Kettlebell Workout: This is how you train properly with ball dumbbells

Kettlebell Workout: This is how you train properly with ball dumbbells

Fitness at home
Kettlebell Workout: What you need to know about training with ball dumbbells


If you have no space for the dumbbell and a pull -up bar at home, you should think about Kettlebells. The weights with a handle are true fitness all-rounders.

In 2019, almost twelve million Germans were active in one of the approximately 10,000 gyms or fitness clubs (or at least paying members). Tendency rising. The Corona pandemic braked the enjoyable development of doing more for its body. According to Statista, only around 9.3 million people are registered in a gym (as of 01/2023). This is annoying for the operators. But the pandemic also had something good: fitness and strength training has shifted to many to the living room or the hobby cellar. One of the most versatile tools to at least keep the fitness state are (and remain even after the Corona period) kettlebells.

In this article we clarify the most important questions about the practical dumbbells with a handle. The basics on the subject and all exercise examples come from the specialist book . Here you can open the author and Personal Coach consequences.

What are kettlebells?

Like many other tools from the fitness area, the kettlebell trend came across the large pond into the fitness studios in Europe. The weights with grip have probably originated in the Russia of the 18th century. At that time, circus artists carried out daring tricks with the round dumbbells, let them fly through the air and play their muscles. In the meantime, kettlebells have become an integral part of global strength sport. In addition to long and dumbbells, they are part of the basic equipment of every gym with an area of ​​free training. There they are sorted by weight – the lightest is 2 kilograms, the heavyweights weigh 40 kilos. In between, fitness fans find almost everything your heart desires and the body is able to do. .

Which muscles are trained with kettlebells?

Kettlebells are among the most versatile fitness tools. Used correctly, individual muscles, entire muscle groups and muscle chains can be trained. In addition, Kettlebell workouts improve the strength endurance, as well as mobility, speed and coordination. In short: If you work regularly and properly with Kettlebells, train your whole body. The astonishing thing about this: with just one movement sequence, namely the kettlebell typical swing movement are required at least seven muscle chains. In addition to the calf muscles, these are the thighs and extensions, the hip, the abdominal muscles as well as the buttocks and back extensors.

Kettlebell Workout: What is the right weight?

False ambition is more out of place in kettlebell training-as with most sporty challenges. However, there is no rule of thumb to find the individually suitable weight. Beginners in particular should therefore better start with smaller kettlebells. You can still increase later. Women who are trying to train kettlebell for the first time first use the 6-kilo balls. In men, the recommended entry weight is twelve to 16 kilograms. If you have been training your muscles in the gym for a little longer, you can also get started with eight kilograms (women) and 20 kilograms (men). It will then be increased after four to six weeks at the earliest – in steps of two or four kilograms.

Anyone who is limited in spatial or do not want to deposit half a dozen ball dumbbells in the apartment should think about adjustable kettlebells. At the Six weights between 3.5 and 18 kilograms can be set by means of a turn.

You want more about Fitness equipment at home experience? Here are tips and tricks from Ironman winner and personal coach Maximilian Longrée.

Iron or sand: Which kettlebell is the right one?

Ten kilograms are ten kilograms. The famous joke question with the springs and the iron should be generally known. Basically, the question of the material of the kettlebell is more about where the dumbbell is trained. In Gyms there is usually a special soil that can cope with an unanently landing iron ball. It usually looks different in a rental apartment. So if you don’t necessarily want to train with the bare iron, it is best to use a fabric variant filled with sand, which, for example, is. This not only protects the laminate or the tiles, but also the nerves of the subtenants. A good compromise are kettlebells with a neoprene cover or a textile cover. A variant of it is .

What exercises should Kettlebell beginners start?

At the Kettlebell Workout, too, it is first important to familiarize yourself with the new training device and to gain success. Those who go into full right away not only risk injuries. Fails of demanding exercises do not immediately have the risk that beginners quickly lose their desire. Here are two popular exercises with which beginners would like more.

  1. Kreuzleben | A classic from strength training. The starting position is the upright stand; The feet are hip width apart; The kettlebell is right in between. Now the butt is pushed back and the kettlebell is raised a few centimeters with both hands and straight back. Then slowly upset and bend back down with a straight back. The weight does not touch the soil. Beginners should start with 10-16 repetitions per set. It doesn’t have to be more than three sets with breaks of one minute each. In addition to the back muscles, the buttocks and shoulder muscles are also trained, in addition to the back muscles
  2. Swing vertical | Probably the best known of all kettlebell exercises. The starting position is a little more than hipwheel, the tops of the foot show slightly outwards. Now the knees are slightly bent and the kettlebell with bent upper body is gripped with both hands. Important: the back remains straight. Now the kettlebell is swung from the hip with an explosive movement and maximum tense buttock muscles. The strength must not come out of the arms or shoulders, but solely through the hip stretching. When swinging, the arms remain stretched. The bottom only goes back when the upper arms touch the upper body when the back is swung. Here, too, three sets of 10-16 repetitions are perfect for starting.

The exercise examples and basics on the subject of Kettlebell Workout come from the book “Fast with strength training” by Maximilian Longrée.

For further exercises and tips for the first Kettlebell Workout, handy training tickets with practice descriptions in text and image are also suitable. A selection with 50 exercises is Available here.

Sources: “Faster with strength training” (from )))

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Source: Stern

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