Viewing 32 posts - 1 through 32 (of 32 total)
  • Kettlebell training
  • Frankers
    Free Member

    Looking at starting some Kettlebell training to improve core strength and get rid of the man boobs 🙂

    Any good books or excersize Apps out there?

    Also which size kettlebell to start off with, and do you generally use 1 or 2

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    Best exercise cost/results/equipment/space needed exercise i’ve ever come across.

    If you are of middling strength – try a 16kg bell.

    Just go on youtube – there’s uggins of tutorials on there – You have my respect if you can get your head round the Turkish Get-up! 😯

    PS – most routines only use 1 bell but you may wanna buy more than one (dif weight) depending on the exercise you are doing.

    Frankers
    Free Member

    Ok will go for a 16kg and try YouTube, thanks!

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    coopersport1
    Free Member

    Look for Kettleworx dvd’s a bit cheesey but great!
    Also unless you want to turn into a man mountain, 16kg is huge!
    For general toning and fat loss 5kg max start with 3kg for a few weeks.
    I bulk up really quickly in the arms an shoulders so only use a 3kg to tone otherwise I’ve got a shed load more weight to pedal up the next hill

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    3KG is ridiculously light as is 5.

    The recommendation for a woman is to start with a 7.5kg.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Too light. Start at 12kg and go up to 16kg when 12kg is too easy. Don’t underestimate balancing/swinging a 16kg weight about the place – let go and something / someone will get hurt.

    Here’s my 50 min workout for which I use 2 16kgs (after the 12kg warm up) to replacate unsupported weight lifting (shoulder presses for example). Not saying its any good but it works for me, you can google the names to see what the exercises are…. (2 x is where I am using 2 16kg KB’s).

    @12kg

    Pressup wide = 24
    Pressup Diamond = 24
    Kettlebell ladder 20 swings x 10 pressups, then 9, then 8 etc to zero.

    @16kg

    Clean & Jerk = 15
    Chest Press = 2 x 12
    Tricep Curl = 12
    Torso Press = 12
    Bicep Curl =8
    Chin Lift = 10
    Bent over row = 2 x 12
    Russian Twist = x 12
    Alt Chest Press = 12
    45 deg Chest Press = 2 x 8
    Chin Left 2 x 10
    Deadlift= 2 x 8
    Overhead Tricep ext x 4
    Chest Press = 2 x 8
    Tricep Press = 8
    Double handed Swing = 32

    molgrips
    Free Member

    You might want more than one. I can swing a 24kg all day, but I can only do arm stuff on a 12.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    as above, 16kg is a decent starting weight for a bloke. Yes, you will notice rapid improvements in strength using this weight (especially if you’ve done no strength training previously) but there is NO WAY you will “bulk up” like this. That just isn’t how the body works. Kettlebells are great for fat loss though IF you’ve sorted your diet.

    Steve Cotter’s “Encyclopedia of Kettlebell” series is the best introduction to proper form, etc, that I’ve come across. “Enter the Kettlebell” is also a very comprehensive workout program.

    hmanchester
    Free Member

    Ignore the 3 or 5kg tosh, way too light.

    “Toning” is a function of two things: increased muscle mass and reduced fat. It’s not achieved by doing high reps with a lighter weight, instead of lower reps with a heavier weight. That’s an assumption best left in the 90s.

    As heavy as you can go with 100% correct form, work hard, progress. This will take care of the increased strength/muscle mass part.

    A good diet sorts out the reduced fat bit.

    Good luck!

    Pieface
    Full Member

    Why are Kettlebells better than dumb-bells?

    docstar
    Free Member

    Dumbells aren’t ideal for swinging about the place. GB personal training has the best available app that has video’s built in to show you the exercises but the best way to learn is to be shown as wrong technique can do you more harm in the long run. That app has some really good short high intensity workouts and you’ll be sweating your balls off after 15 mins.

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    Pieface – Member
    Why are Kettlebells better than dumb-bells?

    KBs combine cardio and strength building so great for endurance and real strenght.

    Weights are for muscle-building.

    Depends what results you’re after as to what’s best.

    KBs are great for mtbers.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    To add to patriotpro, KB’s also require “balancing” a lot of the time, so work out the secondary muscles that support the primary far better than static weights.

    Its the Swings that get the majority of the cardio work done, and also the core (Quads, glutes, abs, shoulders arms) involved.

    As mentioned, they tone, they don’t build.

    crush83
    Free Member

    my mrs has been going to KB classes the last few weeks. might pop along to one. . . . .

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    KBs are not necessarily “better” than dumbbells, they’re just a different tool. You might consider them the 29ers of the strength/fitness world – very popular at the moment, no doubt here to stay, but plenty of people will get very fit & strong without ever touching them so they are by no means essential.

    They are very good for dynamic/explosive movements & for building endurance so I agree with patriot pro in that they are great for MTBers. They are also (relatively) inexpensive & easy to use.

    KBs combine cardio and strength building so great for endurance and real strenght.

    Weights are for muscle-building.

    I would strongly disagree with this assertion though – I assume you are referring to myofibrillated vs sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Dumbbells can be used for either because the result you get is entirely dependent on how you use weights rather than what sort of weight it is. To be honest KBs are not a great tool for either of these due to the fact that almost everyone using them will be doing large numbers of reps at very low weights (compared to the max that they could lift). The absolute number one piece of equipment for gaining explosive and/or static strength (especially core strength) OR building muscle (again it depends how you use it) is a barbell but of course a proper setup is expensive, takes a lot of space & proper technique takes time to learn.

