What Are the Benefits of Kettlebell Swings?

The kettlebell is a piece of versatile workout equipment that you can use in a wide variety of exercises. One of them is the kettlebell swing, a simple workout that you can do in the comfort of your home. Yet, what are the benefits of kettlebell swings? 

What Are the Benefits of Kettlebell Swings?

Kettlebell swings are famous because of their versatility and quickly raise up your heart rate. The benefits of the kettlebell swings are an increase in total-body movement, overall strength development while also improving your speed, endurance, and balance. Let us further discuss the most important benefits:

Man trying to lift a kettlebell with both hands

Kettlebell Swings Provide a Full Body Exercise

The most notable benefit you get from kettlebell swings is that they provide you with a full-body exercise. Kettlebell swings develop almost every muscle in your body from head to toe. 

The first step of the kettlebell swing, when you swing the kettlebell upwards, works your legs, glutes, hips, and lower back by using force to lift the kettlebell upwards. Once you lift it up, your abdomen and abs contract to maintain the upwards motion, strengthening your core. When you reach the maximum height of the swing, your arms, shoulders, wings, lats, and chest are worked so it reaches and maintains that height. 

The same thing applies when the kettlebell goes down. Kettlebell swing will work almost every muscle during the motions. 

Kettlebell Swings Improve Your Cardio

Kettlebell swings are also a form of cardiovascular training. Believe it or not, it greatly works your heart even when you are only in place. That’s just how much load this workout gives to your body. 

Kettlebell swings will easily get your heart pumping above the average resting heart rate. An active heart is good for your overall health. 

A healthy heart leads to a reduced risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. It also lowers your resting heart rate, blood pressure, and helps reduce cholesterol. It also makes it easier for your heart to function without any problems. Having your heart in excellent condition is a step towards being healthy and fit. 

Man performing a kettlebell swing

Kettlebell Swings Are Easy to Do

Anybody can do the kettlebell swing. This workout is so versatile and easy to do that it’s generally recommended for everyone. For small women, older people, and young kids, you can start out with lighter kettlebells that weigh 2.5, 5, 7.5, or 10 pounds.

If you can handle them easily, you can go with what’s recommended for strong people like 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35-pound kettlebell. Kettlebells can range from 1.5 pounds to 100 pounds so there is a kettlebell that is suitable for your fitness needs. 

Kettlebell swings are also convenient to do at home. You don’t need to take up a lot of space. You can do it in your room, in the backyard, or at the park. This convenience is one of the main reasons why they’re so popular among fitness enthusiasts. 

Kettlebell Swings Incorporate More than One Type of Exercise

Kettlebell swings allow you to train in multiple fitness routines in one workout. For example, heavy kettlebells can be a form of weight and strength training because of the weight, and it also improves your endurance at the same time. 

Kettlebell swings involve a lot of intense constant motion. An actual kettlebell swing won’t allow you to stop moving and requires a lot of endurance. Doing kettlebell swings over and over again greatly improves your cardiovascular system. 

Kettlebell swings give you a combination of strength and endurance training. Not to mention, it benefits your cardio too. If you can’t go to the gym or stuck at home. Then working on your kettlebell swings will actually give you a lot of exercises

Kettlebell Swings Enhance Endurance

Man lifting a kettlebell with both hands

As mentioned before, kettlebell swings greatly help with physical endurance. It’s the basic premise of stronger muscles that will lead to more kettlebell swings and so goes the cycle. Once you develop your physical endurance, you will be able to do more kettlebell swings. You will also notice improvements in other aspects like being able to lift more, throw harder, or run faster. 

Kettlebell Swings Improve Balance

Kettlebell swings also help with improving your balance. When you do kettlebell swings, you move the kettlebell from between your legs while you are bent over, and you also have it above and in front of your head with your arms extended outwards. 

This quick and constant shift of positions trains your body to compensate for the positional changes. This and wearing the right workout shoes improves your balancing. Your proprioceptors are the receptors in your muscles that adjust your body to balance. They make you automatically adjust in order to stay upright and by constantly training it improves your ability to maintain balance. 

Are Kettlebell Swings Worth It?

Kettlebell swings are really worth it. Especially if you are stuck at home with no access to gym equipment. All you need is a kettlebell and you’re all set to do some kettlebell swings. They’re easy to do and will give your whole body some excellent workout. 

Conclusion

Doing kettlebell swings has a lot of benefits. If you want to do some home workouts with simple gym equipment, then the kettlebell swings will give you the complete overall workout routine you can ask for.

Robert Lemus has been a natural competitor for 6 years, starting in Men’s Physique, then Bodybuilding, and then into Classic Physique. He is the Orange County Bodybuilding champion in 2016 for the Musclemania Organization. In 2018, he received his Pro Card with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in Classic Physique.