Give me strength: kettlebell sessions lift the intensity
Strength training, once the realm of the bodybuilding brigade, is catching on among mere mortals. According to the American College of Sports Medicine's annual survey of 2,620 fitness professionals, it is the second most popular trend for this year, up from No6 in 2007.
The form of training has found favour because it is being used to achieve a different goal: not for creating bulk, but for improving balance and ease of daily living - or what's known in gym jargon as functional fitness.
Weight machines isolate muscles and work them independently, but functional fitness - achieved mainly through bodyweight exercises, but also using certain innovative tools - teaches muscles to work together, building a body capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions.
In the past five weeks, Pure Fitness Admiralty personal trainer Matthew Ha has been putting Chalothorn Vashirakovit through functional training routines using equipment such as the Bulgarian bag, TRX suspension trainer and, this past fortnight, the kettlebell.
Ha made it clear from the start that the kettlebell - Russian cast-iron weights that resemble a cannonball with a handle - would be the most difficult tool for Chalothorn, a resistance training novice, to handle so far.
Our groom-to-be agrees. 'It's definitely hard to master and get the technique right,' says Chalothorn, 30, who is enduring this Pure Fitness training programme to get lean and 5kg lighter for his wedding next week. 'I don't think I have the spot-on form yet, so it's hard for me to fully benefit from the workout. From what I understand, it takes quite a bit of time to learn how to use the kettlebell properly.'
Ha explains that a lot of the power needed to perform kettlebell exercises, such as the arm swing and snatch, comes from the hips, hamstrings and lower back. As the weight gets heavier - kettlebells range from 2.3kg to 23kg - technique becomes more important to not only avoid injury, but also reap the greatest benefits. Done right, Ha says training with kettlebells can improve cardiovascular level, flexibility, co-ordination, core strength and muscle definition.
Chalothorn, an investment associate with a global investment firm, took a few training sessions to grasp the technique. At his fifth session with the kettlebells, Ha threw down the gauntlet: perform a 30-minute sequence with a 13.6kg kettlebell, without once putting it down. This, Ha says, is what personal trainers have to do to gain certification in the tool.
Ten minutes and Chalothorn was cooked. 'The first thing that gave way was my forearm and then my lower back,' he says.
Undeterred, Chalothorn kept going, performing shorter sequences of between five and seven minutes, until he managed 30 minutes of work in total. It's undoubtedly this tenacity that has led to his now-obvious physical changes: visibly slimmer body, sharper jaw line, leaner legs, and an impressive eight-pack starting to peek through.
In addition to the four weekly sessions at Pure Fitness (including one with boxing coach Jimmy Leung), Chalothorn has been fitting in cardiovascular drills such as spinning or jogging on the treadmill.
He's also been careful with his diet, keeping lunches to simple salads and bread. 'I don't get 'food coma' anymore. I used to drink three cups of coffee a day - in the morning and before and after lunch - but now I just need one, because I don't overeat and I don't feel sleepy during the day.'
His body fat has dropped from 18.2 per cent at the start of the programme to 15.8 per cent, and his muscle mass has increased from 60.8kg to 63.3kg. Though his weight has risen slightly from 74.3kg to 75.2kg, Chalothorn says it's just a number.
'I feel lighter, stronger and fitter,' he says. 'I'm very happy with the progress.'
