Why Are Kettlebells Used for MMA Fighters?
The kettebell, which resembles a cannonball with a handle, has become a popular workout tool for many. The world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has been no exception. MMA professionals use kettlebells regularly in their training.
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Build Muscle
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One of the essential purposes of the kettlebell in MMA resistance training is to build the muscles used to lift an opponent during ground-fighting competition.
Muscles Used
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Muscles trained include shoulders, triceps, laterals, thighs, the core muscles, back and abs.
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What a Kettlebell is
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A kettlebell is a cast iron ball weight with a fixed handle. There are plate-loading kettlebells available that allow for adding or removing plates just as on a dumbbell or barbell to provide progressive resistance training.
How the Kettlebell is Used
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In one of the basic core building exercises, the MMA practitioner will grasp the kettlebell with both hands while squatting at the waist. Hips are thrust upward, bringing the ball up and straight out in front of the practitioner at chest level. The practitioner then lets the kettlebell drop and is swung down between squatted legs. The kettlebell is swung back up to chest level by the upward thrust of the hips and then back down between the legs and repeated for a desired number of reps based on the practitioner's individual training requirements.
Advantages
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The specific advantage of the kettlebell for MMA training is that its design allows for easier manipulation and handling of the weight that is not possible with conventional weights. The large handles allow for a greater range of motion with the weight to work wider ranges of muscle groups simultaneously.
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