Dumbbells Versus Kettlebells – Which Is The Fat Burning King?

Ok, here’s the discussion. We are all familiar with dumbbells, and for many of us, they represent our first foray into exercise. I can remember the first time I picked up a pair. They were the 10-pound ones with the red plastic casing. One of those filled with cement that after a while started spewing cement dust everywhere. I remember how good it felt to do those curls and feel my biceps burn. Yes, dumbbells hold a fond memory for most of us, which is why it’s so hard for some to accept that there may be another player on the scene who is much more effective and burns fat and gets you in shape.

 

You may have guessed from the title that I am talking about kettlebells. Described by some as “handled cannonballs,” kettlebells are fairly new to the US, but have made quite an impact in the fitness world of late. I often laugh when I hear “fitness experts” (read: MUSCLE) at the gym talking about the FAD of the kettlebell and how it’s worthless equipment and will never compare to the workout you can get with a dumbbell. I even heard some yell “you can’t even bench press them!” Well here are the facts…

 

Kettlebells, while they may be new to you, are NOT new at all. In fact, history finds them appearing in a Russian dictionary as early as 1704, with some estimates dating them much earlier. Kettlebells, unlike dumbbells, require full-body use when performing many of the exercises. Dumbbells often revolve around isolating one muscle at a time. For example, one of the basic kettlebell exercises, the swing, recruits nearly every major muscle group to perform the movement. This type of exercise will not only burn more fat than simply bending or pressing a dumbbell, but it will work to stretch and strengthen your entire body at the same time. As you build muscle across your ENTIRE frame, that increased muscle will in turn burn more calories working to speed up the fat loss you experience from using kettlebells.

 

To truly experience the difference, all you have to do is watch someone who is skilled at using a kettlebell next to someone who is skilled at using dumbbells. The kettlebeller will squat, explode upward, push the kettlebell through the air, and perform a full-body workout while moving the entire time. The person wielding the dumbbell will…bend their arm…sit back on a bench and push up…hold still while doing triceps pushdowns…need I say more? But listen, don’t take my word for it… Lately I’ve lost so much fat using kettlebells that my brain may not be working right… 😉 Grab a kettlebell and get some instructions from a certified kettlebell. After a few sessions, you may never lift a dumbbell again. Heck, I may never NEED…