Kettle what? If you’ve walked into
a gym lately you’ve probably seen a misshaped looking weight that is round on
the bottom with a handle attached on the top. A kettlebell. Despite what you
may think, kettlebells are kind of a big deal. Not only are they a staple in
almost every gym in the 21st century but there’s entire workouts
focused around kettlebells, actual gyms are named after them (Queen City
Kettlebell, Cincinnati, OH) and along with adequate calcium and vitamin D,
kettlebells can help increase your bone mass!
Russia, the birthplace of the
kettlebell, first appeared roughly 350 years ago. Originally used as handled
counterweights to weigh out dry goods on market scales, Russians began swinging
and throwing the odd objects around for entertainment and began using them to
build muscle and an athletic figure.
So what exercises do I even do with
a kettlebell? Glad you asked the list is endless! Some exercises include the
kettlebell swing, which is considered the classic and most well known exercise,
the hang clean, Turkish get-up, single arm swing, pistol squats, the snatch,
and several more. While dumbbells can often be substituted for kettlebells for
some exercises, kettlebells tend to be more versatile and more difficult to
control as the weight is not evenly distributed as it is in a dumbbell. As you
become more advanced in these exercises you can move your way up to the
kettlebell with a gorilla head, weighing in at 70lbs. (shown at the top).
So how are kettlebells suppose to
help me increase bone mass? Our bones are living tissue, meaning they need
stress to stimulate growth. While you
may consume adequate amounts of dietary calcium and vitamin D, you won’t reach
your optimal bone mass without proper exercise. The 2016 position statement of
the National Osteoporosis Foundation stated that lifestyle behaviors affect
20-40% of adult peak bone mass. In their position statement, lifestyle factors
that received a grade A included exercise and calcium intake, while other
lifestyle factors such as dairy, protein, smoking and vitamin D received lower
grades, implicating that in terms of peak bone mass, these factors are not as
significant when compared to calcium and exercise. Weight-bearing exercises,
such as swinging that kettlebell, exerts a stress load that bones need to
stimulate mineral uptake.
So next time you’re at the gym,
walk past the dumbbell rack and head for the gorilla looking kettlebell, after
all they’re kind of a big deal.
Sources:
National Osteoporosis Foundation - https://www.nof.org
Food & Nutrition Magazine – May/June 2016 issue
Exercises:
About the Author:
Allison Bokenkotter is a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati and recently passed the RD exam. In addition, she’s the diversity/national nutrition month chair for the Greater Cincinnati Dietetic Association.
