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03.05.2012

For strength old-fashioned weight lifting is more effective than kettlebells

There's no doubt that kettlebell training makes you more explosive and fitter, but if it's strength you're after Olympic weights are a little more effective. Sports scientists from California State University in Fullerton will soon publish an article on this in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

The kettlebell is conquering the world, but so far there's no scientific research on the effects of this amazingly popular type of training. Well, almost none. Coaches use kettlebell training to improve explosiveness and fitness, but scientists actually regard the movements made in kettlebell training as the same as those made in classical weightlifting training. The goblet squat resembles the back squat and the kettlebell swing is like the high pull [see below]. That's why the researchers wanted to examine whether the effects of the different forms of training were also similar.

They wanted to test their suspicions in a serious study so they performed an experiment with 30 men with an average age of 22. Of the 30 subjects, 13 trained for 6 weeks consecutively doing three well-known weightlifting exercises: the high pull, the power clean and the back squat. The other 17 trained with kettlebells during the same period, and did kettlebell swings, accelerated swings and goblet squats.

Both groups trained twice a week. Both groups did a similar number of reps for their exercises. The men in the kettlebell group trained with a 16-kg weight; the men in the weightlifting group used a weight that was 80 percent of the amount with which they could just manage one rep [1RM].

The table above shows that there were no changes in body composition in either group. The height in centimetres that the men were capable of jumping increased in both groups, as did the maximal strength in the back squat and the power clean. The maximal weight with which the weightlifting group could squat rose by 13.6 percent. In the kettlebell group this figure was only 4.5 percent. So the weightlifting group built more strength than the kettlebell group did.

Kettlebell training is primarily intended to develop explosiveness, while weightlifting focuses on strength development. That kettlebell training scores less high on this than weightlifting does is not surprising, according to the researchers.

"The results of the present study indicated that both Olympic weightlifting and kettlebell movements are effective for improving back squat and power clean 1RM, as well as vertical jump ability", the researchers conclude. "However, Olympic weightlifting exercises are more effective for strength development. These findings support the use of kettlebell exercises as an alternative form of training for strength and conditioning coaches who are interested in improving the strength and power of their athletes."

Source:
J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Feb 15. [Epub ahead of print].

More:
Kettlebell training burns 20 kcal a minute 08.08.2010