One of my favorite scams in the fitness industry is the idea that using tools such as kettlebells, Swiss balls, medicine balls or any other non traditional type equipment will help you build an "athletic looking physique." It's a cute little line and will definitely hook some people in. It's great marketing, actually. But here's the problem; your muscles have an origin and insertion and the way they look or will look when you make the bigger is predetermined at birth. It is impossible to shape or change a muscle. It's genetics, plain and simple. This lie is just about as bad as the old 80's idea that you can actually peak your biceps or other such nonsense. If one twin used kettlebells and the other used Hammer Strength machines for 16 weeks and they each gained ten pounds of muscle and lost ten pounds of fat, who do you think would have the more athletic looking physique? The answer is obvious to anyone who knows the first thing about anatomy. NEITHER! They would both look exactly the same. There are only two things you can do to enhance the way you look; make your muscles bigger and reduce your bodyfat. THAT'S IT! You can not shape them and make yourself look more athletic.
It's just like the lie that the yoga and pilates people tell you; they will help you build "long, lean muscles." They somehow have done what scientists could not; come up with a way to actually lengthen muscles. So if I start pilates today at six feet tall, I should be at least 6'4" by this time next year according to that theory. It's really an embarrassment for these lies to be told.
If I had to define an "athletic look" I would say that for most males it's around 200 pounds with single digit bodyfat. Huge pecs signify bodybuilder in an instant and are a terrible look. Huge arms also scream bodybuilder and make you look like an unathletic, narcissistic douche. A lean but muscular midsection, a well developed back (thickness is more important than width if you want to look athletic and avoid the bodybuilder stereotype), proportioned but not overly developed pecs and arms and most importantly, a well developed set of traps make up the ideal athletic look. This can be achieved with barbells and dumbbells, just like it has forever.
It's ridiculous to think that if you train with kettlebells you will somehow end up looking like an NFL wide receiver but if you train with barbells you will somehow end up looking like the guy pictured above. Kettlebells are just a tool, nothing more, nothing less. And to be honest, there are really only about a handful of exercises that you can do with kettlebells that you can't with dumbbells.
If you want an athletic looking physique you need to build muscle and lose bodyfat. Period. The end. To find out the most effective way to do this as quickly as possible click HERE now.
