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Is it possible to tap into the health and fitness benefits of cardio without slogging through a 60-minute sweat session? Most people think that this is the only way to stimulate the aerobic system. It’s also commonly believed that the only way to lose weight and improve body composition is by suffering long slow bouts of cardio (usually running).
Yes, it’s true that conventional cardio training is the most effective method of strengthening the heart and trimming the waistline. However, ‘although aerobic exercise produces more comprehensive changes in cardiorespiratory function, resistance training is a potent stimulus for increasing the heart’s musculature and contractile characteristics,’ (NSCA’s Guide to Program Design).
But what about burning fat and improving muscle definition? Well, we all know that resistance training is the best way to sculpt a sharp physique. Yet, what good is it if those super-chiselled muscles are concealed behind a layer of fat? You want to see the fruits of your labour.
As chance would have it, resistance exercises used in the right way can also reduce excess body weight. According to strength and conditioning specialist, Anita Bean, weightlifting ‘can help reduce body fat by increasing the metabolic rate and therefore daily calorie expenditure,’ (Guide To Strength Training).
Bean has the backing of Pavel Tsatsouline, a leading authority on kettlebell training and author of Kettlebell: Simple & Sinister. Tsatsouline observes that ‘the fat loss power of kettlebells is explained by the extremely high metabolic cost of throwing a weight around.’
So, equipped with this simple kettlebell cardio training plan, you have all the tools you need to:
Increase aerobic capacity
Increase the strength of your heart
Reduce total body fat percentage
Improve body composition (by reducing total body fat and increasing muscle density)
Develop functional strength in all the major muscle groups
Kettlebell cardio training
Having covered the health and fitness benefits of resistance training, it makes sense to review the best methods of using kettlebells to achieve those outcomes. One important point that hasn’t been mentioned so far is that there is a right and a wrong way to use kettlebells for cardio conditioning. Let’s start with the wrong way first.
Applying the conventional strength training protocol to your kettlebell workouts isn’t an effective way to engage the aerobic system. Strength training, which is powered anaerobically, is characterised by high-intensity lifts (loads that exceed 50% 1RM) balanced by low-volume output (short sets and reps and long rest periods). This is typically expressed in the following formula: 1 to 3 sets of 3 to 8 reps / 2- to 3-minute recovery period intersperses each set. During such a workout, you’ll spend more time resting than you will training. But that’s how strength is built.
The cardio or aerobic exercise protocol, in contrast, resides on the opposite end of the fitness continuum. This is because aerobic activity relies on a different energy system to the one that powers high-octane muscular strength movements. In addition, cardio exercise is fuelled primarily by the heart, lungs, and vascular network. Across such a workout, you’ll spend nearly every minute moving. That’s how cardio conditioning is improved.
Tailoring your kettlebell workouts to align with the aerobic training protocol requires that you take into consideration a few factors. These factors include prioritising optimal training methods, setting the right rest durations, and selecting appropriate resistance loads and kettlebell exercises. Each factor has been outlined in the order that they were listed.
Kettlebell cardio training methods
The most effective resistance training methods for engaging the cardio system are those that commonly feature in CrossFit workouts. These methods are the AMRAP, EMOM, and RfT. (Don’t worry if you’re not sure what the abbreviations stand for, I explain them below.)
Their relevance to aerobic training is a consequence of the fact that they observe a similar protocol: high volume, minimal rest durations, light loads, and sustained output for protracted periods.
AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
The name of this training method gives the game away somewhat. After selecting an exercise (such as the kettlebell swing) and deciding on the duration (which typically ascends in 5-minute increments), the objective is to rack up as many reps as possible before the time elapses.
AMRAP is a highly versatile approach which can be applied to any exercise – resistance, body weight, or even cardio (but the aim changes slightly to cover as many metres as possible).
EMOM (every minute on the minute)
To get an EMOM up and running, you need to set three parameters. First, you must select an exercise or group of exercises (one from this list of compound kettlebell exercises will do just fine).
Second, decide on the number of minutes – which are referred to as ‘rounds’ in CrossFit parlance – you plan to train for. Rounds can range from as few as five to as many as 30.
Third, implement a rep range. This is the trickiest part of the EMOM prep process. Set the bar too high and you’re unlikely to last to the final minute. But too low and you won’t be sufficiently challenged. That’s why it’s best to have a range – say between 8 and 12. If the going is a tad too tough at 12 reps per minute, you can drop down to 10.
RfT (reps for time)
Reps for time is kind of like an AMRAP in reverse. Instead of trying to rack up the most reps in a prespecified time, your aim is to complete a prespecified number of reps in the shortest time possible.
Again, there are a few factors to take into consideration. First, you must choose an exercise. Then you are required to decide the size of the set – 50, 100, 150, or 200 reps.
Once you’re thoroughly warmed up, start a timer then proceed to reduce those reps to zero. Stop the clock the moment you have polished off that final rep.
Related: This Kettlebell Cardio Workout burns fat and builds muscle
Kettlebell cardio training tips
So far, we’ve reviewed a selection of fitness benefits that kettlebell cardio training can confer. In addition, I’ve outlined three effective training methods that, when applied to kettlebell exercises, will engage the aerobic energy system.
Though I’m conscious of having taken up enough of your time already, a few additional considerations are worth mentioning. The reason is that they can improve the effectiveness of your kettlebell cardio training sessions while reducing injury risk.
