Kettle Bells Vs. Dumb Bells
Kettle bells and dumb bells both have their place in a well-rounded fitness program. While the latter are intended for straightforward strength training and muscle-building, the former are designed primarily for swinging movements, combining strength training and cardio.
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Dumb Bells
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Dumb bells are the traditional types of hand weights that can be found in any gym. They consist of two weight plates connected by a handlebar. They come in sizes ranging from one to 100 pounds. They are generally used in pairs, but can be used separately.
Kettle Bells
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While kettle bells have experienced a surge in popularity in the new millennium, they date back over 100 years, according to BodyBuilding.com. Originally from Russia, they are an iron cast weight with a handle attached. They typically come in sizes ranging from eight to 100 pounds.
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Body Planes
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Your body has three planes of motion--sagittal (nodding your head), frontal (moving your ears to your shoulders) and transverse (shaking your head from side to side). Dumb bells were designed to be used in one plane at a time, while exercises involving kettle bells often span more than one.
Targeting Muscles
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Because of the kettle bell's asymmetric shape, they are less efficient in targeting muscles. If you want to do a bicep curl or a tricep extension exercise, you will find that a dumb bell will enable you to execute the exercise with significantly more ease.
Power
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The kettle bell lends itself to exercises intended to develop power, such as the snatch and the clean. These power-lifting exercises are traditionally done with a barbell, but work just as well, if not better, with a kettle bell.
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