Kettlebell workouts are pretty awesome. They involve multiple muscle groups and burn a lot of calories. But to get the most out of your workouts, there are a few key safety tips to keep in mind.
Choose the right kettlebell
The first step to using kettlebells safely is choosing the right one, and there are a few things to keep in mind if you start sailing. First of all, you need to choose the right weight for you. To do this, we recommend that you go to your local fitness store so that you can get a feel for each weight and get advice from a sales associate. As a general rule, men tend to weigh too much and women tend to be too light. Remember: you want to push yourself, but not hurt yourself!
You’ll also want to get a kettlebell that is the right size for you. The handle should be wide enough that you can grasp it with both hands without overlapping.
The worst thing that can happen when you buy the wrong kettlebell is you hurt yourself. The second worst thing is that your kettlebell flies across the room during a swing and hurts someone else. To avoid this kind of catastrophe, buy a kettlebell molded from one continuous piece of material. Some kettlebells are in two pieces: the ball and the handle. Stay away from those. You don’t want your kettlebell to break mid-workout!
Make sure your back is in the correct position.
During a kettlebell workout, your hips, not your back, should absorb the force of the kettlebell. To do this, your back must be in a neutral spine position. Dummies.com has the following tips for getting into a neutral spine position and protecting your precious back:
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides; Focus your gaze on a point on the ground about six feet in front of you to maintain a neutral head and neck position.
2. Stretch your hips back as if reaching for a chair and let your arms follow your hips back.
3. If you are in the correct position, it appears that you are preparing to take a vertical leap in the air.
4. Look in the mirror; If you achieved a neutral spine, you have a nice, natural S-curve in your spine (in other words, your back is not rounded).
Learn to breathe correctly
Proper work of breath is essential to using a kettlebell safely. As I said earlier, it is important to minimize the amount of force you put on your spine. To protect your spine, you need to use your breath to tighten your abdominal muscles, a technique called abdominal brace. To master this technique, take some time to practice inhaling and exhaling with your hands on your abdomen. Get an idea of how you can tighten your abs as you exhale. This may be a little different than what you are used to doing, but you will quickly get the hang of it!
Don’t forget your hips
I don’t care if your hips meet or not, but they better lead your movements during a kettlebell workout!
