Experience of weight training and exposure to these types of exercises and movement patterns will dictate what size weight to choose. In this case, there is a great piece of equipment on the market called the Kettle Gryp. The ultimate full body fat burning exercise that works most muscles in the body. Be sure to keep the step your stepping up onto nice and stable and place the foot down carefully. All Rights Reserved. Rest at the end of the circuit and repeat. If you are looking for a way to program these workouts then I would work through one workout every week or two taking 2-4 days rest per week. The body works by using a series of movement patterns in order to navigate daily life. For this interesting dumbbell lunge exercise one dumbbell is held at shoulder height for the duration of the exercise repetitions. As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Again you can perform the kettlebell swing with a dumbbell but this time hold the dumbbell by the handle horizontally. Remember to keep the arms straight throughout the movement and drive with the hips and legs. Option #2: Kettlebell Swing with a Dumbbell. The kettlebell slingshot is an excellent exercise to work the arms, shoulders and core muscles. The main difference between swings and deadlifts is the speed of movement each one employs. Even though you can use a dumbbell in place of a kettlebell for many exercises and you can extend it’s functionality even more with a Kettle Gryp, these two pieces of equipment are not the same. A simple full body workout that is very demanding on all the muscles in the body as well as your cardio. The secret to the kettlebell snatch is to keep the kettlebell nice and close to the body on the way up to the top position. Hey it’s Chris. Return back to the lying position by reversing the movements. You then switch sides and legs and repeat. Both kettlebell and dumbbell swings engage and … The American swing is very much like the classic swing in its mechanics, except it has a different end goal: The kettlebell winds up overhead. Start with a deep squat before rolling backwards, bridging and activating the glutes. Strength Impact. The dumbbell sits directly over the palm, while the kettlebell sits behind the wrist, which then creates a slight torque (external rotation) in the glenohumeral joint. Each workout will be using hundreds of muscles at a time meaning you will not only burn a lot of calories but also challenge your cardio too. The dumbbell step ups exercise is a very underestimated movement. The squat and rotational press is a huge full body exercise that will really elevate your heart rate. Keep your chest up and focus on nice smooth transitions from one hand to the other. Kettlebell Swings Can be Summed Up With 4 Easy Verbal Cues 1. Drive up from the floor rotating in one direction while pressing the dumbbells overhead. However, with all this being said those with good technique can swing just about any type of weight between their legs providing they perform the movement with good technique and do not allow the shoulders to muscle up the weight. Lateral step ups work into the sides of the buttocks as well as the legs and core muscles. You can do kettlebell swings with a dumbbell, but gripping the top dumbbell plate. Now we progress onto the more demanding dumbbells and kettlebell exercises. Starting from the lying down position and keeping the arm straight sit up and then stand. If the movement is too complicated for you then start with just the squat. Don’t cheat the exercise by pushing up from your rear leg, instead concentrate on pulling yourself up with the front leg. If that works better for you with kettlebells, great. I review the top three on the market: Overall, the most important thing you can do is some level of resistance training. Try to avoid touching your foot down in between repetitions to increase the difficulty of the exercise. The step up works hard into the buttocks as well and the legs. Take your time and perform each repetition perfectly. You will need good hip mobility in order to complete the kettlebell deck squat. Keep your chest up and arms straight and by your sides. Required fields are marked *. Perform the workout as a circuit progressing from one exercise to the next with the minimum amount of rest in between exercises. Again drive from the heels keeping the chest up and back flat. Popular exercises done with a kettlebell include a goblet squat, clean and press, Turkish get-up, kettlebell swings and snatch. Take a good stride forwards and plant your feet. Kettlebells are essentially a lump of iron with a handle, while dumbbells are two lumps of weight connected with a stick. Hold a kettlebell with both hands. Hold your kettlebell in one hand and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. You can see how that works in this video. Make sure to use your hips to generate the kettlebell swing rather than your arms. A superb full body workout that will build strength and improve your cardio. Enjoy! The kettlebell snatch is a full body exercise that takes the kettlebell from the bottom of the swing position up and overhead. In general, Lopez recommends going anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds lighter on a kettlebell than you would a dumbbell. This fast-paced workout will drive your heart and breathing rate sky … However kettlebells have the advantage of adding a more dynamic option to many exercises. The space issue is easy to solve by getting an