The American Council of Exercise (ACE) at the University of Wisconsin conducted a survey in 2010 to measure how many calories were burned by athletes during a 20-minute kettlebell workout. Results showed that the average participant burns 20.2 calories per minute. That is equivalent to running a six-minute mile pace, or cross-country skiing uphill at a fast pace!
The participants who trained with the kettlebells also showed significant improvements in aerobic capacity, leg press strength, grip strength, dynamic balance, and core strength. The most dramatic increase in strength came in core strength, which increased 70 percent.