Kettlebells bring different fitness level to Emmarentia
Kettlebell instructor aims to inspire you to get fit, one ballistic exercise at a time.
Did you know there are about 300 types of exercises you can do with a kettlebell? Yet there is only one way to find this all out.
If you are to head to Marks Park Sports Club you’ll find members of Kettlebells and Supercore doing ballistic and grinding exercises through the use of kettlebells. Started by certified kettlebell instructor Barry Geldenhuis about seven years ago, the club uses kettlebells, weighing between eight to 32kg to gain strength, among many other aspects.
Kettlebells used at the club are said to differ from those you’d find in a conventional gym environment in that the weight is not centred around the bar as in the dumbbell or a barbell. “The weight is offset and never in line with the hand,” he said.
Most exercises engage the whole body, making it a functional training method. Ballistic movements target endurance, strength and power all at the same time. “The other benefit is that it targets mostly the posterior chain muscles – the muscles that we use in all sport and everyday life.” Geldenhuis added they have a saying that it improves the ‘go’ muscles rather than the ‘show’ muscles.
Geldenhuis started kettlebells 10 years ago as an answer to his need of wanting to improve his cycling and he hasn’t looked back, as it has not only improved his body for cycling but also for everyday life.
In his opinion, the kettlebell is an underrated tool and this is most likely due to the fact that people are ‘scared’ of using them as it seems dangerous. Training with a certified trainer, however, will lessen this fear as they would teach the correct form. Exercises you do with kettlebells are ballistic, which include swings, cleans, squats, jerks and jumps. Grind exercises see you do windmills; Turkish get-ups and renegade rows, among others.
Geldenhuis described how for years he would suffer from chronic back pain, sometimes spending days in bed because of it. “Since the training, my back improved. So much so that most days I am pain-free.” He stresses though that nothing is an overnight fix and that training consistently, especially ballistic movements, has helped his back.
The club has had people aged between 30 and 73 as members with the oldest having been 84 years old, though you can probably take part in the sport at any age. Members younger than 18 would have a weight limit and would do more reps, with older members using any weight they feel comfortable with.
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