Kettlebells vs. Dumbbells

As I mentioned to my boot campers, I'll be incorporating "Kettlebell" training in my next Boot Camp.  As I was explaining this new venture in training that they will be undertaking, one of my clients asked me; "What's the difference between a Kettlebell and a Dumbbell?"  They asked me, "Isn’t a kettlebell just like a dumbbell? In some respects they’re the same but, what makes the kettlebell different is how it’s shaped. It may look like an ordinary weight, but the u-shaped handle actually changes how the weight works with your body.

With a dumbbell, the center of gravity lies in the your hand but, with the kettlebell, the center of gravity lies outside of your hand, which means it can change depending on how you’re holding it and moving it. The momentum of many kettlebell movements (a big no-no in traditional strength training), creates centrifugal force, focusing more attention on the muscles used for deceleration and stabilization. This type of multi-directional movement mimics real life movements such as swinging a suitcase to put it in an overhead bin, for example.

Dumbbells are great for building muscle and strength with slow, controlled movements while kettlebell training involves the entire body and focuses on endurance, power and dynamic movements.


Live Fit Live Strong!