Fitness enthusiast Josh O Dowd does not discriminate when it comes to free weights. One look at his Instagram page shows his proficiency with the likes of maces, clubs, dumbbells, and kettlebells. By combining traditional exercise moves with body rotations he's literally putting a new spin on free weight workouts. This particular kettlebell workout of his looks absolutely dizzying!
I'm not sure how often the average kettlebell enthusiast works out during the week. Myself, I like to do 5 days in a row (Monday - Friday) for 20 minutes each day. In order to sustain that frequency, it's important that I leave a little bit in the tank as they say. However, once or twice a month, I make it a point to go all out and torture myself with a grueling workout. Why? Sometimes it is out of guilt, especially if I've had a poor day of dieting prior to that workout. Other times, it's just because I want to test my limits and gauge how much my body can handle.
The great thing about Instagram is that there's always someone new to discover no matter what your interests are. For instance, Coach Sarah is followed by a few of my favorite kettlebell Instagram accounts. However, I just happened to come across one of her latest posts in one of my hashtag feeds. In the video for that post, her combination of speed, agility, and grace is simply amazing. Definitely deserving of a break-down!
I see a lot of other kettlebell trainers and enthusiasts on here working out with double bells of the same weight. Honestly, I'm a little envious! However, I don't have the cash to spend on two kettlebells of equal weight. So, I like to get creative and integrate mixed weights into my workouts from time to time.
Now that I've lost a considerable amount of weight, my fitness goals have started to shift. I've been focusing on building strength and muscle, however, there are several other areas that need improvement as well. Flexibility, range of motion, and of course stability and balance. I consider these to be finesse attributes that often get overlooked. Although, the two exercises I'll be discussing will also help to build strength. Specifically in the legs.
Anyone who follows Jillian on Instagram probably knows how she loves to use kettlebells as an anchor point. This time she mixes up both competition kettlebells with lighter traditional-styled ones. It's not a strenuous workout by any means, but it will keep you on your toes for sure! That's the beauty of kettlebells, you can target so many areas of fitness. It doesn't have to be just about strength and power.
There are a variety of different exercises that can be done to strengthen your core muscles. Those muscles, the ones that are located around your pelvis, are important for balance and stability. A floor exercise like the bridge is an example of one such core exercise that can be integrated into a workout or used as a warm-up. However, when it comes to working out multiple muscles at the same time, no other piece of gym equipment does more in less time than the kettlebell. Especially when using them in flows.
The author of this workout, Anna Junghans, intended it to be for females. However, like most kettlebell workouts, anyone can benefit from it! It's simplistic by design which makes it great for beginners. However, still effective enough for kettlebell veterans who want to work on their balance and dexterity.
Out of all the kettlebell workouts I've seen, this one is perhaps the fastest in regards to execution and movements. Instagram user Jason Figorski (@figsfit) is a kettlebell specialist who creates some truly unique workouts. Many of his videos incorporate kettlebell flows with lightning-quick reflexes. Indeed, the below video is a great example of his speed and technique.
Recently, Instagram user paradigmofperfection posted a video of herself incorporating the kettlebell swing with alternating curtsy lunges. These are different than reverse lunges and require more concentration and balance to execute. As you'll see, a total of six lunges are performed. Then she continues on to only perform double-handed kettlebell swings.
