Kettlebells

[latewatch]

I have just started using Russian Kettlebells for working out. So far I am pleased with them but, have limited experience. A guy I know turned me on to these and he really likes them and has gotten fantastic results in total body strength and fitness. Has anyone here been using these for any time. And if so what do you think of them especially how they work with your shooting program.

[diehli]

I've not had any experience with them, but the key here isn't what you use, it's simply that you use whatever it is on a regular basis.

Looking at 'em online, my only reservation about ordering 'em is that I'd have to learn new ways to do exercises and they don't appear to go heavy enough for some of the stuff I do. If, however, you're just starting and simply want to get into better shape, they look good enough to me.

[latewatch]

I've not had any experience with them, but the key here isn't what you use, it's simply that you use whatever it is on a regular basis.

Looking at 'em online, my only reservation about ordering 'em is that I'd have to learn new ways to do exercises and they don't appear to go heavy enough for some of the stuff I do. If, however, you're just starting and simply want to get into better shape, they look good enough to me.

I do have a regular program that I have been using and although I'm not a 20 year old anymore, I do consider myself to be in good shape. The guy I spoke of in my earlier post is a fitness nut and is in extremely good shape and he swears by these things. As far as the weights beening too light, that's what I thought when I first read about them too. But, believe me you can get a very good workout using these things. It's just different, kind of like callastenics with weights. I was just wondering if anyone here had experience with them.

[dirty whiteboy]

Just picking them up and walking w/ them (farmers walk)is a great total body workout!

[vincent]

I've seen kettlebells that are over 100lbs each so I don't see the weight as being a problem for most folks.

I've seen good kettlebell, clubbell and dumbbell workouts. For most fitness seekers the program is more important than the shape of the weight.

[Kevin Kline]

Ive trained with them and am in my "off" period right now with them. They might not look that bad and the weights might not be heavy enough for those who see them, but the light ones are even a chore. That's what I thought when I figured the 35lb one was a sissy weight, until a SWAT medic of ours let me use his. WOW!!!

That 35lb kb was one hell of a workout. Plus, everyone has to remember you're not doing traditional weight lifting moves with it like you do with barbells, dumbbells and machines. The movements are different and even 35lb kb's are a good workout. I worked w/ a 35lb kb for months before moving up to a 50lb kb.

Also, remember that Im typically not just doing 8 reps of one movement and then resting for several minutes and then repeating. Most of all the research Ive done on them (from Paval and Jeff Martone, Mike Mahler) involve a lot more reps and varying exercises, like circuits. For anyone who has never worked w/ kb's or performed "their" exercises, again not typical weight lifting exercises, Id recommend going lighter, unless you can try one out first.

They did improve my strength a lot and really gave me endurance. I got a lot stronger doing more practical things for work (SWAT). That's where I saw the difference, not so much of a difference in typical weight lifting workouts.

Hope this helps,

[latewatch]

Kevin,

This has been my experience also. I've been working them for several of months and I use both a 35 lb'er and a 53 lb'er depending on the exercise. Doesn't sound like much but, they'll surprise you.

Had to lay off for about 3 weeks due to a illness (really kicked my butt) but, when I started back it seemed like I'd retained alot more strength then usual from laying off from conventional weights.

I like them alot.

[tmk]

Go to "tacticalathelete.com" or google Jeff Martone. Master of kettle bells. It is the ultimate for what you are looking for, but not for the faint of heart. Use his techniques and you will develop core strength and forearm strength. Most people make the mistake in thinking practical shooting centers around aerobic; not so, anaerobic. Try to breath and shoot at the same time. This sport requires explosive strength and quickness more than cardio endurance, although that is important.

[uscbigdawg]

I use them here in Korea as our gym at "the Hump" well...sucks. The light ones are no joke. My section chief and I started out with them and cannot believe the workout you get with them. The overall level of energy and pure strength gain is noticeable.

When I get settled into the states, I'll definitely be getting a set of my own.

Rich

[tightloop]

Sounds really hard....

[bwannabe]

I've not had any experience with them, but the key here isn't what you use, it's simply that you use whatever it is on a regular basis.

Looking at 'em online, my only reservation about ordering 'em is that I'd have to learn new ways to do exercises and they don't appear to go heavy enough for some of the stuff I do. If, however, you're just starting and simply want to get into better shape, they look good enough to me.

You would be surprised. The recommended starting weight for a physically fit man with weight training experience is 35 pounds. Starting out with a 53 is really only for powerlifters and strongmen. I'm working my way through the ETK clean and press ladder program right now with an 88 pounder (75 reps on each side, 150 total), my workout weight in the deadlift was 575 (3X3) at the end of my last wave, and there are plenty of things I can find to do with a 35 pounder, let alone two of them.

Edited August 14, 2007 by bwannabe

[Pdoyle]

take a look at the website tacticalathlete.com. There is a program in there for shooters. Jeff Martone is also a top tier instructor for DOE. I have seen this man run a gun, and he is no joke. his program centers around core strength and forarm and grip stability. I have used some of his exercises with him and he and them are unbelievable. for whats is worth...several high level military teams and tactical teams are incorporating kettlebells into programs...very intense..i would say to give them a shot for sure.

pat

[FranDoc]

Decided to resurrect an old thread rather than start a new one (note to Flex: I "did the search").

Found a little hole-in-the-wall gym that does Crossfit, kettlebells & TRX workouts. RKC instructor is consistently in the top 10-12 on DragonDoor's list.

