When we decide to buy sports equipment to work out, one of the first things we look for is weights. Of course, dumbbells have always been a staple, but kettlebells, also known as kettlebells, have become very popular lately.
That’s why it’s expected that many people doubt whether it’s better to buy dumbbells or kettlebells. And it is normal because both types of weights are ideal for exercising at home and improving bodybuilding; here, we list some of the differences so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Dumbbells give us more control when doing the exercises than when using a kettlebell. This is because the place where we grab them is where the strength is concentrated. That allows us to maintain balance and do basic movements with less effort.
That’s why dumbbells are ideal for people who are just starting to work their muscles. They help them notice their bodies’ sensations, perform the correct movement technique, and become familiar with their strength.
Kettlebells are more unstable. Their center of gravity is concentrated in the body of the weight itself and not in the point where we hold it. They coordinate different parts of the body with the same mission: to move the weight correctly. Therefore, we make more effort globally to involve other muscle groups. This is what is known as functional training.
It enhances proprioception because we have to pay more attention to how we move and the position of our body about the weight.
Dumbbells allow more direct and focused movements to exercise muscle groups in a concentrated way. This helps to get the most out of each zone.
The way kettlebells are made allows for a greater multitude of movements that can be done with dumbbells. Some of these exercises, such as the swing, strengthen the muscles and work the cardiovascular system. In short, you can mix aerobic and resistance activity and thus burn more fat than with dumbbells.
The fact that it allows more exercises is also a plus because it gives more possibilities for training at home. But, to perform them correctly, you need more experience and a better physical condition in many cases.
Dumbbells work on natural strength and muscle development, but kettlebells are designed primarily for swinging movements, which combine strength training and cardiovascular training.
One of their significant differences is that with dumbbells, you work a single plane of the body, while exercises involving the use of kettlebells often extend to more than one plane, making them less efficient in targeting the muscles; think of doing a triceps or biceps movement for example, in this sense a dumbbell will allow you to perform the exercise more efficiently.
As the activity with kettlebells is based on functional training, the body is exercised in a more general way than with dumbbells. Therefore, it requires a more intense effort that achieves two things: increase performance in less time and have a balanced aesthetic. That is why they are a standard tool in high-intensity routines (HIIT), sports, CrossFit, and plyometric exercises to enhance speed and endurance.
