Not long ago, the only places you could find kettlebells were in functional training facilities or on the racks in the functional fitness department at your local gym.
However, these strange weights – they look like shells with handles – are directed to more modes and settings of education.
READ MORE | Move to a better body with a kettlebell
Beyond strength
The use of kettlebells in resistance training began in the 18th century, when Russian strongmen trained with commercially available counterweights to build strength.
Modern kettlebell training has a lot less to do with brute force and a lot more to do with how your body moves holistically when you train with them.
Kettlebell routines aren’t just for elite and lifestyle athletes looking to build strength. Active women of all ages are trying them out and finding benefits beyond empowerment.
READ MORE | Master the move: Two-handed kettlebell squat
The kettlebell difference
Unlike dumbbells, The weight of a kettlebell is under its grip, creating a shifted center of gravity. This design forces your body to constantly adapt to a shifting load.
This means that signature kettlebell movements like swings, cleans and grabs are dynamic, requiring coordination, balance and control from your entire body.
“Traditional weight training allows you to build certain muscles really well without engaging your core or stability muscles. It’s very one-dimensional. It’s the way to go if you want to look like a bodybuilder but not great for improving everyday function and mobility,” explains Cam Hilder, the Sculpt Kettle Bell instructor at One Flow Yoga and Wellness Social Club.
“On the contrary, a kettlebell routine enables you to use your entire bodyall your muscles. Your range of motion, flexibility and balance are improved, your core and back muscles are strengthened while you build muscle. This makes it an ideal workout for those focused on building functional strength that supports their everyday life.”
READ MORE | Fix your form: Squat with one hand over the kettlebell
Research-backed benefits
Research supports the benefits. A study published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research I establish Kettlebell swing training improves maximal and explosive strengthparticularly activating the posterior chain, which refers to the muscles along the back of the body, including the glutes and hamstrings (Lake & Lauder, 2012).
This study also dispelled the idea that lighter kettlebells were insufficient for building strength.
Another study in the same journal showed that kettlebell training can significantly increase heart rate, providing cardiovascular benefits alongside strength gains (Farrar et al., 2010).
READ MORE | Master the Move: Alternating Kettlebell Swings
Broad body benefits
For Cam, who has led more than 250 Sculpt Kettle Bell classes at A streamhis transition from traditional weight training to kettlebell training was for personal reasons.
“After 10 years of personal training, I needed something different. I had a good and toned physique, but I was tired of injuries, frequent pinches in my joints and limited mobility,” he says.
“Longevity motivated me to try something new and kettlebell training turned out to be the answer I was looking for. I’ve been training consistently with kettlebells for almost 18 months now and haven’t had a single injury or joint pain.”
There are many success stories in Cam’s classes – runners who have built leg strength and gone on to set new personal best times and women who once avoided weight training now make kettlebells a weekly workout alongside their yoga and sculpting sessions.
Thinking about kettlebells?
Kettlebell routines consist of compound, high-intensity movementsincluding swings, arache and cleans.
There are also strength-focused, foundational exercises like goblet squats, push-ups, deadlifts, and overhead presses that target the posterior chain and shoulders.
If you’re new to kettlebells, it’s important to work with a professional trainer. While the moves aren’t necessarily difficult to learn, you should work with an experienced instructor to ensure safety and proper form.
Kettlebell routines can benefit women who want to build strength, muscle mass, and bone density. They can also support older adults who are focused on building functional strength, as well improving core stability and balance to prevent injuries.
For those focused on their social wellness, kettlebell workouts like One Flow’s Sculpt Kettle Bell bring you into a like-minded community where you find motivation and support to reach your fitness goals.
“At One Flow, kettlebells aren’t just about building strength – they’re about creating connection and energy in the room. Unlike traditional weight training, where you move from machine to rack of individual weights, kettlebell sessions are shared, guided and experienced together,” explains Cam.
“The rhythm of the swings, the focus of a clean, the collective push through a timed set all create a sense of momentum that is both physical and social. The result is strength training that feels connected rather than competitive. You don’t just leave stronger, you leave having moved with others and sharing something bigger than a solo workout,” she concludes.
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sports or health and fitness, Pedro is most likely out training for his next marathon or ultramarathon. She has worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms specialist. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
