If used properly, and mindfully, Kettlebells can be a wonderful tool for adding strength, stability, and confidence back into a training program after injury. Working as a personal trainer in Burlington, Vermont over the years I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with a number of individuals in helping them strengthen their bodies coming off of injury. I believe that strong recovery always comes down to the same few things when folks start to get back into working out after injury, listen to your body, work within a realm of comfort, work from a foundation of full body engagement, be sure that compromised areas aren’t put at risk during activity, and act gradually as you begin to see progress.
Funny thing is that these really are the defining characteristics of any effective and progressive Kettlebell training program, or any strength program for that matter. No matter what your starting point is, not just after injury, but also at any point of your practice.
Training progressively with Kettlebells requires that we pay attention to so many aspects of alignment and engagement during each movement, that it becomes second nature to keep those things in mind during everything else that we do. If I’m hyper aware of how I’m engaging my gluteus and abs during a Kettlebell press then the likely hood that that’s going to have crossover into doing a push up or even putting away the dishes has gone up.
And this is why Kettlebells are such a great way to get back into lifting weights after injury, because the practice alone increases the need for an awareness of staying out of compromised ranges of motion and harmful positions, which then carries over into maintaining these benefits during activities of daily living.
In the end, whatever is going to keep you most aware and in tuned with your body doing physical activity is a practice to consider when coming off of an injury of any kind, my bias is toward the Kettlebell because they encourage the lifter to become a thoughtful mover. Thoughtful movers tend to avoid injury, and when they do get injured they know how better how to come back stronger, this is something that everyone can use.
