Just about
every kettlebell exercise you perform engages your abs and core muscles,
notes Lauren Brooks, author of "Kettlebells for Women." Your abs play
an important role in supporting your trunk as you maneuver the
odd-shaped weight through the movements of each exercise. Given this abs
impact and with numerous kettlebell exercises to choose from, you can
easily design a core-challenging workout to help you define your abs
while working the major muscles in your upper and lower body.
Body Prep
-
Before doing any exercises, get your body moving and prepared for
your workout with a few minutes of jogging, jumping jacks or burpees.
Follow these activities with a light kettlebell exercise such as the
around-the-body pass. To perform this exercise, grasp the horns of your
kettlebell with both hands and hold it in front of your waist. Release
your left hand and swing the weight around your body to the right. Move
your left hand behind your back, grasp the handle, release your right
hand and swing the weight back to the start. Perform 10 swings to the
right and then to the left. Just by using this exercise as a part of
your warm-up, you're already working your core muscles.
Sample Standing Bells
-
Include a variety of standing exercises to work your upper and lower
body muscles while recruiting your abs. For example, perform halos --
hold the kettlebell upside down by the handle and circle it around your
head -- to work the muscles in your arms and shoulders. Other exercises,
such as one-arm and two-arm swings, as well as the snatch, rely on your
abs and core muscles for support while working the muscles in your
upper and lower back, shoulders, hips and legs. Try the kettlebell
windmill, a valuable exercise for several reasons, advises Mike Hanley,
Russian kettlebell instructor. The windmill works your shoulders and
glutes, increases the range of motion in your hamstrings, and requires
your abs and core muscles to work overtime just to maintain correct form
and movement.
Sample Floor Bells
-
Kettlebell exercises from the floor can also be effective in
isolating your core muscles for well-defined abs. Try the Turkish getup,
for example, which requires your core muscles, especially your abs, to
pull your body up from a lying to a standing position while keeping the
kettlebell held above your head. Hold the weight with both hands and
assume a half sit-up position for Russian twists. Rotate your torso side
to side and touch the floor with the weight. Lie on your back with the
kettlebell on the floor just behind your head for reverse curls. Grasp
the handle with both hands, tighten your abs and pull your knees up to
your head.
Workout Design
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In deciding how to set up your workout, Chris Cato, a certified
personal trainer, recommends performing the exercises as a circuit. This
means performing one exercise after another to complete one set. Once
you decide on which exercises to include in your workout, perform 10
reps with each one and move from one to the next with very little rest
in between. After the last exercise, rest one to two minutes and repeat
the circuit. As you become stronger, gradually increase the number and
work toward five circuits. Train two to three times per week with a
minimum of 48 hours between sessions to allow for muscle recovery. Use a
weight appropriate to your skill and strength level -- one that allows
you to do 10 to 12 reps of each exercise with good form.
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How to Do Kettlebell Abdominal Exercises
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