Tracking kettlebell swings?
BeeMarieG
Posts: 61 Member
Hi,
I read about kettlebell swings last year (Tracy Reifkind) but just recently bought a kettlebell to try and incorporate swings into my daily routine. I am starting off very slowly because of having fibromyalgia. My question is this: is there a way to figure out and track calories burned for kettlebell swings, if I'm only doing 20 at a time and breaking these sets up throughout the day? I haven't been tracking it because I couldn't figure out if this was possible.
I have a heart rate monitor but the battery is dead and I need to find a replacement. Maybe that would be the only accurate way to track it? I'm open to ideas/thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
I read about kettlebell swings last year (Tracy Reifkind) but just recently bought a kettlebell to try and incorporate swings into my daily routine. I am starting off very slowly because of having fibromyalgia. My question is this: is there a way to figure out and track calories burned for kettlebell swings, if I'm only doing 20 at a time and breaking these sets up throughout the day? I haven't been tracking it because I couldn't figure out if this was possible.
I have a heart rate monitor but the battery is dead and I need to find a replacement. Maybe that would be the only accurate way to track it? I'm open to ideas/thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
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Replies
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Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.0
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An HRM would definitely help. I know I do -30% from the cal burn # given to account for discrepancies. You could try logging under strength training in the cardio section. MFP's #s have been pretty close a majority of the time to my own HRM's.0
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Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.
this. ★0 -
Thank you! You are right, let me clarify. How can I add it under strength training, just to keep track of what I'm doing? I tried, but couldn't seem to find anything in the database.0
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Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.
Thank you! You are right, let me clarify. How can I add it under strength training, just to keep track of what I'm doing? I tried, but couldn't seem to find anything in the database.0 -
I wear my HRM when I do Kettlebell Bombshell but it includes cardio along with kettlebell moves.
But you can also set up your own listing for kettlebell swings by creating an exercise. Just record the time and have it calculate 1 calorie if need be (doesn't let you record 0 cals for an exercise).0 -
Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.
Uhmmm...wut??? :noway: A kettlebell workout is both cardio and strength training and is a major calorie burner! ABSOLUTELY track it, wear a HRM and adjust the calories burned if you feel it neccessary (to accomodate for BMR - I don't do that because any strength training also has after burn effect - but that's just me). Add a custom exercise to your exercise database, call it whatever you like and you can track it that way.
ETA: I have NO idea why people assume if something is not 'cardio' training that they are not burning major calories or should not track it. I did lower body strength training routine today and burned over 500 calories in 35 minutes.3 -
I wear my HRM when I do Kettlebell Bombshell but it includes cardio along with kettlebell moves.
But you can also set up your own listing for kettlebell swings by creating an exercise. Just record the time and have it calculate 1 calorie if need be (doesn't let you record 0 cals for an exercise).
Thanks, girlie!0 -
Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.
Uhmmm...wut??? :noway: A kettlebell workout is both cardio and strength training and is a major calorie burner! ABSOLUTELY track it, wear a HRM and adjust the calories burned if you feel it neccessary (to accomodate for BMR - I don't do that because any strength training also has after burn effect - but that's just me). Add a custom exercise to your exercise database, call it whatever you like and you can track it that way.
ETA: I have NO idea why people assume if something is not 'cardio' training that they are not burning major calories or should not track it. I did lower body strength training routine today and burned over 500 calories in 35 minutes.
Thank you! This is good information for me.1 -
Do you follow a routine for your Kettlebell or do you just swing it around? I bought one a while back but haven't done anything with it. I have seen some videos on CollageVideo that involve the kettlebell and was thinking about getting one to try it. Do you think it would be worth it?
Laurie0 -
Hi,
I read about kettlebell swings last year (Tracy Reifkind) but just recently bought a kettlebell to try and incorporate swings into my daily routine. I am starting off very slowly because of having fibromyalgia. My question is this: is there a way to figure out and track calories burned for kettlebell swings, if I'm only doing 20 at a time and breaking these sets up throughout the day? I haven't been tracking it because I couldn't figure out if this was possible.
I have a heart rate monitor but the battery is dead and I need to find a replacement. Maybe that would be the only accurate way to track it? I'm open to ideas/thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
Get a battery. That's how I track my kettlebell workouts.0 -
Hi, I don't swing it around, per se, but I do kettlebell swings. Have you heard of them? If not, I would recommend finding some YouTube videos that explain the exercise in detail and explain the form involved.
I enjoy them and they really get my heart rate up quickly. I am starting off slowly, as I mentioned, for my own specific needs but am hoping to be able to do more sets and increase my kettlebell weight in time.0 -
Do you follow a routine for your Kettlebell or do you just swing it around? I bought one a while back but haven't done anything with it. I have seen some videos on CollageVideo that involve the kettlebell and was thinking about getting one to try it. Do you think it would be worth it?
Laurie
User FitnessBlender on YouTube has an AWESOME beginner's kettlebell workout.0 -
Hi,
I read about kettlebell swings last year (Tracy Reifkind) but just recently bought a kettlebell to try and incorporate swings into my daily routine. I am starting off very slowly because of having fibromyalgia. My question is this: is there a way to figure out and track calories burned for kettlebell swings, if I'm only doing 20 at a time and breaking these sets up throughout the day? I haven't been tracking it because I couldn't figure out if this was possible.
I have a heart rate monitor but the battery is dead and I need to find a replacement. Maybe that would be the only accurate way to track it? I'm open to ideas/thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
Get a battery. That's how I track my kettlebell workouts.
Thank you.0 -
Do you follow a routine for your Kettlebell or do you just swing it around? I bought one a while back but haven't done anything with it. I have seen some videos on CollageVideo that involve the kettlebell and was thinking about getting one to try it. Do you think it would be worth it?
