I often get asked about kettlebells vs dumbbells and which are of more benefit to women. Actually, it depends what you are looking for in your exercises, but for the most part Kettlebells are the clear favorites. Here’s why.
Kettlebells vs Dumbbells
We all know the dumbbell, and it is very popular among women. Despite this, the Kettlebell is a superior tool for women to use. It comes down to these simple facts:
Kettlebells:
- Build strength
- Build toned muscles
- Build fitness
- Work out more than one muscle at once
- Are easier to use for beginners
- Burn calories faster than dumbbells
Dumbbells:
- Build muscles
- Build strength
- Mostly work out one muscle at a time
If you are like most women, then you want to get that trim, sculpted look to your body, not turn yourself into a muscle machine. The kettlebell does this for you, and very efficiently.
Total Body Workouts
Have you ever heard of a total body workout? If not, you can probably guess from the title what it means. As I mentioned in the bullet points above, the Kettlebell will workout multiple muscles at the same time. It also burns calories and builds stamina and fitness. This means that even a short workout with a kettlebell, say 20 minutes in length, will get your whole body working.
The same can’t be said for dumbbells.
To get that sculpted, toned look, you need to combine strength training with weight training and aerobics. This is what is meant by “total body workout” and this is what the Kettlebell does. Even if you only use one.
Are Dumbbells Still Worth Using?
Well, anything that works is worth considering. I definitely think that if you are looking to get better results, faster results, and more enjoyable results, you should think about switching to Kettlebells.
Still undecided? Here’s something you can consider doing in the meantime:
If you already own a dumbbell, consider performing some kettlebell exercises using a dumbbell. You might think it sounds counter-productive, but that’s not necessarily true.
Typically kettlebell exercises involve lots of swinging motions. This is what helps them give you that total body workout. If you know what you are doing, you can recreate these motions with a dumbbell and still get great benefit.
If you like what you feel, then you can consider buying a dumbbell.
It makes sense to try things out before you switch.
If you already own a kettlebell on the other hand, then you can rest assured that you are onto something great.