When it comes to burning fat and making the most of your workout time, getting the right combo of cardio and resistance training is a MUST. No matter how busy you are, it is possible to boost your heart health, see quick toning results and melt away fat with one short workout.

And just what is the magic trick that gives you multiple results with a shorter workout? Kettlebells. That’s right – because a kettlebell workout provides BOTH an aerobic and anaerobic form of exercise at the same time, you accomplish more results in less time.

As a refresher, here’s the difference between the two types of exercises: it all comes down to the level of oxygen you use while you’re exercising. The harder you’re working, the more your heart is beating and the faster you’re breathing – so you require more oxygen.

During anaerobic exercise (such as strength training), oxygen consumption is not high enough to supply the energy demands being placed on your muscles, so your muscles breakdown stored glucose (sugars) which produces lactic acid and gives you that “burning” feeling. When you’re doing anaerobic exercises, you’re typically working what’s called your “fast-twitch” muscles (more on that in a second).

During aerobic exercise (such as cardio) there is sufficient oxygen intake needed to sustain your workout without using additional energy from stored glucose. When you’re doing aerobic exercises, you’re typically working what’s called your “slow-twitch” muscles.

Here’s where the double-whammy magic trick comes in…Certain kettlebell moves, like the ones in the video above, use type 1 and type 2 muscles at the same time – also called “fast twitch” and “slow twitch” muscle fibers. It’s ideal to use and exercise both because they work in different ways to support your body.

Classic kettlebell moves – like the swing for example – work your fat-burning “slow-twitch” muscles, but when you combine the Kettlebell Swing with a dumbbell-like move, it’s also a strength-training move that works your “fast twitch” muscles. So basically you’re stressing muscles enough to the point that they need to tap into stored energy reserves, but your heart rate and breathing also increase to the point that you’re getting a cardiovascular workout too so you’re simultaneously improving heart health.

Double the calorie-burning effects

Both types of exercise burn calories in different ways, so when you do them congruently, you get the calorie-burning effects. In fact studies have shown that you can burn up to 20 calories every single minute of your kettlebell workouts, which is the same amount of calories you’d burn sprinting at a pace of a 6-minute mile. That’s pretty fast! The secret to kettlebell workouts is doing kettlebell moves in an interval pattern – meaning you’re working very hard for about 15-30 seconds, but then taking a break of equal time.

You keep repeating this cycle and wind up getting a “high intensity interval training” workout, which keeps your body burning calories even after you’re done exercising because of “after-burn” effects that the workout has on your metabolism. In other words, your metabolism stays elevated for 24-48 hours after your workout. And who doesn’t want that?

If you’re interested in learning more about kettlebells and how to use them to your biggest time-saving, muscle-building advance, then check out my offer for purchasing your very own 3 ;b and 5 lb kettlebells, plus 60-minute full body toning and fat-burning DVD. I’m even offering $20 off + free shipping today!

If you enjoyed this, you might also like…