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Getting Fit By Mona Caravetta, WAC Personal Trainer Stay young with kettlebells N o knock on dumbbells, but more and more exercisers of all ages and abilities are reaping the benefits of kettlebell training. When used with attention to technique and safety, kettlebells have proven themselves to be more effective tools for addressing strength and speed. Not only are professional athletes utilizing kettlebells, but these dumbbell alternatives are also being used by older populations. In many cases, actively aging individuals use kettlebells to improve their stability, flexibility and mobility while increasing their strength and losing weight. Studies have shown that aging causes significant losses to functional ability due to sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass that begins in your mid-20s and is accelerated Proper form is critical to a safe through chronic disuse as you age. and effective kettlebell swing. Research also reveals that rapid loss of power and strength in older individuals leads to a diminished ability to move. In order to age well 20 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | OCTOBER 2013 and stay active, we must do everything we can to maintain our strength and self-control. Enter the kettlebell. While exercises that use traditional tools such as Despite their simplicity, kettlebells dumbbells and barbells are a sophisticated tool and require expert training to ensure emphasize isolated and linear proper technique. Be sure your movements, kettlebell exercises trainer is certified in kettlebell take advantage of rotary training before jumping in. You movements and momentum may also want to attend one of our forces that produce functional upcoming kettlebell workshops. power, forcing you to work on balance and stabilization. For more inFormation, The kettlebell swing is see page 41 or contact also one of the most effective ptcoordinator@wac.net. exercises for producing totalbody power. The swing to really jump in, join our emphasizes the entire posterior 10,000 Swing Challenge this chain of the body, including november and December. the shoulders, back, glutes, hamstrings and calves. It's the quintessential "anti-sitting" exercise and improves overall posture. It also creates a shear force on the lumbar spine that opposes the forces placed on the spine in a slumped posture. As such, many people report improved lower back health after incorporating kettlebell swings into their exercise program. This is great news for athletes and exercisers seeking to increase power production with minimal impact on their spine, hips, ankles and knees. Because of the ballistic motion of the swing that occurs with the powerful forward punch of the hips, we don't need to use very high loads to achieve an improvement in force production. As the hips drive the kettlebell's arc motion, we create a coordinated firing of the posterior chain and anterior core muscles for a strong midsection. Moderate loading also lends itself to higher-repetition sets used in interval workouts, which promote weight loss. If you're searching for a cardiovascular challenge that will also improve your overall functional ability—and help you fight the effects of aging—look no further than kettlebells. l u k e r u ta N ( 2 ) Ditch the dumbbells for an anti-aging punch