to allow my fitness to be an afterthought.

It's essential to leave your ego at the door and start with moderately weighted kettlebells. I would suggest talking to a fitness coach on the correct utilization of kettlebells as they require coordination, balance, and training. Proper guidance with kettlebell lifts, swings and other techniques will save you a great deal of pain later. Without learning and practicing the proper techniques for kettlebells with lighter weights, a variety of injuries can occur to your muscles and joints, particularly to the neck, back and spine.

I’ll use myself as an example. I started following a kettlebell pro on YouTube (I mention him later in the article) to learn how to put together a challenging kettlebell circuit and saw that he was using a 32kg kettlebell for all the movements. Ok, so I can bench 120 kilos, shoulder press 80 kilos, and deadlift 160 kilos, I should be able to match what this guy is using. Wrong. Dead wrong. I managed to one-arm clean the 32kg kettlebell and then things went pear-shaped real quick. I was frustrated yet humbled by the experience. I put my ego aside, picked up the 16 kilo kettlebells and began training from there.

Active olympic style lifts such as snatches, cleans and swings with kettlebells in a circuit style format will increase your heart rate, burn more calories and tone your body with lean muscle in minimal time required. My goal is to complete differing kettlebell circuits in no more than 30 minutes, with a typical workout being 20 minutes bang on the dot all done in the backyard, eliminating commute time to and from the gym. I used to drive 15 minutes to the gym, lift for an hour, drive 15 minutes back and then jump in the shower. That’s an hour and 45 minutes to get a workout in for the day! Now it’s more like throwing on a pair of shorts (I’m at home, no shirt required!), step outside barefoot and power through a 20 minute kettlebell circuit, jump straight in the shower and then carry on with my day. Total time for my workout? 35 minutes. That’s a savings of over an hour of my valuable time. Not bad, huh?

I plan to write another article with examples of the kettlebell circuits I have been using, but if you don’t want to wait then head over and check out Chandler Marchman’s YouTube channel. I cannot recommend him enough! He also has a great program with an easy to follow training blueprint found here.

I have ordered the HCE kettlebell set from Amazon.com.au. It comes with 16kg, 20kg, and 24kg kettlebells which will give me versatility in my home workout program. You can order yours through this link Here. I’ll pick up a 32kg HCE kettlebell next year when I feel I am at that level! No excuses, get after it, you’re worth it!

And remember to be aware of your surroundings before beginning a new kettlebell routine to ensure there is sufficient space around you so you can swing your kettlebells without thumping your new TV off its stand!

If you enjoyed this article I always appreciate a tip. This small contribution allows me to continue writing articles and sharing my experiences with you all. Happy swinging :)

Kettlebells on Amazon HERE

Chandler’s Kettlebell Blueprint - Turn your body into a fat-burning machine!