RKC News - January 2016

Kettlebell? Aren't those the heavy balls that are swung through the air by muscular, athletic young men and sporty women? Is that good for the back?

In Germany, it is still the case that kettlebell training is primarily conducted by younger people. But not because you have to be young and athletic to do it. On the contrary, kettlebell training can be performed well into old age, and especially older people, regardless of whether they are male or female, benefit from this training.

Around the age of 40, muscle mass decreases by about 1% per year. This decline should be counteracted with muscle training. However, one should not train muscles in isolation on strength machines, especially not if one has been sitting all day in an office chair. The goal should be to train in a way that is relevant to everyday life, and performing movements as done in kettlebell training is perfect for that. Kettlebell training is essentially practicing movements. It primarily engages muscles that are unfortunately neglected in our modern civilized world. For example, during the Turkish Get Up (TGU), one practices the transition from lying on the back to a standing position while simultaneously stabilizing the kettlebell in an overhead position. Thus, the TGU is a perfect counter-exercise to a sedentary lifestyle, just like the swing, which combines a full core workout in one exercise. Lastly, the deadlift should be mentioned, where one practices lifting heavy objects. Yes, and that is indeed good for the back.

A prerequisite for maximizing the benefits of training is performing the exercises with optimal movement quality. This is also precisely the philosophy of the RKC School of Strength. This way, what has been learned can be applied in everyday life or perhaps for the sport for which kettlebell training is being used as a supplement. In addition to the aforementioned reasons, practicing with the kettlebell is very engaging and fun. With the focus on movement, time flies by and it is something different than just counting repetitions on a strength machine to say you've done it.

And what could be better than doing something meaningful after a stressful workday that is also fun?

that you can train mobility, stability, motor skills, and strength with just the Turkish Get Up (TGU)? In addition to the shoulders, the core muscles are primarily trained, relieving the back in everyday life. The sequence of movements is one of the most functional exercises ever. This exercise allows you to identify and correct movement restrictions and asymmetries. If you want to perform overhead exercises, you should master the TGU beforehand to have sufficient shoulder stability and remain injury-free.