Treadmill image by Sport-Tiedje GmbH
“The kettlebell is an ancient Russian weapon against weakness.” Pavel
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Before we go into greater detail, here are the 7 reasons I suggest you purchase a kettlebell instead of a treadmill:
- Kettlebells Improve both Muscular Strength and Cardiovascular Condition
- Kettlebells are More Cost-Effective
- Kettlebells have a Small Footprint and are Portable
- Kettlebells are Simple & lend themselves to Quick Workouts
- Kettlebells are Quiet
- Kettlebells allow for a lot of Exercise Variety
- Kettlebell workouts are low impact
#1 Kettlebells Improve both Muscular Strength and Cardiovascular Condition
It may seem counter-intuitive, but when you are losing weight, strength training, not cardio training should be your number one exercise priority. For years we have been indoctrinated to believe that to lose weight you have to eat less and move more, but the main flaw with this approach is that even if you do it properly, you will lose muscle mass. If you don’t challenge your muscles, you will lose calorie-burning muscle mass along with the fat which will lead to a fat loss plateau.
Kettlebell workouts can burn as much as 20 calories a minute, depending on your level of effort. Just like running, it is depended on your intensity of effort. If you want to transform your body, replace the mindset that cardio is how you burn fat. Exercise burns fat and strength training helps preserve muscle. Learn more, Why you should prioritize strength training, especially on a diet (UPDATED with FREE workout program log).
#2 Kettlebells are More Cost-Effective
Personal treadmills can range from $500 to $5,000, with the average cost of a well-built treadmill being approximately $2,500. You also have to factor in the cost of purchasing a new pair of running shoes every 6-months as well.
You only need one kettlebell to begin a kettlebell workout routine. I recommend a 15 lbs. kettlebell for women, a 30 lbs. Kettlebell for men. The two kettlebells I recommend cost $25 and $38 respectively. Even if you decide to add additional kettlebells, the cost will never approach that of a treadmill.
#3 Kettlebells have a Small Footprint and are Portable
Unlike a treadmill that will dominate a space, a kettlebell takes up very little space. It can be put in a closet or under a bed. Some treadmills are designed to be folded-up, but I have never seen anyone actually do that between workouts.
Kettlebells are completely portable. On a beautiful day, you can take your kettlebells outside for a workout. You can take it with you on a camping trip or a vacation with your family.
#4 Kettlebells are Simple & lend themselves to Quick Workouts
“Our communist enemies, who are trying to bury us, have exercise breaks instead of coffee breaks.” -Bob Hoffman, York Barbell Club
Kettlebells are very simple. There are no electronics, and there are no belts to maintain. You simply grab it and begin. You don’t need to put on your running shoes, you can perform a lot of movements in your street clothing.
I suggest we take Bob Hoffman’s advise and squeeze in some quick workouts throughout the day. Before I began writing this article, I grabbed my kettlebell, performed 25 swings followed by 50 jumping jacks and then finished with 25 more swings. Our physiology and psychology are linked, so when I want to get my energy up, I like to do something that will get my heart racing for a couple of minutes. Kettlebells make getting in a quick workout very manageable.
Here is a simple workout you can do in under15-minutes:
Beginner Workout: Complete 150 kettlebell swings in as many sets as you need too. When you get tired, rest for 30-60 seconds, then keep swinging and repeat until the 150 repetitions are complete. Once you can complete 150 swings consecutively in a workout, progress to the intermediate level.
Intermediate Workout: complete 300 kettlebell swings in as many sets as you need too. When you get tired, rest for 30-60 seconds, then keep swinging and repeat until the 300 repetitions are complete.
#5 Kettlebells are Quiet
If you are like me, you do most of your cardio workouts in the morning before everyone else is awake. My family would not appreciate me pounding away on a treadmill at 5:00 AM in the morning at all. Kettlebells are noiseless. I typically alternate between my kettlebell and spin bike. Neither makes any noise, and both are low impact. My spin bike has no electronics, so I can hop off, perform 20-30 repetitions of a kettlebell exercise or calisthenics, like mountain climbers, and then hop right back on and resume pedaling.
#6 Kettlebells allow for a lot of Exercise Variety
You can do countless exercises with kettlebells targeting every muscle of the body. You are only limited by your imagination. Kettlebell workouts are simply a lot more fun and enjoyable. You can purchase the exercise chart below for approximately $20.
You can also find countless exercise videos on YouTube for free. This 20-minute video would be a great one to start with:
The treadmill was originally invented as a form of punishment for prisoners in the 1800s. It wasn’t popularized for commercial and home use until the 1970s.
#7 Kettlebell Exercise is Low Impact with very little Risk of Overuse Injuries
Unlike running on a treadmill, a kettlebell workout is low impact exercise, and your risk of overuse injuries is very low. You aren’t repeating the same movement pattern thousands of times during a workout like you do with running.
Best Wishes and Best Health!
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Learn more, 7 Reasons kettlebell training is perfect for weight loss.
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