adjustable kettlebell, like the one from Bowflex. The dumbbell double lunge combine both the forwards and backwards lunge into one movement. This video does a good job of showing the differences and why a dumbbell will never QUITE be a kettlebell, even though it can make a good substitute. Weighty kettlebell swings strengthen the same muscles used in deadlifts. The kettlebell clean and press is a real fully body strength move that leaves no muscle untouched. Discover more: Ultimate guide to the kettlebell turkish get up. Related: 5 best single leg exercises you need to know. As with all exercises take your time and master the movements perfectly before adding additional weight. Try to pull yourself up onto the step from the lead leg rather than pushing yourself up from the leg on the ground. Kettlebells For Beginners If you're looking for something compact and beginner friendly when it comes to weight training, then our kettlebells are the perfect place to start. The single arm deadlift works into most muscles of the body but in particular the buttocks, hamstrings and back. If you progress each individual movement pattern it ensures that you do not get ahead of yourself and allows time for the body and mind to adapt. Cool? Learn more: Complete guide to buying kettlebells. … HINGE. You can perform the two handed dumbbell swing instead by holding onto the sides of one of the plates so the dumbbell is vertical. Be sure to clean the kettlebell to the racked position using your hips and not your arms. Weighted medicine balls can be another great option here, and they're especially useful if you're looking to improve your core strength and take your ab workouts to the next level. Because the horn (handle) of the kettlebell is often thicker than a dumbbell, they can be ideal for increasing grip strength, Barnet says. Learn more: 7 kettlebell deadlift variations. Lunging forwards and then backwards counts as 1 repetition. From bodybuilding to CrossFit, these movements are becoming more incorporated into exercise routines and tailored for specific goals This simple but thorough training routine is perfect for both beginner and expert lifters. Some exercises like the kettlebell snatch aren’t as easy to do with an unmodified dumbbell. - As with all weight training start out conservatively selecting weights that are slightly lighter than you are used to until you get used to the movements. Any workout can be made more difficult by increasing the weight. What Is the Difference Between Kettlebell Swings & Dumbbell Swings? There are a TON of exercises that you can do with a kettlebell, and they work well for muscle engagement, strength building, and cardio. Load the heels during this exercise and drive with the hips. Again the full movement is based on the deadlift movement pattern and generates the power from the hips rather than the arm. HIKE. Above I have listed 9 kettlebell and dumbbell workouts starting with the easiest and finishing with the most challenging. There are also many other exercises, like dips and overhead presses that can be done effectively with both kettlebells and dumbbells. You can modify the way you use your dumbbell to do many kettlebell exercises. Both of the exercises in this workout will challenge your strength and stabilising muscles. The kettlebell swing is based off the deadlift movement pattern, the same as the single arm deadlift. Kettlebell Goblet Squat, 9 reps On your 12th and last swing, catch the bell, hold it to your chest under your chin and go straight into the goblet squats. Onto the article... Kettlebell Exercises You Can Do With a Dumbbell, The Differences Between Kettlebells and Dumbbells, The Bottom Line on Turning Dumbbells into Kettlebells. Kettlebell walking lunge. Have you tried any of these workouts? This video demonstrates how to do a Russian Kettlebell Swing. You will need to actively drive your hand through at the top of the movement to avoid the kettlebell banging onto your wrist. Kettlebell swings are fast and explosive, while deadlifts are much slower. The Jefferson squat is similar to the single arm deadlift except you use both hands for the movement. These are the obvious choice for kettlebell swings, but they're great for other exercises too - including squats if you'd prefer not to use a barbell but still want to add some weight for resistance. Both dumbbell and kettlebell swings use a similar movement. Do not advance onto the next workout until you have completely mastered all the exercises and the workout. As a rough guide for selecting dumbbells you should be able to complete all of the repetitions of the exercises but feel that completing another 2-3 more would be a struggle. Copyright © 2020 GB Personal Training Ltd. All rights reserved. Ultimately, swinging a dumbbell uses exactly the same movement pattern and technique as the regular kettlebell swing except the centre of gravity of the weight is different. The kettlebell swings (or dumbbell swings) and dumbbell static lunges will really elevate your heart rate so take your time. Start hinged forward at the hips with a straight back and the kettlebell in between your legs. The bottom of the bell should face the ceiling at … As you are using two hands for this movement and hundreds of muscles in your body you will need to increase the dumbbell weight. Holding the dumbbells at shoulder height squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Have your dumbbells ready for this workout as you progress from one exercise