Dumbbells are an old weight training favorite and kettlebells are the new guys on the block - in popular terms at least. Is one better than the other?
Beware; it's not possible to win with this comparison. Opinions abound and much of it is personal preference even though you will read elaborate discussions of the pros and cons of each. The good news is that you don't have to choose because they can be complementary tools rather than competitive ones.
Advantages of Dumbbells
- Dumbbells are tried and true, and if you're inventive enough there are hundreds of exercises you can do with dumbbells.
- It's not true that dumbbells are mostly used for isolation exercises like arm curls, which only work one muscle or group of muscles. Try doing a set of dumbbell hang clean and presses for a great compound workout.
- Dumbbells sit nicely in the hand while gripping kettlebells is a little more challenging for exercises other than swinging exercises. I would be interested to know if wrist tendonitis occurs more frequently in kettlebell users.
- You can do swing exercises with dumbbells but you can't safely replicate many dumbbell exercises with kettlebells because of the weight balance and position at the wrist. I understand that some kettlebell enthusiasts will disagree with this.
- Dumbbells are cheaper to buy than kettlebells.
Advantages of Kettlebells
- Kettlebells allow easier training across body planes. The ability to swing kettlebells provides training for muscle groups across planes other than the vertical (sagittal) and horizontal (transverse) planes. However, similar training can be done with dumbbells.
- Kettlebells provide a better cardio workout because of the extra movement involved in the standard exercises. This may be so, but if you want cardio, run, bike, swim; don't rely on kettlebells. You can certainly devise dumbbell training that includes cardiorespiratory focus as well as strength and muscle.
- Kettlebells improve "functional strength" -- which usually means strength that is applicable in every-day life situations. The concept of functional strength has different meaning for different people, but it should not be limited to one form of exercise or equipment. Functional strength is developed by an appropriated all-round training program, which may include kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, cables and other forms of training.
Include kettlebells in your training for variety, but they are not superior to dumbbells or any other weight training equipment when included as part of a wide-ranging fitness program.
