Don't limit your challenges; challenge your limits
Jerry Dunn
The development of kettlebells can be traced back to Russian farmers in the 1700s. They used kettlebells as counterweights to measure out grain at the market. As bored farmers learned the weights could be heaved and tossed in feats of strength and endurance, kettlebells began enjoying a central role in farming festivals. People started throwing them around for entertainment and they were later put to use for weightlifting.
While the term “functional” gets thrown around a lot – and often too much – kettlebell training is functional exercise at its best. While a lot of machines and certain exercises train our muscles individually, kettlebell exercises train your body as a whole, utilizing almost every muscle group working together.
The reason for that – a kettlebell’s weight is not distributed evenly like it is with dumbbells. This creates the need to counterbalance and stabilize your body during kettlebell exercises, which are amazing for core strength, balance, flexibility and coordination while also melting fat and sculpting healthy and lean muscles.
We all know that training promotes physical and mental health. Yet, while medical science has started to understand the importance of movement for our overall health, the reality of our lives has also rapidly changed—and many people are more unhealthy than ever before.
Our lives have become faster and more stressful than in the history of mankind. To cope with this increased speed, we rely more and more on technology—therefore we’re moving less, driving wherever possible or using escalators instead of stairs. We need movement more than ever, but we have less time and fewer opportunities for it.
The kettlebell is the perfect solution for this problem. With its off-centered mass, it trains your muscles and your heart at the same time. Exercises like swings, cleans and snatches train your entire posterior chain—the group of muscles, ligaments, and tendons most important for a healthy spine and good postural alignment.
Expect it to be a humbling experience in the beginning but know that it has the power to make you better and healthier than you are today. We can help anyone get a good start. It will not be comfortable, it will not be easy, but it will definitely be worth it!
People who would benefit from kettlebells:
⦁ Athletes looking to improve their performance and conditioning.
⦁ Those who want a change in their fitness routine or to try something new that is time-tested and proven to work.
⦁ Individuals with back injuries who don’t want to put a lot of stress on their spine (i.e. barbell squats/deads) but still want to train for strength and muscle growth.
⦁ Anyone who wants to take advantage of one or more of the benefits of kettlebells and martial arts
Kettlebell training is more about movement, joint mobility, explosive power, connective tissue strength, mental focus and breathing, than simply lifting weights. Kettlebell movements build deep neuromuscular foundations for athletic strength and power. Kettlebell training develops strength, endurance, mobility and flexibility all at the same time. At Sidekick we decided to add to our lessons along with martial art elements in order to improve your mental strength, change your outlook on life, allow you to adapt to different situations, improve your social life and self-defense skills.
Sidekick Martial Arts and Fitness is New Jersey’s premier martial arts and fitness club. We offer Martial Arts programs for children and fitness programs specializing in kettlebell fitness for adults.