Do Kettlebells Burn More Fat Than Weights?

Hitting the track, going for a morning jog or diving in the pool are all effective methods of burning fat, but resistance training burns a significant amount of calories and builds muscle at the same time, giving you the best of both worlds. Kettlebell workouts combine functional resistance exercises with fast-paced interval training to increase your heart rate and burn more fat than traditional weights by a wide margin.

  1. Traditional Weights

    • Traditional weights allow you to burn a substantial number of calories because of hyptertrophy: the process by which muscle tissues rebuild and increase in size. Not only will you burn calories during a strength-training session, but your metabolism will be revved up for hours after you leave the gym, burning calories while you're sitting on the couch. MayoClinic.com estimates that weight training burns between 365 and 545 calories per hour.

    Kettlebells

    • A 2010 study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise resulted in some impressive findings when it comes to kettlebells and fat loss. According to their research, a 20-minute kettlebell workout burned an average of 272 calories among participants, which translates to 816 calories per hour. Participants kept up a fast pace during their workout, performing standard techniques such as swings, snatches and pushups.

    The Superior Exercise

    • Because of the combination of resistance and interval-style workouts common to kettlebell training, you'll burn more fat using them than you will with traditional weight training, but you may not build as much muscle as you would using a barbell or heavier weights. The focus in kettlebell training should be on functional strength, not on building big, bulky muscles.

    Considerations

    • When adding any fat-burning routine to your workout regimen, it's important to keep in mind that the idea of spot reduction for fat loss is a myth. It's impossible to taylor a workout to trim fat from specific areas of your body. Kettlebells and other interval workouts are so effective because they recruit all of your muscles and challenge your aerobic capacity. Kettlebell training has risks, so make sure you're instructed on proper form and technique before getting carried away.