Laurie
User FitnessBlender on YouTube has an AWESOME beginner's kettlebell workout.
I just found it and bookmarked it - thanks for sharing! It looks great.0 -
Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.
I suppose it depends on how you do them. A sustained kettlebell swing would have an adaptive strength component, but it is primarily a cardio exercise. Otherwise kettlebells can be used like any other chunk of metal--depending on the movement and resistance, it can be either strength or cardio.0 -
Do you follow a routine for your Kettlebell or do you just swing it around? I bought one a while back but haven't done anything with it. I have seen some videos on CollageVideo that involve the kettlebell and was thinking about getting one to try it. Do you think it would be worth it?
Laurie
User FitnessBlender on YouTube has an AWESOME beginner's kettlebell workout.
^^^ true that. That was the first kettlebell routine I did. It seems simple enough but VERY challenging!0 -
Kettlebell swings is really considered strength training and it's generally not something you deduct calories for. You should deduct calories for any cardio that you do but not this. A great addition to what you're doing, regardless! I've been wanting to try them out myself.
Uhmmm...wut??? :noway: A kettlebell workout is both cardio and strength training and is a major calorie burner! ABSOLUTELY track it, wear a HRM and adjust the calories burned if you feel it neccessary (to accomodate for BMR - I don't do that because any strength training also has after burn effect - but that's just me). Add a custom exercise to your exercise database, call it whatever you like and you can track it that way.
ETA: I have NO idea why people assume if something is not 'cardio' training that they are not burning major calories or should not track it. I did lower body strength training routine today and burned over 500 calories in 35 minutes.
THIS....To the person who said kettlebell swings are strength only - have you ever done a kettlebell workout?? I burn a LOT of calories doing that.....
Angie Millar has a great dvd - just stay away from Jillian Michels' kettlebell workout - she has no idea what she's doing and her form is terrible - you will hurt yourself....0 -
Angie Millar has a great dvd - just stay away from Jillian Michels' kettlebell workout - she has no idea what she's doing and her form is terrible - you will hurt yourself....
Good to know!0 -
My hrm says I burn 108 calories for 33 mins of kb's. I do Fitness Blender on youtube called Push Yourself Harder. I am sure it should be more than 108 but that is all my hrm gives me0
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Thanks for the website. I am going to look it up!
Laurie0 -
Okay...question about calories burned....there seems to be a disagreement on how many calories are burned. I think we all agree that is is both strength and cardio workout..... I ask cause I do some cardio and I see people say that MFP is not accurate on calories burned.....0
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The best way to get the most accurate calorie burn is to get a heart rate monitor - otherwise it's a guestimate...0
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Since you have kettlebells, try adding turkish get ups. Look up instructions on "Turkish get ups" with kettlebells and its an awesome addition to swings and can be done with light weights. KB's really tie movements together and help the workout be a combination strength and cardio.
The poster who spoke about KB's not being cardio could have meant FOR THIS SITE. Honestly, its difficult to figure calories burned so I understand why the program doesnt do it. When I do 20 kettle bell "man makers" with 50lbs each bell and I dont get to add food, I dont care, I am doing it for me.0 -
I'm a bit surprised by the amount of misinformation in this thread. First, kettlebell swings can be both a strength and cardiovascular workout. What makes something strength training or cardiovascular really depends on how that activity is performed. To be considered strength training, the activity needs to be of overall volume (combination of weight and # or reps) to cause muscular adaptation. Thus kettlebell routines may or may not be a true strength training workout depending on how many times you swing, and the weight of the bell.
As for whether it's a cardio workout or not depends on intensity and time. The most important thing here is that you are trying to get your cardiovascular system to adapt to the stimulus. In a way, this is very similar to the concept I mentioned above for strength training. It may or may not be a cardio workout depending on how much effort goes into the swing, and the time spent doing it.
Based on the fact that you're only doing 20 swings at a time, I'm going to hazard a guess and say you're not getting much cardio benefit from this. If you were to do multiple sets of 20 and kept it up for 15-20 minutes minimum, then it would likely have some cardio benefit. Otherwise, it's really not a true cardio workout because your cardiovascular system is not having to adapt. Now a related question is does this burn additional calories that you can log? Well, of course it does burn more, but accurately tracking those would be problematic at best and I don't think you could really count on a heart rate monitor for this since it's not sustained exercise. (There's also the whole other question of whether or not using a HRM would even be accurate for kettlebell swings, but I'll save that for a different post.)
You mentioned having fibromyalgia. I do think your current plan of doing several sets of 20 swings has some potential benefit for management of your disease, but I would caution against logging calories for this. It's very likely you'll overestimate the benefit and end up overeating. Instead, as your are able, would recommend you start trying to do a sustained workout instead of just small sets throughout the day. If you can do multiple sets and go for at least 15-20 minutes (with short rests between sets), I think you'd see a much improved cardio workout (with some potential calorie additions if you so desired), and be better off in the long run.0 -
The best way to get the most accurate calorie burn is to get a heart rate monitor - otherwise it's a guestimate...
For extended steady-state swings, HRMs will consistently overestimate the calorie burn for kettlebell swings, because the nature of the movement does not fit the HR/VO2 relationship on which the HRM algorithms are based.
For harder, more intense, short interval swings, HRMs can't estimate the calories at all.
HRMs just aren't accurate enough to justify the purchase of one solely for estimating calories--for kettlebells or anything else.0 -
Kettelbell swings are total body cardio. Take your heart rate after, you burn a ton of calories doing swings.0
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you are crazy0
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