Kettlebells - strength training or cardio?

amytag
amytag Posts: 206 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just curious. Right now, my 20 lb kettlebell routine, done 3-4x per week, is the only strength training that I do. Horrible, I know. The other days I run....running is my Prozac, and I am quickly learning to love the Kettlebell too.

Curious if I can count KB training as strength, or am I fooling myself?

Replies

  • joe_d
    joe_d Posts: 73 Member
    I've been doing KBs for about 3 years now, but really intensely for the last 6 months. It depends on your routine, I think. I work with KBs at a KB club, and we get new workout every time we go, and there are enough KBs to move up to heavier bells. It's a combination of strength/circuit/cardio training really. But if you are able to move up in weights, then surely some strengthening is happening, i'd think.

    I'm recovering from some heart trouble, and the Exercise Physiologist who reviewed my rehab/workout plans thought KBs was a fine strength workout to compliment the cardio I do.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I see kettlebells as HIIT with definite strength aspect. I do bodyweight exercises to really focus on strength work though.
  • lisanume
    lisanume Posts: 127 Member
    I've been doing KBs for about 3 years now, but really intensely for the last 6 months. It depends on your routine, I think. I work with KBs at a KB club, and we get new workout every time we go, and there are enough KBs to move up to heavier bells. It's a combination of strength/circuit/cardio training really. But if you are able to move up in weights, then surely some strengthening is happening, i'd think.

    I'm recovering from some heart trouble, and the Exercise Physiologist who reviewed my rehab/workout plans thought KBs was a fine strength workout to compliment the cardio I do.

    This.....
    I think its a little of a lot of stuff.
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    Depends on what you do with them and how strong you are already.
  • amytag
    amytag Posts: 206 Member
    Depends on what you do with them and how strong you are already.

    Swings, cleans, figure 8's, bicep curls, halos, dead lifts and lunge combos. I do 3 sets of 20 (per side/direction as needed) and it usually takes about a half hour with no rest between. I do occasionally get soreness, depending on how much effort I put in (versus half-assing it).

    Would eventually (soon) like to begin more focused heavy lifting, but a gym membership isn't possible now due to my schedule and children, so I'm hoping this helps some in the meantime.
  • MelanieAG05
    MelanieAG05 Posts: 359 Member
    It's a mix of both - that's why its so effective for fat loss (apparently!!)
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    A kettlebell is just a weight. You can do either with it.

    If I had to, I'd class what you're doing as cardio, although the curls may be getting close to strength training.
  • msommy
    msommy Posts: 17 Member
    I strictly only use the KB and count it as cardio. As it is HIIT. I am moving fast and a rapid rate with little to no breaks between exercises. Depends on the exercise.....I will start with a 2 hand swing and quickly go to 1 hand swings until that is done with no rest. Doing things like figure 8's, around the world(moving the KB around your body), halos, can all be considered cardio as they are generally fast paced movements rather than "lifting" like a curl or press. The KB is fantastic as it combines cardio and strength.
  • needlework
    needlework Posts: 141 Member
    bump for later
  • DebraAukett
    DebraAukett Posts: 128 Member
    Take a look at Jillian Michae's "Shred it with Weights" - it's a great exercise dvd with kettlebell
    And yes I agree, it's a combination of strength and cardio
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Take a look at Jillian Michae's "Shred it with Weights" - it's a great exercise dvd with kettlebell
    And yes I agree, it's a combination of strength and cardio

    Please don't. Jillian Michaels should not be allowed in the same room as a kettlebell. Google knows.
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
    Love KBs. They are more or less a touch up thing with me..great for warmups before deadlifting. I love functional training, and natural patterns of movement. Kettlebells allow for this quite well. In terms of your question, I guess it depends on how you use them, but most of the time it ends up being some sort of cardio. Strength training implies that we are focused on getting stronger in a certain movement. I'm not sure swinging a kettle bell accomplishes this optimally (optimally being the key word here, as I'm sure it doesn accomplish this, somewhat).

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