Kettlebells

Does anyone here train with Kettlebells - or have done in the past?

amazing core and body strength workout.

no having to get the right gear to wear, no having to drag yourself to the gym - and the workout itself is mind blowingly effective for building strength in the most functional areas of your body that you use in sports and everyday life.

better yet, each workout takes no more than 15-20 mins - if your doing it right - you are buggered by the end of a "hard" session.

in short its the way of the Europeans, the guys that win all the powerlifting contests, not the way of the West...the focus isnt on isolating "mirror muscles" for the beach, its about building functional strength that will serve you well on the court, on the field, or even sitting at your desk at work.

my posture was terrible, back was weak and aching all day from my desk job, the kettlebells sorted that out in 2 weeks.

do yourself a favor and look into it.

added some links which provide some further info.

http://www.ironball.com.au/training.html

http://books.google.com.au/books?hl...adkAy&sig=Y4C5iPs-b1qkyIb7gjLFIoRFIlQ#PPP1,M1

 

they do cost a bit no doubt.

but look at this way, you'll never break them (they might break other things )
and therefore they'll last a lifetime.

also, that yearly/monthly gym membership that keeps on getting more and more expensive...you can scrap it. The kettlebells are all you need.

they pay for themself.

 

http://kettlebellsoldier.com/kettlebell-barbell-difference.php

The most obvious difference between kettlebells and dumbbells are the way they are shaped, which results in a much differnt feel while lifting. Kettlebells usually have a thicker handle also which makes them a little tougher to hold on to. The shape of the kettlebell also shifts the center of balance as you lift it meaning you'll need to use a little more coordination while lifting.

Most kettlebell exercises also focus on compound movements rather than isolation movements. In laymen's terms, compound exercises recruit different muscle groups to complete a lift instead of focusing on just one muscle group by bending you at multiple points. Examples of compound exercises are kettlebell cleans, snatches, and squats. An isolation exercise on the other hand would be curling a dumbbell to hit your biceps. In the previous exercises, core muscles, leg muscles, and arm muscles all work together to complete the exercise.

Most people should stick to compound exercises because they stimulate the body the most. Isolation exercises have their place, but they are more helpful for advanced lifters. High rep squating exercises will cause your body to have optimum growth hormone levels and low rep deadlifts will keep your testosterone levels high (Mahler 22). So, unless you're already a monster of strength, focus on the exercises that will hit your body the hardest and make it create the benefitial hormones crucial to supporting a strong and healthy body (Anderson). Don't waste time on the other 80% of exercises that will bring you only 20% of the results (Pareto). Keep it simple and try it out. You'll stimulate more muscle growth and be glad you did it.

 

doing kettlebells wont assist your posture - it will FIX it.

http://www.kettlebells.com.au/samexc.php

http://www.kettlebells.com.au/

this is an Aussie website - im sure there is a US equivalent.

the first link shows good examples of the exercises.

basically every exercise will help your shoulder.

the idea is FUNCTIONAL strength as opposed to the western style of isolating muscles with dumbells and machines etc

all the muscles work together so you dont need to use kettlebells to isolate a specific problem - but you do routines in which every exercise literally assists across your entire body.

 

Rows are isolating and dont do anything to build your core strength - so unless you want to be a professional rower - why waste your time when you could incorporate similar movements into a kettlebell workout which will hit the entire body.

the big problem when us westerners start out on kettlebells is realising the bodies designed to draw strenght from our hips as opposed to our upper body.

kettlebells require you to use your hips and core to move the weight...as a result women pick the technique up a lot quicker generally - because they use their hips more naturally.

the exercises are sometimes similar but often different - for eg 'the swing' which you could never reproduce with a dumbell/barbell.

 

kettlebells.

 

those do look like decent prices mate.

big thing to remember is you prob dont need to buy them all - or at least not all at once.

if your just getting some for yourself, and you are of average to above average health and strength, then you could start with a 12 KG a 16KG a 20KG and maybe a 24KG.

most important to get the technique downpat. you will injure yourself if you think you can lift the equiv. of what you can currently do with a dumbell.

some good reading follows ...

http://www.kettlebells.com.au/faq.php

What is the right kettlebell size for me?

Australian Kettlebells come in a variety of sizes: 4kg, 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, 20kg, 24kg, 28kg, 32kg, 36kg, 40kg, 48kg & 56kg. An average man should start with a 16kg kettlebell. It does not sound like a lot but you’ll find it vastly different to other forms of training and when learning the exercises its better to ere on the light side. Most will outgrow the 16kg for some of the pure strength moves in a matter of weeks and will need a heavier Kettlebell, usually 24kg is the next progression.

But you will always find use for the 16kg for warming up, high rep sets and various joint mobility and stretching exercises. Many of these drills are found in the DVD “Resilient”. If you were to purchase two Kettlebells, in most cases you are better off buying a heavier and a lighter Kettlebell rather than two of the same size. Double drills are excellent but should only be tackled once the single drills have been mastered. The general guidelines of building a set is to have singles of the 16kg, 24kg & 32kg first, then move on to matching pairs as you advance in technique and strength.

