Exercises For Vertical Jump - Kettlebells As An Alternative To Traditional Fitness Equipment
What Are Kettle Bells?
A Kettlebell is a piece of exercise equipment that has been around in Eastern Europe for a while and is quickly making headway in mainstream fitness circles in the West.
Kettle bells are cast iron weights that resemble canon balls that have a looped handle for gripping. They can range anything between 2 to 100 pounds.
What's So Special About Kettlebells?
Kettle bells users utilize three basic motions for their work-outs which are the snatch, the swing and the clean and jerk. Due to the peculiar shape of the Kettlebell these exercises have to be done explosively. This gives a great all round body work-out which is especially awesome for fat burning.
Can't We Do The Same Exercises Using Dumbbells?
The truth is that most of the exercises you can do with kettlebells can be replicated with dumb-bells; however because of the kettlebell's peculiar shape, it gives an all round better workout than the dumbbell.
You can also perform a wider range of exercises across the body plane with a kettlebell than a dumbbell. This works "hard to reach" muscles thus improving your functional and core strength and increasing athletic dexterity. The unique nature of the kettlebell for example makes swinging a whole lot more natural, meaning that your workouts can mimic more closely the sports you are training for.
Kettlebells and Vertical jump
Kettlebells can be a useful tool for increasing Vertical Jump for the following reasons:
1) Kettlebell explosive swing, snatch and clean and jerk exercises are excellent for mimicking the movements of a vertical jump
2) They are relatively easy to use and master compared to some other exercises'. For example the standard Olympic lift - the clean and snatch, is an awesome exercise for building leg strength and power but it is incredibly difficult to master. An alternate form of the clean and snatch can be done with kettlebells safely, easily and with less risk of injury
3) The right exercises performed with the swinging motions of kettlebells are very effective for developing explosive hip extensions; a movement that is very important for vertical jump
4) They are great for working the upper body which are an underrated aspect of improving vertical jump. It works the various muscles of the upper body and at the same time provides a great cardio workout which produces a good balancing act by getting your upper body stronger but not to the extent that it starts affecting your vertical.
5) Every drill and exercise with a kettlebell has to be done explosively. Even the downward phase of a swing or snatch needs a lot of control and this helps improve form and burn more fat
So if you are looking for a little bit of variety in your Vertical Jump training, try kettlebells. They are a great way of improving functional core strength and a good routine gives you a great all round body workout that will improve explosiveness and general fitness.
A Kettlebell is a piece of exercise equipment that has been around in Eastern Europe for a while and is quickly making headway in mainstream fitness circles in the West.
Kettle bells are cast iron weights that resemble canon balls that have a looped handle for gripping. They can range anything between 2 to 100 pounds.
What's So Special About Kettlebells?
Kettle bells users utilize three basic motions for their work-outs which are the snatch, the swing and the clean and jerk. Due to the peculiar shape of the Kettlebell these exercises have to be done explosively. This gives a great all round body work-out which is especially awesome for fat burning.
Can't We Do The Same Exercises Using Dumbbells?
The truth is that most of the exercises you can do with kettlebells can be replicated with dumb-bells; however because of the kettlebell's peculiar shape, it gives an all round better workout than the dumbbell.
You can also perform a wider range of exercises across the body plane with a kettlebell than a dumbbell. This works "hard to reach" muscles thus improving your functional and core strength and increasing athletic dexterity. The unique nature of the kettlebell for example makes swinging a whole lot more natural, meaning that your workouts can mimic more closely the sports you are training for.
Kettlebells and Vertical jump
Kettlebells can be a useful tool for increasing Vertical Jump for the following reasons:
1) Kettlebell explosive swing, snatch and clean and jerk exercises are excellent for mimicking the movements of a vertical jump
2) They are relatively easy to use and master compared to some other exercises'. For example the standard Olympic lift - the clean and snatch, is an awesome exercise for building leg strength and power but it is incredibly difficult to master. An alternate form of the clean and snatch can be done with kettlebells safely, easily and with less risk of injury
3) The right exercises performed with the swinging motions of kettlebells are very effective for developing explosive hip extensions; a movement that is very important for vertical jump
4) They are great for working the upper body which are an underrated aspect of improving vertical jump. It works the various muscles of the upper body and at the same time provides a great cardio workout which produces a good balancing act by getting your upper body stronger but not to the extent that it starts affecting your vertical.
5) Every drill and exercise with a kettlebell has to be done explosively. Even the downward phase of a swing or snatch needs a lot of control and this helps improve form and burn more fat
So if you are looking for a little bit of variety in your Vertical Jump training, try kettlebells. They are a great way of improving functional core strength and a good routine gives you a great all round body workout that will improve explosiveness and general fitness.
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