KettleWorx
I was sitting down to breakfast one morning when up on my local news popped up Ryan Shanahan touting the praises of kettlebell exercises with his handy dandy system KettleWorx. I had never seen this funky little workout tool before, but it looked easy to do, and Ryan is kinda cute, so I paid attention.
Let me tell you, I’ve done every exercise known to man in the vain attempt to find something that is fun to do, and shows results. My two favorite things are step aerobics, and the elliptical machine. However, to get any benefit I usually have to spend an hour on the elliptical. And step aerobics classes run at least an hour. But, here is Ryan Shanahan telling me I only need to invest 20 minutes, 3 times a week, and I too can have ripped, toned abs and arms. Not to mention a tight little tush and taught legs. I’m like, “Sign me up!”
What the heck is a kettlebell anyway?
That’s what I wondered too. So, of course I went and googled it. The kettlebell seems to have originated in Russia, where it is called a girya. It resembles a cannonball with a handle.
“Okay,” I thought. “Not much different than a dumbbell. But the handle looked kind of handy, and easier to hold. I went around looking for reviews on Ryan Shanahan and found a lot of positive feedback. I went ahead and bit the bullet and ordered the KettleWorx workout. I didn’t want to knock myself out, so I ordered the 5 lb. kettlebell. The whole kit came pretty quick. I ordered all the DVDs plus the kettlebell.
The kit came really fast. I anxiously ripped it open and prepared for my first workout.
What I like about kettlebell exercises
- The exercises are kind of fun. You are constantly moving a bunch of muscles at once. Ryan never has you isolating one particular muscle group. For example, if you are doing the typical kettlebell swing (swinging the kettlebell through your legs and then up and away from you about chin high), you are also in a squat position which is engaging your legs and butt. I swear, after a week of doing the Kettle Worx workout, I found my butt was more toned, and even slightly higher than before beginning the kettlebell workout.
- The workouts are mixed up. You do not do the same workout twice (although, you do repeat the some of the same exercises) in the initial 6 week time span. So, it’s always interesting and new. Ryan introduces new exercises each workout. It’s definitely not fun to do the same workout over and over.
-The kettlebell exercises are simple but effective. I noticed changes in my body everywhere after about the second week. In fact, I liked the kettlebell workout so much, I went to the local Sports Authority and bought a heavier 10 lb. kettlebell. I liked the challenge!
All in all, I love the workout. I’ve kept it up for over 3 months now and am very pleased with the results. In my opinion, KettleWorx works!