Tip #1: kettlebell weight selection
Keep the kettlebell weight low. As mentioned above, triggering the aerobic system takes sustained output – 15-plus minutes – with minimal recovery breaks in between. It’s not possible to maintain a high work rate with heavy weights. Your muscles will fatigue long before your heart wakes up. If your comfortable kettlebell weight is 24kg, drop down to 16kg when tackling that 10-minute clean to press AMRAP.
Tip #2: Ensure correct lifting technique
Make sure that you can competently and confidently perform an exercise before embarking on an enduring workout. The NSCA, in their Essentials of Tactical Strength & Conditioning, make it clear that one of the leading causes of exercise-related injury is the execution of improper technique. The potential severity of the risk could be compounded if improper technique is being performed hundreds of times.
Tip #3: Keep rest to a minimum
A key characteristic of cardio training is that output is sustained for protracted periods (which is why it is sometimes referred to as ‘continuous,’ ‘stead-state’ or long, slow distance (L.S.D)). Frequent breaks or reduced-intensity activity could disrupt the aerobic energy system. The result is a de-escalation of heart rate and a reduction in fat oxidation. Basically, you’re no longer cardio training.
So, with that said, aim to maintain consistent output for protracted periods. And if you must rest, keep it short.
Tip #4: Aim for a minimum of 15 minutes per workout
The consensus in the field of sports science is that cardio sessions should last for a minimum of 15 minutes. While Watson outlines research showing that 13 minutes is enough to maintain cardiovascular performance, this was only observed during a short-term intervention. Follow on research seemed to suggest that if this duration is sustained, aerobic performance will gradually decline over time.
However, Watson goes on to say that it is possible to keep up your cardio performance with a reduced number of workouts. ‘Completing two training sessions per week for at least 15 minutes’ is sufficient to preserve fitness endurance (Physical Fitness & Athletic Performance).
Kettlebell cardio training FAQ
Instead of concluding with the customary post-blog pep talk, I’ve decided to answer three frequently asked kettlebell questions. The questions selected relate to the aims and objectives of the person searching for kettlebell cardio exercises. Those aims and objectives (I think) include improving general health, losing weight, and increasing aerobic conditioning.
If I’m off the mark and you’re here for something entirely different, don’t hesitate to pop your questions in the comments box below.
How to use a kettlebell for weight loss
The best way to use a kettlebell for weight loss is to apply the training methods outlined above. Regularly completing a 10 to 15-minute AMRAP on any of these kettlebell exercises, will likely help you shed those unwanted pounds. (Alternatively, you could undertake the 10,000 Kettlebell Challenge.)
However, not all your workouts need to be gruelling to encourage weight loss. As Anita Bean pointed out in the introduction to her book, The Complete Guide To Strength Training, developing muscle mass through resistance training increases metabolic demands which in turn increases calorie expenditure.
But it’s worth emphasising a critical factor in the weight-loss effectiveness of kettlebell training. They must be used regularly (for best results Pavel advises a minimum of three weekly sessions) Also, your kettlebell workouts should be a mixture of medium to high intensity.
Final point. To improve the effectiveness of your weight-loss program, you should look to integrate cardio exercise into your routine and make the following dietary recommendations listed in Dr Tim Spector’s book, Food for Life.
Prioritise foods that sustain your health and promote a thriving microbiome. That means you should:
Eat plenty of fresh vegetables. Spector recommends ‘aiming for thirty different plant [varieties] each week.’
Of those different plants, prioritise ones high in polyphenols and insoluble fibre. (Dark greens, rich reds, and deep purples.)
Supplement your plant-based diet with fermented foods.
Always eat foods in their whole, natural form.
Avoid processed and ultra-processed foods at all costs.
Related: Get over 300 ultra-health recipes with Forks Over Knives
What size kettlebell for weight loss
If you recall our discussion under the initial heading, I advised selecting a light kettlebell for weight loss. The reason has to do with the infallible relationship between sustained output and the activation of the aerobic energy system. This system is powered by the breakdown of fat for fuel.
To trigger this process requires the stimulation of one or more major muscle groups (legs or back or both) for 15-plus minutes. Maintaining this level of output with a heavy kettlebell is neigh on possible for anyone who doesn’t qualify as a seasoned Girevoy Sports Competitor. You’ll fatigue before your cardio system kicks in.
Are kettlebells good for cardio
The answer to that question hinges on three factors. First, the experience and fitness of the exerciser. For example, a beginner would unlikely be able to perform enough reps to trigger an aerobic response (for the reasons previously discussed). Thus, for beginners, kettlebells are a suboptimal form of cardio training.
Second, alternative exercise options. If it’s a toss-up between twenty minutes of skipping or a 20-round kettlebell swing EMOM, I’d argue that skipping would provide the better cardio workout. The same is true if you replace skipping with any other conventional cardio exercise.
Third, training sustainability and injury risk. To get our hands on the many health and fitness benefits associated with cardio training, we must participate consistently (NSCA’s Essentials of Tactical Strength & Conditioning). For general fitness conditioning and fat loss, most exercise manuals prescribe three or more cardio sessions per week. Is it sustainable to conduct high-volume kettlebell workouts that frequently? I think the injury risk factor of a cardio regime comprised of three 30-minute weekly skipping, running, and rowing sessions would be a lot lower than one consisting of the same duration of swings, snatches, and the long cycle.
To sum up. If the advice throughout this blog is applied to your kettlebell workouts, then yes you can improve cardio performance.
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About Adam Priest –
A former Royal Marines Commando, Adam Priest is a content writer, college lecturer, and health and fitness coach. He is also a fitness author and contributor to other websites. Connect with Adam at info@hungry4fitness.co.uk.
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