Yoga for Kettlebell:
Flexibility is one if the important fitness component apart from strength training and endurance. In general, we see not much attention is being paid to flexibility component, however if you ignore, you are inviting injuries for sure.
In short, high level of flexibility enables freedom of movement. The article will showcase important yoga drills which can help you to achieve better movement across joint and most importantly recover from strenuous workout and have less DOMS -Delayed onset muscle soreness.
One of the effective ways to address the total objectives of strength, endurance, power, mobility, and flexibility in one program is to combine kettlebell training with flexibility or yoga drills.
Yoga addresses the alignment of joints, range of motion across joints, mobility and fluidity of movements required in general for Kettlebell or even barbell lifting. Movement across ankle for effective squat, movement across hips for effective lifting Kettlebells or barbell, movement across shoulder and elbow for lockouts and so on so forth.
Kettlebell training is rapidly becoming popular across the world because of the dynamic and multi joint movements. As the movement is dynamic so is the body demands the recovery and adding yoga or flexibility drills the workout complete.
Benefits of adding Yoga for Kettlebell:
- Better posture
- Correct breathing mechanism
- Relaxation
- Recovery
- Lifting injury free – specific for heavy lifting
- Presence of mind
- Peace of mind
- Teach you to engage core
Kettlebell For Yoga!
Kettlebell training compliments yoga, the way yoga compliments Kettlebells.
Yes, it works both ways. We have understood in above article how yoga helps to attain flexibility for Kettlebell lifting.
But can yogi use Kettlebell for its training? Yes!
Yogies can take one look at the kettlebell lifts like the low windmill or high windmill, turkish get up, overhead press etc.
Movement is important, but methods to achive correct movement can differ from training to training or coach to coach. To become good in yoga, I would suggest to add Kettlebell training which place the equal stress on the body for fluidity of movement. kettlebell adds the resistance component, which adds in extra stress on ligaments/ tendons to stretch.
In Yoga, as we see lots of poses consists of isometric holds, chakrasana, parvatasana, bhujangasana, just to name the few. Similarly in Kettlebell lifting, training for isometric holds, like rack holds, overhead holds, and farmers holds. Training the muscles isometrically has lot of advantages, mostly referring to stabilization of muscles.
If you are training Yoga and want to improve your range for movement or hold for longer time or even increase overall strength doing yoga but not adding lots of weight training regime, then adding Kettlebell training can definitely help you move better.
From functional anatomy aspect and how the combination of Yoga practice and kettlebell training would fill in the gaps is flawless
In general my advice for strength training athletes or specific Kettlebell lifters, try to implement some yoga training to compliment your strength training. Yoga will improve shoulder, T-spine, hip, ankle, knee mobility as you age in training, mostly through isometric work.
Similarly for the Yoga practitioner, I would recommend some loaded compound lifts via kettlebell training. As a result your joints and muscles will feel tremendous and crave those Zen like Yoga poses even more.
Yes! A lot more is covered in our 2-day Kettlebell or Functional training workshops in much detailed level, backed with science
Be Kettlebell Strong!