The Basics: Working with Kettle Bells

Working with Kettle Bells

If you've never heard of kettle bells, you aren't alone. Although this piece of strength training equipment has been around for decades, only recently has it caught the attention of mainstream athletes. Kettle bells are bowling ball-sized cast iron weights with a single looped handle on top. Kettle bells range in weight from two pounds to over 100 pounds.

The reason for integrating  kettle bells in our Fit for Life Challenge training is that it gets back to basic training that requires functional, whole body fitness. Kettle bells require an athlete to focus on whole-body conditioning because lifting and controlling a kettle bell forces the entire body, and specifically the core, to contract as a group, building both strength and stability at the same time. Kettle bell workouts engage multiple muscle groups at once. In this way, they are a great option for getting a whole body workout in a short time.