    Shandy
    Free Member

    I’ve got the Enter the Kettlebell book, I would use a 12, 16 or 20 depending on the exercise. I’m not very strong. You need to be careful with them because the swinging motion can cause a lot of strain, its easy to get carried away trying to give yourself a workout and strain something. Start out light and focus on technique, not numbers of reps or size of the kettlebell.

    You might want to look at http://www.mobilitywod.com/page/86 as well, cycling can give you some mobility issues and imbalances around the hips that aren’t conducive to swinging kettlebells around.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    almost everyone using them will be doing large numbers of reps at very low weights (compared to the max that they could lift)

    So if I struggle for a while to lift a 24kg above my head with one arm, which is that? 🙂

    glupton1976
    Free Member

    Take all of that ^ with a HUGE pinch of salt. All of it.

    Turkish get ups with a 12kg kettlebell – go on then lets see 30 of those bad boys done well with each arm…..

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Turkish get ups with a 12kg kettlebell – go on then lets see 30 of those bad boys done well with each arm

    I’ll take that. I do have a large soft wriggly 22kg kettlebell aka toddler to practise this stuff with mind 🙂

    I can do about 1 with the 24kg bell, mostly because the initial arm lift part is really hard.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Re the Turkish get up, I’ve done 3 with a 12kg KB. That was last year when I was using them regularly. Nearly dropped the KB on my face on the third attempt though.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Turkish get ups with a 12kg kettlebell – go on then lets see 30 of those bad boys done well with each arm…..

    Anything over 10 reps or so is less optimal for building strength and moving into endurance territory. Not that that is any less valid, of course.

    So if I struggle for a while to lift a 24kg above my head with one arm, which is that?

    Again it depends how you are performing the movement and how many reps you are doing. It is perfectly possible to use a KB in more or less exactly the same way as you’d use a dumbbell. Either way it is no small weight to manage one handed! A good example of how versatile KBs can be.

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    Take all of that ^ with a HUGE pinch of salt.

    But no more than 6 grammes a day 😉

    glupton1976
    Free Member

    molgrips – how far did you get?

    Pigface
    Free Member

    Where is a good place to buy a kettlebell?

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    Amazon marketplace is good value as most of them are sold with free p&p.

    nickname
    Free Member

    I got a 16Kg last week – http://www.amazon.co.uk/16Kg-Kettlebell-Strength-Fitness-Training/dp/B004XM0YPM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346790002&sr=8-3

    Quite surprised about how much of a ‘cardio’ workout it’s giving me with all that swinging about. Worth the money I reckon 🙂

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Glupton, I’ll tell you at the weekend 🙂

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    zilog – you lost me there with your 2nd post to be honest.

    tinribz
    Free Member

    Have been trying the wife’s 6kg and even for my skinny arms a couple of sets of 20 reps was quickly achievable without too much effort. Is quite addictive and more fun than dumbbells, am considering a pair of 12kgs.

    Are people generally aiming for the 12 rep mark or higher?

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    Are people generally aiming for the 12 rep mark or higher?

    Depends which weight and exercise.

    Kryton’s routine seems comprehensive enough.

    woffle
    Free Member

    Turkish get ups with a 12kg kettlebell – go on then lets see 30 of those bad boys done well with each arm…..

    I can attest it gets unpleasant around the 25 mark. Usually do 20 each arm x 3 sets @ 12kg, or decreasing amounts with higher weights. That said, rather do turkish get-ups than my PT’s favourites which are 4 sets of 50 KB swings at a minimum of 50% of bodyweight for time.

    KB’s are great – I try and incorporate them into at least 3 workouts a week. Pick any 3 from:

    swing
    cleans
    clean and press,
    sumo deadlift
    goblet squats
    turkish get-ups
    snatch
    halos
    farmers walk (32kg+ which you might struggle to find at a gym)

    And do ladders or 3 or 4 sets for time combined with something like pull-ups / push-ups / jump sequence…

    If you can get some decent instruction though or at least practice with lighter weights and some good vids etc) – watching people trying to throw 16kgs around in a clean with no idea what they’re doing gives me the shivers. A broken wrist / forearm waiting to happen.

    Start light and work up. A 16kg will be more than enough to keep you going.

    mrpies
    Free Member

    I’m a bit late on this topic as I only just discovered the wonders of this forum, but woffle has some good recommendations.

    One thing I used to find difficult with a kettlebell is designing a full workout – I’m naturally inclined to be lazy, so if I try and make something up as I go along I inevitably do less work. When I started out – “Providence”, a workout DVD by Art of Strength to be about the best thing out there for my level – it was horrendous the first few times I tried it with a 12kg, but still possible to finish (though I would be walking like John Wayne the following day). I have two more of them too, Newport (which is like a cardio hour from hell, but also my favourite ever since I actually finished it) and Firepower (a double kettlebell routine which is quite advanced – to get the most out of it you need to be pretty strong).

    I’d also recommend Keith Weber’s Extreme Kettlebell DVD (the sequel is good too, but is far more difficult to finish with a reasonable weight). All Pavel’s stuff is great too, but is more instructive rather than providing you with something to do in an hour (the AoS guys do an Enter the Kettlebell workbook which is a nice complement to Pavel’s).

    In terms of weights I’d second the 16kg motion – but if you can afford it and have room, there’s no shame in getting yourself a 12kg too. I found that there was a sort of a tipping point where I didn’t need the 12 anymore at all, but it’s useful to have around for some of the more cruel and unusual kettlebell exercises until you build up your core strength.

    All the DVDs I mentioned you should be able to get hold of here, and I do recommend getting them, but I have seen them floating about on the interwebs too.

Viewing 32 posts - 1 through 32 (of 32 total)

The topic ‘Kettlebell training’ is closed to new replies.