In the September 2010 issue of FLEX, we reported that kettlebell swings raised heart rate up to more than 85% of max, making it a good cardio workout.
A new study from Truman State University (Kirksville, Missouri) has put the kettlebell swing head-to-headwith running on a treadmill. They reported that heart rate was increased to the same magnitude in both exercises, suggesting that kettlebell swings make a good cardio alternative, although treadmill running increased calorie burning a bit more.
However, since kettlebell swings involve weight, they likely would keep calorie burn higher for longer afterward than running. This is especially true if you do kettlebell swings in high-intensity interval training style — kettlebell swings for one minute and rest for 30 seconds, alternating swings and rest for 5–20 minutes.
