Kettleball workouts?

Ive got a set of Ironmaster Dumbells that I got for a smoking deal on craiglist and am considering getting their adjustable kettleball as well seeing as I already have the plates I need for it.

Ive never tried a kettleball workout but they seem like they would be great for overall power, conditioning, and weight loss. Any other mags do them? Like them? Love them? Hate them? I keep hearing about kettleball workouts as it seems to be a big fad going around America right now and Im just trying to determine if the hype about effectiveness is deserved or not.

If anyone here likes to workout with kettleballs, any links to some good sites with workouts would be great. I don't have enough time to get to the gym and I am building up my home apartment workout setup and this seems like a good, compact addition to what Ive already got.

You want only one book--Enter the Kettlebell, by Pavel T.
Available at Amazon.
Just do swings and get-ups and you will get fit.

Yep, that ^^^ book and YouTube clips (to see how to do this stuff properly) are what you need for kettlebell (it's actually bell not ball but who is counting?).

A few months back, I took a local class aimed at steering you in the right direction for when you workout at home (I hate gyms). My opinion: It's definitely more interesting than most exercise routines and it's all relatively quick. I can't imagine spending more than a half hour of drills a day. We usually focus on 15 minute routines (which gets you through a lot!).

I haven't lost any significant weight yet (but I've been slacking and haven't changed my diet). Old school kettlebells are pretty expensive so my instructor recommended buying the few that we'll need right now (like a 16kg on up) and improvising with other stuff (can of soup, whatever) for lighter weight exercises.

Don't know if it's improved my skiing or not but one of the fundamentals of kettlebell is that you do all the exercises with bare feet so that you can adjust your balance and keep a flat foot. During some exercises you'll find yourself really focusing on your feet and weight, which can't hurt on the snow.

Kettlebells are the new yoga. Lots of people with no clue what they are doing teaching even more clueless people about the "fundamentals", with a few actually getting it.


So you end up with lots of people who go through the motions that don't actually understand what they are trying to achieve.


Like skiing and just about everything else...

book ordered.

Wow, I read that word a hundred times and never noticed it was bell and not ball.

I've only used Kettlebells as a part of a crossfit workout. As far as exercises, so far I've done swings, turkish get-ups, snatch (major bruises if done wrong) and farmers walk (one in each hand).

It's a weight. It's a tool. The question, to me, requires knowing your fitness goals and where the KB fits in to the grand scheme.

Check out this guy. He uses almost all kettlebells in his Crossfit workouts.

http://tacticalathlete.com/index.php

Decided I want to start using these, plan on picking up Enter the Kettlebell, but I need a bell.

There seem to be a lot of different ones that for such a simple device have a lot of variations in design, price, materials, etc. I'm 90% sure I want a 35 lb.

Any recommendations? Anything to look for, anything to avoid?

I'm trying to buy local too as shipping is (obviously) ridiculous on these things. I've got a Dick's, an Olympia Sports and a local fitness shop nearby. Is this something those type of places typically carry?

Go to the equipment section on board.crossfit.com and read what people there say. It's like the Tech Talk of the workout equipment world. Filled with douchebags but there are plenty of people who know what they are talking about. Just like TGR....

you still in the south end? theres a new crossfit box going into south boston (right near the BUMC part of the south end). just a heads up on that

I decided it was time to upgrade my 25lb Dick's special bell to something nicer in 35lb.

I read some good reviews of Lifeline bells (made in USA) and they are endorsed by Mike Mahler (big KB trainer), heard that they are very comparable to Dragon Door bells, but much more affordable. Right from Lifeline they were still pretty pricey when shipping was factored in, but I found a reseller of Lifeline stuff- http://www.fitnesslifeline.com. The bells were about $15 more than directly from Lifeline, but shipping is set at $8 per order. Shipping at most other dealers is ~$30 per bell. Since I was buying two bells, the $52 difference on shipping really was a big deal.

I cautiously (seemed too good to be true) bought two bells from these guys, seemed sort of a half assed "your bells shipped, here are your included instructional pdfs, k thnx bye" e-mail from them (no tracking #) and became even more sketched.

Bells showed up today (ordered less than a week ago) and are A+ quality. They shipped USPS (boxes said $10.50 each on them), so that may explain the lack of tracking.

I'd recommend checking with these guys if you need bells, they don't seem to be the slickest operation around (I get the impression they are run out of someone's garage), but the prices were great and the bells arrived quickly. Actually the prices for these high quality bells after shipping is about the same as what I would've spent on some junk rubber coated bells at Dicks.

So yeah, props to Fitnesslifeline.com

/sweet blog

2 weeks ago I got my first 20kg kettlebell and have incorporated 75 swings into my routine 3 times a week. So far it's a little early to tell the effects but man are those swings a workout.

Can you do kettlebell workouts with bad knees (meniscus removed/damaged and arthritis)? or do you need a strong and mobile base?

