Nowadays we are overwhelmed with a lot of information. On top of that, we have responsibilities and work. Social media and advertisements constantly beg for our attention. Many people choose strength training as an active form of rest and care for themselves. But even while training, our thoughts are elsewhere.
The mindfulness is gaining popularity nowadays because it is the answer to people’s problems. We believe that training with kettlebells can be a training of self-awareness.
Kettlebells and mindfulness
Kettlebell exercises require considerable involvement of the musculoskeletal system, without a doubt. Most of them are complicated to learn for beginners and require a lot of focus and repetition. We don’t have to look far, let’s take TGU as an example.
The Turkish Get-up is multiple motions woven together, incorporating all three movement planes more than once. Although each one makes a great deal of sense to the whole, it is virtually impossible for a novice to remember.
Learning requires a lot of concentration and being present in the here and now (especially when the big kettlebell is hanging above our head). Lack of patience with repeated mistakes at the beginning, often causes frustration but it is nothing more than the process of doing one thing at a time with maximum intent of the mind.
Going further let’s think about what kettlebells workouts are famous for. They are, of course, complex exercises. For example, in a workout we have the following sequence of movements to perform:
One-Hand Swing x5
Clean to Thruster x4
Snatch x3
Windmill x2
Reverse Get-Up x1
The complex consists of 6 exercises performed one after another, without putting the weight down. It requires not only memorising the order, but performing each of the individual exercises correctly, breathing properly and maintaining muscle tension. It’s a great prescription for our multitasking-filled mind.
What is the final product?
As you can see kettlebells are a great tool for building awareness of your own body, but also a sense of presence in the moment. We often find that people who attend group classes tell us that an hour of training has gone by in a flash. They leave the class physically tired, but with a clear head. This is undoubtedly an argument for the success of the kettlebell community, but above all it is an important element in improving the quality of life.
