Health gem

If you do one thing this week . . . pick up a kettlebell

If you have ever done a kettlebell class, you might have questioned how something that looks like an iron ball with a handle can make you work so hard. But work you it does, and it sheds calories to boot.

A class typically involves repetitions of exercises that engage muscles you may never even have known you had – and you can quickly start wondering why you didn’t just stay home and pick up a kettle instead, before settling down with a cuppa.

But persistence pays off and many celebrities swear by (and maybe at) regular kettlebell regimes. More scientifically, a small study in Sweden – recently published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment Health – found that kettlebell classes increased muscle strength in the lower back over eight weeks.

Form is important, so make sure you get good instruction, and clearance from your doctor if needed. Many gyms and sports centres host classes, and if you are really adventurous you can even do outdoor kettlebells.