How about iron vs. rubber coated KBs? It seems like the rubber coated ones would be more comfortable to use, but I've also read that they get slippery when you start sweating.

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Originally Posted by gatorboy

Can you do kettlebell workouts with bad knees (meniscus removed/damaged and arthritis)? or do you need a strong and mobile base?

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I have one bad knee and have had no problems while working with KBs, but I'm not a doctor (not even a dentists) and YMMV. If anything my knee issues have gotten better and my flexibility is leaps and bounds above where it was before I started.

Your whole body gets worked when doing most popular KB excercises, so your knees do need to be able to handle it.

I'd talk with a doctor.

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Originally Posted by The AD

How about iron vs. rubber coated KBs? It seems like the rubber coated ones would be more comfortable to use, but I've also read that they get slippery when you start sweating.

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I've got both and honestly haven't noticed that much of a difference either way.

The rubber really doesn't do squat as far as padding goes, but it doesn't really get slippery either. It does collect a shit ton of dirt though.

The non coated ones I have appear to be of better quality and this is supposedly true pretty much across the board, but that has very little to do with the effectiveness of rubber and more to do with market segments.

We do a pretty interesting 'mobility complex' with KB's, 10 swings, 10 swing squats, 10 goblet squats, then, 5 with each arm, clean/press, clean/press/squat, clean/squat/press/stand. Gets each side pretty good...

So... I just picked up a kettlebell for some new workouts, and I think I've got a pretty decent little 3-day routine set up. 6-7 exercises each day, 10 reps (except 20 reps for the two-arm swings), and I go through the set three times. What type of routine is everyone here doing?

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Originally Posted by smmokan

So... I just picked up a kettlebell for some new workouts, and I think I've got a pretty decent little 3-day routine set up. 6-7 exercises each day, 10 reps (except 20 reps for the two-arm swings), and I go through the set three times. What type of routine is everyone here doing?

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I've got two primary routines that I go through, mixing it up a bit as I go.

Routine 1:

After stretching and warming up, continuous Turkish Get Ups, alternating sides for ~20 minutes. This is is the "slow strength" side of things. On these days I'll also grab the bell by the horns and get into a tuck position, holding it as long as I can- that shit burns. I have recently started mixing in reps of 5x double bell swings in on this day.

Routine 2:

Stretch/warmup then

5x swing right
5x swing right
10 jumping jacks

5x clean and press right
5x clean and press left
10 jumping jacks

10x two handed swing

5x snatch left
5x snatch right
10 jumping jacks

After this I go to 10s (20s on the two handed) then 15s, keeping jumping jacks at 10, then 15 and so on. This day is more cardio focused and I'm shot after it I just got some new heavier bells and am not making it to 15 yet.


I know dickola about training, but these are routines that are fun for me and loosely based on what is suggested in Enter the Kettlebell.

What kind of weight are you guys using for get-ups? I did those tonight for the first time, and holy hell.

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Originally Posted by smmokan

What kind of weight are you guys using for get-ups? I did those tonight for the first time, and holy hell.

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I'm using 35.2lb (16k/1 pood) for just about everything right now. Started on 25. I think I could actually go up maybe 10 lbs for get ups, it's the clean and press that kills me.

Just remember- get ups are meant to be done slow and steady. Even when "resting" in the TGU your shoulder is still under load.

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Originally Posted by smmokan

What kind of weight are you guys using for get-ups? I did those tonight for the first time, and holy hell.

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Use a 20kg (44lbs) for everything and I'm a gigantic pussy with no muscles.

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Originally Posted by gameface

Use a 20kg (44lbs) for everything and I'm a gigantic pussy with no muscles.

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ouch. I use that much weight in our sandbag getups, more core/less shoulder, but couldn't imagine trying a turkish with that. [/whine]

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

ouch. I use that much weight in our sandbag getups, more core/less shoulder, but couldn't imagine trying a turkish with that. [/whine]

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I've been doing low rep to failure as my training. Couldn't do high reps with that weight for sure. Do 75 swings with it though but I almost puke.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gameface

Use a 20kg (44lbs) for everything and I'm a gigantic pussy with no muscles.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

ouch. I use that much weight in our sandbag getups, more core/less shoulder, but couldn't imagine trying a turkish with that. [/whine]

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Yeah, thats not really a pussy weight, especially if you are doing everything with that.

How long have you been doing this? Most "experts" say start with 35 and stick with it for a while. I started with 25 and just worked up to a 35 because I am a bona fide pussy. Oh well, at least I don't use a Mac and ride a fixie.

Been doing Simple & Sinister for a couple weeks now as my strength workout since it doesn't leave me wasted for bouldering. I'm currently at 20kg for swings and TGU's and working up to 24kg for both. I highly recommend it for the lazy/time crunched among us who are looking to maintain/increase strength as we get older.

This is the creepiest thread in the PR.

But kettlebells do have their place.