KETTLEBELL EXERCISES FOR WOMEN: THE COMPLETE GUIDE

The benefits of the kettlebell for women are many:

  • Allows you to train at home
  • Works the cardio
  • Works all the muscles
  • Weight loss
  • Allows you to have a flat stomach

In this article, we will guide you in choosing the right weight for your kettlebell workout, as well as selecting the appropriate women’s kettlebell exercises.

 

Advantages and benefits of kettlebell training for women

Fitness at home

Due to lack of time or because you don’t feel comfortable, you may not be able to go to a gym regularly to follow a traditional weight training program.

The main advantage of the kettlebell is that it allows you to do your fitness sessions at home. A personalized fitness program, just for you ! There’s no need to go to the gym if you don’t feel like it: the kettlebell is more than enough for a home fitness program. A single object that allows you to exercise regularly.

Works the cardio

The kettlebell allows you to do muscle strengthening and fitness exercises, but also to work your cardio. Indeed, it is essential to develop your cardiovascular capacity to be in good health. To work with the kettlebell for cardio training purposes, you will need to do HIIT or circuit training type workouts by linking several exercises and playing with the number of repetitions. Low, moderate and high intensity cardio sessions with lots of repetitions are good for physical fitness and a sense of well-being in everyday life.

Allows to work all the muscles

The kettlebell is a complete tool that allows you to train the main muscle groups of the body. It is very effective in toning the muscles and toning the body in general.

You will be able to effectively work your abdominal muscles and buttocks. Indeed, the kettlebell is well suited to perform abs and glutes sessions. The abs and buttocks are muscles that are prioritized by women because they sculpt the figure.

You will also be able to sculpt your thighs by building up your adductors, ischios and quadriceps. Any exercise that includes a knee and hip bend such as squats or lunges will be effective in building muscle and slimming the legs.

In addition to abs, thighs and buttocks, the kettlebell also offers the possibility of building up the arms. To strengthen the arm muscles, it will be necessary to perform elbow flexion and extension exercises to work the biceps and triceps. Variations of the main exercises can be done with the kettlebell.

Finally, the kettlebell allows you to work the stabilizing muscles (mainly of the shoulder and wrist). This is due to the shape of the  kettlebell: the center of gravity is off-center, so it’s necessary to engage the deep muscles to stabilize the load during many exercises. Working these muscles is important for feeling strong on a daily basis.

Allows you to lose weight

The kettlebell is the ultimate weight-loss tool ! Losing fat means shaping your hips, slimming your legs, losing belly fat and reducing cellulite.

To achieve this result, that is to say to lose weight and firm up the muscles, you must increase your metabolism and therefore burn more calories than you consume. HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions are very energy intensive and are perfect for using the kettlebell.

Two to three sessions per week can already allow you to lose a few pounds. Of course, it’s essential to combine your physical efforts with good diet management. 

Allows you to have a flat stomach

Last but not least, the kettlebell  helps you achieve a flat stomach. The kettlebell offers many possibilities for working the deep muscles of the abdominal muscles. From crunches to sit-ups, a wide range of exercises is available to tone the transverse abdominis, the obliques and the abs in general.

A toned bust is a key element to obtain a flatter stomach and thus give an overall slimming effect to your silhouette.

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Which kettlebell weight to use for women

The kettlebell is often thought of as a tool for men only. Indeed, the most used are those of 16kg, 24kg and 32kg and the weight of these balls of cast iron can thus make fear. But you should know that all kettlebell weights exist and it is therefore possible for everyone, man or woman, beginner or advanced, to use this equipment.

In addition, on basic kettlebell exercises such as the squat, swing or clean, most women, even beginners, are more than capable of starting with 8kg or even 12kg. You’ll soon be able to use a 16kg kettlebell for the majority of your lower-body movements !

For upper body movements such as arm, back and shoulder exercises, it is also quite possible to use an 8kg or 12kg weight if you hold it with both hands. However, if you are a beginner, you will probably need to start with a 4kg weight for single-handed upper body exercises.

Beyond the lack of strength, the kettlebell can also scare some women because they fear gaining muscle too quickly. Building muscle mass requires rigorous training over long periods of time. Many men need several years to reach their muscular goals ! So don’t be afraid to use weights.

If, despite everything, you have exceptional genetics and a few sessions are enough to make you gain muscle (too much for your liking), it will be enough to lower the training load and the intensity of your sessions to quickly lose this muscle mass.

In any case, muscle is sexy even in women so don’t be afraid to sculpt your body ! Don’t worry, unless you embark on a relentless daily bodybuilding program accompanied by the intake of anabolic products, you won’t look like a man.

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10 kettlebell exercises for women

Thigh and buttock exercises

Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is probably the most popular kettlebell exercise. As it’s a hip extension movement, it’s highly effective for developing your glutes ! Performed at high intensity, in the form of HIIT for example, it will also enable you to work on your cardio and lose weight.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands by the handle and propel the kettlebell at chest height with the power of your hips. Slightly slow the descent and pass the kettlebell between your thighs while tilting your chest. Knees should be barely bent (this is not a squat) and you should keep your back straight and your abdominal muscles tightly contracted as you bend.

Muscles exercised : glutes, hamstrings, lumbar, back, abdominals

Kettlebell Goblet Squat

The kettlebell goblet squat is a great exercise to build up your buttocks and firm up your thighs.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands upside down by your body and place it against your chest. Perform squats while keeping your back straight and your abs tight.

Muscles exercised : glutes, quadriceps, abdominals

Kettlebell slot

Still in the same category, kettlebell lunges will allow you to build up your legs and glutes.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands upside down by your body and place it against your chest. Perform lunges by alternating the right leg with the left leg.

Muscles exercised : glutes, quadriceps, abdominals

Kettlebell deadlift

The straight legged deadlift is a similar movement to the kettlebell swing, but in a more controlled version. It will be just as effective for the development of the gluteal muscles.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands by the handle and perform a tilt with your legs straight (knees barely bent) and arms straight as well. Move down until the kettlebell is at knee level.

Muscles exercised : glutes, hamstrings, lumbar, abdominals

Kettlebell lateral bends

Side bends with a kettlebell are useful for building up your obliques and thus slimming down your figure.

Grab a kettlebell with one hand and perform side bends of the chest on the side of the kettlebell.

Muscles exercised : deep abdominal muscles, obliques

Sit Up Kettlebell

The sit up with kettlebell will focus on the rectus abdominis allowing you to get a flat stomach.

Lying with your back to the floor and legs bent, place a kettlebell on your chest. Perform frontal bending of the chest while keeping the lower back glued to the floor.

Muscles exercised : rectus abdominis, deep abdominal muscles

Curl Kettlebell

The kettlebell curl allows you to build up your biceps and firm up your arms.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands by the sides of the handle and perform elbow curls.

Muscles exercised : biceps, forearms

Triceps Kettlebell Extension

The triceps extension with kettlebell also allows you to firm up your arms but by muscling the triceps.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands by the sides of the handle upside down and extend your arms over your head. Perform elbow curls.

Muscles exercised : triceps, forearms

Rowing Kettlebell

The rowing with kettlebell will be useful to tone the muscles of the back.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands by the handle and lean your torso forward with a slight bend in your knees. From this position, perform a pulling motion to bring the kettlebell against your abs.

Muscles exercised : back, biceps, forearms

Kettlebell Development

The kettlebell bench press helps to shape your arms and shoulders.

Grab a kettlebell with both hands by the sides of the handle and bring it up to your chest. From this position, perform a pushing motion by stretching your arms over your head.

Muscles exercised : shoulders, triceps, forearms

 

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