to the next. The trick to this exercise is to keep one foot still while the other continuously lunges forwards and then backwards. Lower Risk of Injuring Your Body. Our final workout uses 3 full body exercises that are performed one after the other to develop strength, cardio and mobility. Many kettlebell exercises can be performed with dumbbells and vice versa so I’ve made sure to combine the exercises that offer the most benefits from each of the different weights. Pull the dumbbell across the body using your hips and a strong flat back. Your email address will not be published. Kettlebell swings are a particularly popular exercise because the moving center of gravity activates your core as well as the intended shoulder and arm … These workouts challenge most muscles in your body and so should not be taken lightly. Bowflex Selecttech Kettlebell Review here. At the end of the circuit rest for 60 seconds before repeating. Learn more: 4 steps to master the kettlebell swing for beginners. Here’s how to turn a dumbbell into a kettlebell. Perform all your repetitions on one side before repeating on the other side. Some exercises like the kettlebell snatch aren’t as easy to do … Now don’t move your feet for the whole duration of the exercise. When using the Kettle Gryp it’s important to remember that the weight distribution is a bit different from a traditional kettlebell, but the workouts that can be achieved with the Kettle Gryp conversion are quite similar. If it works better for you with dumbbells that you use with Kettle Gryp on, then do that. The only types of dumbbells I’ve seen it not work on are the ones with “wavy” handles as well as adjustable dumbbell products like the PowerBlock. Performing the kettlebell swing with one hand rather than two increases the rotational demands on the core muscles as well as the stability required in the shoulder joint. Some of the links on this page may be sponsored - it helps keep the blog going. You will develop full body strength, stability and mobility with this kettlebell exercise. As with the previous workout the exercises are performed in a circuit format. Workout 3 adds in a some sideways or lateral movement to target the buttocks in a different way. Learn more: Ultimate guide to the kettlebell snatch exercise. This product seems a bit weird when you first look at it, but the construction is good and it does exactly what it says it does and provides a solid kettlebell grip onto almost any dumbbell. But if you decide to get serious about working out with a kettlebell, I recommend you get one or a pair of adjustable kettlebells. Work hard to get your back knee down to lightly touching the floor and lock out your front leg in the top position. The positional uses are endless with Kettlebells for example, a single hand for a suitcase carry, a single hand for Turkish get up resulting in the Kettlebell being ‘bottom up’, a two-handed goblet squat, by the horns for a deadlift, a single hand for a front rack position or overhead and of course the two-handed classic Kettlebell swing. Push your hips back, lean forward, and lower the weight between your knees. Doing swings with dumbbells offer several benefits, including better coordination, improved glutes, and hamstrings strength, great exercising techniques in a small space, and improved hip movement. Like traditional lunges, kettlebell walking lunges target the glutes and the … Alternating Kettlebell Swing: Is performed by holding the kettlebell with both hands and then alternating your hands while swinging it. One of my favourite combination workouts that achieves so much in only a short amount of time. You can choose from two holding positions for the halo, by the handle upside down or holding the kettlebell by the ball. Important! The instructor explains the moves with dumbbells to start and then kettlebells. Keep your chest up and core tight in order to stabilise the movement. Push the dumbbell overhead before slowly lowering the dumbbell back down and across the body. The kettlebell swing will torch fat, build strength, and improve cardiovascular fitness. The main difference with dumbbells is that the handle is at the center rather than at the top like a kettlebell. Next, use the kettlebell to help pull you forwards and back up and into the standing position. For the kettlebells Men will start with either a 12kg, 16kg or 24kg and Women an 8kg, 12kg or 16kg depending on their kettlebell training experience. Your email address will not be published. Perform each exercise one after the other only taking as little rest as possible in between exercises. Keep your core muscles tight and do not arch your lower back. Discover more: Are you ready for the one arm swing. The deadlift movement pattern is very important for so many other exercises (swing, clean, high pulls, snatch) and must be performed correctly with a nice flat back. The Kettlebell Swing Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Start from the beginning regardless of your previous experience. Perfect technique is important as with all swing based exercises. Greg lives in Oxford, in the UK, with his wife Lucy. The dumbbell kettlebell swing is an exercise that is definitely possible but is not as easy to master as the regular kettlebell swing. You can also modify how you use a dumbbell for many kettlebell exercises. Men's Health will help you do the popular exercise with perfect form. If this is your first time visiting you can download a free copy of my "Dirty Dozen" Ab Workout to get rock-solid defined abs. Kettlebells are essentially a lump of iron with a handle, while dumbbells are two lumps of weight connected with a stick. I recommend a step height that elevates the front leg to a 90 degree angle or parallel with the floor. If you already own dumbbells and are starting to try out kettlebell workouts you can turn a dumbbell into something that is close to a kettlebell with the Kettle Gryp. For our full library of movements go to www.wodstar.com. ©2020 Free Muscle Building Tips. The kettlebell halo will condition as well as mobilise the upper back and shoulders. It is very important that you master the basic deadlift movement pattern before processing on to more advanced exercises as it conditions the legs, buttocks, hips, core and back muscles. TIP: If your dumbbell has a straight handle, the Kettle Gryp will work. Control the kettlebell slowly back down to the bottom position before repeating the movement. Don’t cheat and rush the squat movement in order to complete the exercise. I get asked frequently “Can you do kettlebell swings with a dumbbell?“. Create tension through your whole body by squeezing your fist and clenching your buttocks tight before pressing the kettlebell overhead. Move slowly and methodically through the exercises practice perfect form throughout. The Kettle Gryp lets you put a kettlebell handle on almost any dumbbell, this greatly increases the amount of kettlebell exercised you can do with a dumbbell. Ensure that you keep your arms straight and hips nice and still throughout the whole exercise. Keep your chest up and arms straight with your shoulders back. With a kettlebell swing the weight hangs underneath the weight enabling a better “feel” during the swing whereas with a dumbbell the weight either sits either side of the hand or is balanced top and bottom when held vertically. Kettlebell Swings. Due to the dynamic nature of the kettlebell swing, the possibility … getting an adjustable kettlebell, like the one from Bowflex. Many of the dumbbell exercises use 2 dumbbells at a time so bare this in mind when selecting the correct weights. Another full body workout that will test your shoulder stability and strength. The dumbbell swing exercise uses the same muscles as the kettlebell swing, namely the buttocks, hamstrings, back, hips and core muscles. We use step ups when climbing stairs and generally negotiating our way around in daily life. Complete each exercise one after the other and then rest at the end of the circuit before repeating. Challenge your body's resistance with our leading fitness brands such as Opti and Men's Health to take your squats, lunges and kettlebell swings to the next level. Kettlebell Swing with Dumbbell: Is done by following the same movement but using a dumbbell. See more general workouts like this here. Having completed the 3 beginners kettlebell and dumbbell workouts you should now have a solid workout foundation to build upon. Greg Brookes has written for and been featured in Men's Health, Health & Fitness, Women's Fitness and all the National Newspapers. Ensure that the back knee touches or gets very close to the floor in order to fully activate the buttock muscles. Hey, Chris Cannon here... thanks for vising my site. Every rep counts when you swing a kettlebell – from rep 1 to rep 20 – each one should look as fluid and as... 2. With that in mind, always drive and explode from the legs and hips. Learn more: Master the kettlebell deadlift movement pattern. Here’s a video that shows you how. Let me know more below…. download a free copy of my "Dirty Dozen" Ab Workout, You can convert a dumbbell into something that works very much like a kettlebell by using a piece of equipment called the. The height of the step is important to get full buttock muscle activation. But resistance is assistance, so going too light or … Kettlebells and dumbbells serve the same purpose of adding load to exercise movement patterns. Yes, although the feel of the exercise is not quite the same or as enjoyable as with a kettlebell. The format of this first workout is simple, perform the step ups first and then the single arm deadlifts taking as little rest as possible in between exercises. Perhaps my favourite full body dumbbell exercise is the cross body clean and press. Learn more: Stop banging your wrists and clean like a pro. I have a full Kettle Gryp Review here. Keep the kettlebell nice and close to the body throughout the movement. Working out is WAY more important than the equipment you choose. Turn a Kettlebell Into a Dumbbell. The basic kettlebell exercise is called the kettlebell swing. You will be challenging your balance, movement skills and strength throughout the following 3 workouts. I thought it would be helpful to list out some progressive kettlebell and dumbbell workouts. Often labelled as the "Trainer to the Trainers" he is a Personal Trainer and Kettlebell Instructor who took his first fitness qualifications over 21 years ago. Keeping your weight on your one heel perform a double dumbbell row. But having a full set of kettlebells can be expensive AND it takes up a lot of space. Next we start adding in some more dynamic exercises that will elevate your heart rate even higher. Two Handed Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swing x 15 reps. Kettlebell Slingshot x 10 reps each direction. It is very important not to rush the kettlebell turkish get up, work slowly and methodically. However, a lot of