I'm in reasonably good shape as a baseline, but RKC has been ... (ahem) ... a challenge. I've had to modify some things: hyper-mobile joints need strength/stabilization more than loaded range-of-motion (eg: overhead snatches). That's just a matter of paying attention to the physiology and doing what's productive. I can see myself keeping this as part of the overall workout for a long time. It's probably the most efficient (benefit per unit time) strength/stability work that I've ever done.

It's obviously helping the 'explosive' power; I'm overrunning fault lines (now to work on 'braking' strength ...).

It's been a while since we've had a kettlebell discussion. Anybody else out there use it, like it, find aspects that are particularly useful to our sport? What's worked best? I'm the only shooter that this instructor has worked with; she's open for sport-specific input. (I looked for the shooter's workout that was previously mentioned as being on Martone's website; couldn't locate it).

[GTOSHootr]

I use kettlebells at least four times a week in combination with barbell, dumbell, body weight, and rope work. I'm completely hooked. The gym I belong to is called Punch and is run by Anthony Delugio, who has a very popular series of kettlebell workout DVDs. He really supports my shooting. I'm sure your RKC would know of him and would be welcome to talk to him. His site is www.artofstrength.com

As far as exercises, I don't know what not to recommend, it depends on your programming as a whole. The swings and snatches, etc. can be tailored to heavy cardio or be explosive. For instance, a few at 36kg or 44kg is totally different from five minutes with a 24kg. We do a lot of total body moves like the TGU, 2 hands any how, heavy double jerks, etc. To help with my speed my trainer had been combining sprints, short runs, or ropes as active rests between lifting rounds. Every night is different in respect to the lifts and the work-to-rest ratio. Lately some of my favorite stuff have been heavy swings in a tabata pattern, TGUs with a thick grip barbell have been really working my grip and forearms, and heavy work in general (messing around with 36s and 44s).

For more stuff check out Anthony's site, Mike Mahler's, Steve Cotter, and Valery Fedorenko videos. All the different styles are interesting to play with. Lately I've been learning a lot about Valery's competition style of snatches and jerks. I highly recommend Anthony's DVDs for a general kettlebell program, start with Providence and Newport.

If you have any specifc questions, shoot.

[Shawn Knight]

Try...

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#KBs

[Jake Di Vita]

I like Kettlebells as supplemental tools. You can do some cool stuff with them, but if you try to base your training exclusively on them (as with anything else) you're going to have some serious gaps in your fitness.

I also think dumbbells are just as good for the majority of anything you're going to do with them. IMO, the reason why kettlebells are so popular is because of Pavel Tsatouline (sp?).

Good tools, but not an end all by any means.

[Shawn Knight]

Pavel Tsatsouline

[GTOSHootr]

Yeah, Pavel is known for the Enter the Kettlebell book, which include a popular program progression you'll see referred to as ETK. People with RKC cert will know the ETK. However, he's also got some other really good books in other areas. The Naked Warrior is all body weight, focusing on progessions to pistols and pushups, and Power To the People, which is on conventional barbell strength training. I think he has one on stretching and maybe pullups but I haven't found them. You mix all that stuff up into a program and it is fun.

Another guy I thought of that has good programs with kettbells as part of the variety is Josh at Sandbag Fitness. His blog obviously focuses on his sand bag product but has info from all over. http://www.sandbagfitnesssystems.com/

[GTOSHootr]

Anybody else out there use it, like it, find aspects that are particularly useful to our sport? What's worked best? I'm the only shooter that this instructor has worked with; she's open for sport-specific input. (I looked for the shooter's workout that was previously mentioned as being on Martone's website; couldn't locate it).

I was sort of zoning out and thinking about this during a workout last night. One of the unique to kettlebell

exercises I really like is the bottoms up press. You basically invert bell and press. You can do it with a long cycle clean in between reps or continuous reps. It is a press yet requires a lot of stabilizing effort. I think what you need to do in order to complete the move relates particularly to shooting strong/weakhand well. You feel tension from your wrist to your feet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yLoFU7LFI

Go light to start and don't hit yourself in the face with the bell. A bottoms up turkish get up might be cool too.

[FranDoc]

I've just started doing 'bottom up' presses. They take a LOT more stabilization than the regular press. My 'complimentary' wrist really feels these.

[ER_STL]

Digging up a thread that was previous dug up....

I've started incorporating a few kettlebell movements into my training and I love it. But bigger than just using the movements is the overall concept of trying to train my body as a unit rather than a group of muscles. Rather than training chest here, legs there, I now try to train movements that work a large part of the body. I've developed very tight hips and IT bands from years behind a computer and am no longer able to squat/deadlift heavy. I ended up scrapping a body-building type workout all together since a big upper body and skinny legs is silly.

I currently do

1. Superset swings with front squat-presses

2. Superset pull-ups/reverse rows with push-ups off of a swiss-ball and free-standing squats

Total time including warm-up is about 20 minutes. The next day I do stabalization exercises (core, hips, etc). The next day after that I either rest or do some variant of cardio then I repeat the cycle. As I increase the weight in the exercises I'll start adding additional movements such as cleans and deadlifts. Also to occasionally mix things up I'll throw in a day of farmer walks. If you haven't done them they're torture on your shoulders and grip - two things that shooters need. I'll usually grab 40lb DBs and walk up and down my street. Since I have to frequently set them down and rest I get a sumo-style deadlift with each break.

I'm loving it so far and this is the first time in quite a while that I can do something challenging without hurting myself.

Edited June 30, 2009 by ER_STL

[Paul Burtchell]

Pavel Tsatsouline +1 and Mike Mahler.http://www.mikemahler.com/kettlebell_training.html

Both kettlebell gurus.

[Ynorydigam]

My son is engaged in weight lifting, so he can lift weight - which even I cannot lift, although I am in excellent physical training)