Kettlebell Safety Tips

Kettlebell workouts are pretty impressive. They engage multiple muscle groups and burn a lot of calories. But to get the most out of your workouts, there are some 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’re starting to cruise. First of all, you need to choose the right weight for you. To do so, we recommend that you go to your local fitness store so you can get an idea of ​​each weight and get advice from a sales associate. As a general rule, men tend to be too heavy 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’s the right size for you. The handle should be wide enough that you can grab it with both hands without overlapping.

The worst thing that can happen when buying the wrong kettlebell is that you get hurt. Second worst is your kettlebell flying across the room during a swing and hurting someone else. To avoid this type of catastrophe, buy a kettlebell that is molded from one continuous piece of material. Some kettlebells are made of 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 adopting the neutral spine position to protect your precious back:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms down at your sides; Focus your gaze on a point about six feet in front of you on the floor to maintain the neutral position of your neck and head.

2. Drive your hips back as if you were reaching for a chair and let your arms follow your hips back.

3. If you are in the correct position, it looks like you are preparing to do a vertical jump 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 breath work is essential to using a kettlebell safely. As I said earlier, it’s 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 bracing. To master this technique, take some time to practice breathing in and out with your hands on your abdomen. Get a feel for how you can contract your abs as you exhale. This may be a little different than what you’re used to doing, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly!

don’t forget your hips
I don’t care if your hips lie or not, but they better guide your movements during a kettlebell workout!