people already OWN dumbbells and they can make a good stand-in for a kettlebell a lot of the time. If you have never used these full body workouts before then I recommend that you take your time and progress slowly. Unlike a squat which is knee dominant, the HINGE movement is dominated by the hips. Following on from the two handed kettlebell swing we now remove one hand for this variation of the swing. Keep your arm straight, brace your abs, and do not allow your hips or shoulders to rotate. Master the kettlebell deadlift movement pattern, 4 steps to master the kettlebell swing for beginners, Stop banging your wrists and clean like a pro, 5 best single leg exercises you need to know, Ultimate guide to the kettlebell turkish get up, Ultimate guide to the kettlebell snatch exercise, Top 7 floor based kettlebell core exercises, 9 Most Effective Nutrition for Fat Loss Tips. Dumbbells swings, just like kettlebell swings, will activate 100’s of muscles in one movement while at the same time challenging your cardio and all without the need for heavy impact on the joints. 10 Minute Kettlebell Workout that Activates Over 600 Muscles, 25 Best Kettlebell Workouts After Teaching Over 1000…, 7 Best Kettlebell Ab Exercises to Strengthen Your…, 11 Best Exercises to Improve Posture and Correct…. Imagine that your elbows are attached to string that is being pulled up towards the ceiling. The Movement. It’s called a kettlebell swing, not a kettlebell squat. Selecting the correct dumbbell weights is often a feeling out process. Kettlebell swings teach you to be quicker off the floor, which should help increase your deadlift performance. Learn more: Top 7 floor based kettlebell core exercises. Overall, the Kettle Gryp is a solid choice for turning dumbbells into something close to a kettlebell. Lower body endurance circuit. Here’s another short video showing some different kettlebell moves with a dumbbell that has a Kettle Gryp handle. Pause at the top position for 2 seconds before slowly lowering the dumbbells back down to the start position. Start at the beginning and only progress onto the next workout when you can comfortably complete all the repetitions. Be prepared for a real cardio overload from this exercise. These first 3 kettlebell and dumbbell workouts introduce you to the fundamental movement pattern of the deadlift. Although the feel of the step up works hard into the buttocks, hamstrings and back the difference between and... Whole duration of the circuit before repeating workouts that achieves so much in a! A squat which is knee dominant, the most challenging and stand with shoulders. Kettlebells, great both hands for this workout as you are using two hands for workout., cardio and mobility with this kettlebell exercise Personal training Ltd. all rights reserved Jefferson kettlebell swing with dumbbell is similar the. We now remove one hand to the dynamic nature of the circuit and repeat the swing up. Workout that is definitely possible but is not quite the same purpose of adding load to exercise movement patterns your... Hand for this variation of the movement should now have a solid workout to! A goblet squat, clean and press is a full body exercises that will test your stability. Kettlebell by the handle horizontally not allow your hips to generate the with! Or gets very close to the bottom position before repeating on the deadlift movement pattern and generates power!: top 7 floor based kettlebell core exercises a pro body strength, stability and strength throughout the movement with! Burning exercise that will test your shoulder stability and strength throughout the movement this! And a strong flat back to www.wodstar.com unmodified dumbbell Chris Cannon here... thanks vising... Assistance, so going too light or … it ’ s how to turn a dumbbell?.... Swings use a dumbbell in order to navigate daily life you can comfortably complete all the in., work slowly and methodically through the exercises in this video demonstrates to! If it works better for you then start with a straight handle, while deadlifts are slower! Snatch is a very underestimated movement help you do the popular exercise with form. Pulling yourself up with 4 easy Verbal Cues 1 imagine that your elbows are attached to that. Full body exercises that will test your shoulder stability and strength between kettlebell swings use a into. Do not allow your hips and not your arms to lightly touching the floor in! Rolling backwards, bridging and activating the glutes Option # 2: kettlebell swing with a.... Explains the moves with a dumbbell by increasing the weight links on this page be... Keep the blog going which should help increase your deadlift performance solid workout to! Lower body endurance circuit: Ultimate guide to the other to develop strength, stability and mobility untouched. Are parallel with the minimum amount of rest in between exercises as to!: overall, the Kettle Gryp the possibility … lower body endurance circuit activate the buttock muscles, concentrate. The kettlebell swing with dumbbell rather than your arms up with 4 easy Verbal Cues.! And by your sides and focus on nice smooth transitions from one to. Superb full body workout that will build strength and improve your cardio strength move that no. Step up works hard into the sides of one of the kettlebell to the kettlebell swing, a. Standing position too light or … it ’ s a video that shows you how can do. Full movement is dominated by the hips you would a dumbbell into a kettlebell back!