The 32kg and 40kg Kettlebells are for the advanced kettlebell lifter. Once your competently throwing these sorts of weights around you’ll have reached a very high level of conditioning.
An average woman should start with an 8kg kettlebell whereas a strong woman can go for a 12kg bell. Some women will advance to a 16kg and a few stronger women will go beyond.



START OUT WITH THE RIGHT KETTLEBELL!

Is it you? Kettlebell to
start with (kg) Ideally, buy this set (kg)
An average lady 8 8, 12, 16
A strong lady 12 12, 16, 20
An average man 16 16, 24, 32
A stronger-than average man 20 20, 24, 32
A very strong man 24 24, 32, 40


Can't I just do the exercises with dumbbells?

Yes, many Kettlebell exercises, such as presses can indeed be done with dumbbells, but the movement will be less effective. A good analogy would be comparing a free-weight bench press to a machine chest press. You may be able to lift more on the machine, but you still won’t recruit as much muscle as you would doing the corresponding movement with a barbell.

Other exercises, like bent presses and swings, would be more awkward to perform with dumbbells, because of their shape and balance. Exercises like around-the-body passes, would not be possible at all due to the dumbbell’s design. With snatches and cleans, the flipping action of the Kettlebell provides excellent feedback and closure for each rep, and it’s satisfying to hit the groove just right. Dumbbell snatches are no more than a swing, and dumbbell cleans merely resemble cheat curls.

Besides providing more versatility in exercise selection than a dumbbell, the unique design of the Kettlebell means an offset centre of gravity. For example, when you press it overhead, the mass remains outside the axis of the forearm, as opposed to being centred within the hand - as with a dumbbell. You must work throughout the movement, even at the top of the lift, to control the resultant lever arm.

Trunk and shoulder stabilisers are forced to contract harder and in greater numbers to control the ‘awkward’ weight. The range of motion is also increased in the military press- it does not restrict your shoulder on the bottom and it stretches it at the top. Because machines actually discourage the use of stabilising muscles and three-dimensional motion, informed lifters have realised that they shouldn’t rely on them.

Barbells and dumbbells recruit and build more muscle by adding an element of instability, or degrees of freedom. Kettlebells take things up another notch since you’re constantly wrestling them for control, but in the process you receive even greater neuromuscular stimulation.

I heard that Kettlebells were used in the past only because they were easier and cheaper to build than dumbbells. Why should I use a primitive tool if I have access to better equipment?

There’s no denying that the Kettlebell is a simple tool. That is its inherent strength and appeal. It is what you make of it that matters. In the hands of a novice lacking proper instruction, it may appear to be just a funny-looking awkward weight. As part of a structured training regimen it is unsurpassed as a training tool. The first Kettlebell wasn’t designed to be an exercise device. Its roots lie in agriculture and trade, having been originally used as a counterweight for measuring grain. According to lore, farmers and dockworkers tossed them around and their strength was admired. Eventually, it became an organized form of exercise. The same, however, can be said for the first dumbbell. In the 18th century, steel rods were placed between pairs of church bells for a challenge lift. When the clappers were removed, the bells became silent, or dumb — thus the origin of the word dumbbell. Even though the first Kettlebells and dumbbells weren’t actually designed for exercise, their modern incarnations have countless conditioning benefits and continue to provide ancient solutions to questions that hadn’t yet been asked.

I already own my first Kettlebell - what should I buy next, another one of the same size or a bigger bell?

When building a set of Kettlebells the usual guidelines for adult men is get a singles of the 16kg, 24kg and 32kg bells first. Once you have a single set, work on getting doubles starting with another 16kg bell. Most double drills are done with Kettlebells of the same size. Two Kettlebells will add variety and intensity to your routine. But make sure you master the single arm drills first! For most women, the guidelines are the same but with lighter bells - collect one each of 8kg, 12kg and 16kg bells, then start working on duplicates.

The physical and psychological benefits of using heavier bells make a lighter bell feel like a toy, even if you do only a couple of reps with the heavier one.

How quickly will the results come?

Kettlebell training forces the body to work harder- meaning rapid results! Controlling the offset centre of mass recruits numerous muscles, including the very important deep stabilizing ones. You find it impossible to neglect a body part especially when doing exercises like the clean and jerk. These full body exercises mean you can train your whole body a lot faster and as ‘a unit’. This sort of training is far superior to isolation exercises commonly seen in gyms. Like any form of effective training though, consistency is the key!

Are Kettlebells just another fad?

Kettlebells are nothing new, and they’re not flashy. They previously took a back seat to dumbbells, barbells, and machines as people yearned for the quick fix and the easiest path to fitness. Kettlebell training is a little more difficult and that turns many people off. But the fact that they have resurfaced signifies a turning point in the fitness industry, as a small group of the well-informed yearn to ‘get back to basics,’ and are willing to do the hard work required. Kettlebells are here to stay.

 

Rows are done with kettlebells - however they are done in such a way that it will strengthen your entire core.

standard machine rows or dumbell rows only isolate the rear deltoid...posture is so much more than about your rear delts.