Getting into Shape plus new Kettlebell

[thelerner]

I wrote I had a new kettlebell and Sonofgods wrote this:

 

Learn to use them the proper way they were created to work. Not the American way where you flip them onto the back of your wrist. They are to be balanced straight up, not laying on your wrist.

If you progress onwards to the 100's, you will appreciate this advice.

 

Any resources, books, youtubes or training routines you'd recommend? I'm a newbie with them. So far just doing 2 handed swings and front squats. I see some fancy stuff in youtubes, including many 'flip onto back of wrists' which would be too advanced for me right now anyway.

 

Probably a purist would laugh at my sculpted kettlebell, but I think its cool and artistic. From demonbell.com, a 35#'er with the face of Japanese demon. I've made up 12 cards for it. Each w/ The Demons says you are: Lazy another says, Out of Shape, Weak, etc., and on the bottom of each is written 'Prove Him Wrong'. Each day I flip to a different card.

 

 

[Seeker_Of_Truth]

SWEET BELLS!

 

Some good stuff is Pavel's Russian Kettlebell Challenge book and DVD and Steve Cotter's Full Kontact Kettlebells DVD.

[SonOfTheGods]

I wrote I had a new kettlebell and Sonofgods wrote this:

 

 

Any resources, books, youtubes or training routines you'd recommend? I'm a newbie with them. So far just doing 2 handed swings and front squats. I see some fancy stuff in youtubes, including many 'flip onto back of wrists' which would be too advanced for me right now anyway.

 

Probably a purist would laugh at my sculpted kettlebell, but I think its cool and artistic. From demonbell.com, a 35#'er with the face of Japanese demon. I've made up 12 cards for it. Each w/ The Demons says you are: Lazy another says, Out of Shape, Weak, etc., and on the bottom of each is written 'Prove Him Wrong'. Each day I flip to a different card.

 

Kettlebells, when I used them, back in the 1970's - were a Russian sensation.

 

We used them as part of our powerlifting regimen.

 

Unlike dumbells, when bench pressing 100 pound kettlebells, they were handed to us, individually.

 

The trick is to balance them straight upwards, not having them lean across the back of the wrists.

 

Leaning them backwards will break your wrist/forearm, once you start using the heavier ones.

 

Might as well just use a dumbell instead. It will do the samething, except keep you injury and pain free.

 

The goal is balance - this builds tendon and ligament strength.

 

Muscle does not make you strong- tendons and ligaments do.

 

Compound exercises, like free weights, provide this, plus neurological advantages.

 

Cable machines don't do this- because it holds and steadies the weights for you.

 

Using Kettlebells with proper form is essential.

Swinging them upwards uses momentum. Momentum does little for you.

 

There was a girl in my gym, staring at herself in the mirror wearing short, short orange shorts and swinging a 10 pound kettlebell up, as she was squatting down. It slipped out of her hand and went through the mirror.

 

Try this- lift the bell with it behind your wrist over your head.

 

Now try it by keeping the wrist straight and aiming the bottom of the bell to the ceiling. You will instantly realize their sole function is balance.

 

Carpal Tunnel and Tendonitis will be your new buddy if you do not heed my advice.

 

Almost 40 years later and I still use Kettlebells to warmup with before I powerlift.

 

These days I only use the 120 pound dumbells for supine bench press but can only bench press *90 pound Kettlebells

 

EDIT: *85 pound kettlebells these days. Old age and Arthritis catching up to me

 

Check out some older YouTube videos of Russian kettlebell. Their Military uses them a lot. There used to be many videos on it.

 

The American fad of using them the wrong way has become common now, even the pictures on the box shows it the wrong way.

 

I teach women self defense classes in the local community for free.

I use Kettlebells because it teaches females to keep their arms straight, so when they punch, they do not bend their wrists and hit.

Edited December 22, 2013 by SonOfTheGods

[SonOfTheGods]

Accessories that might come in handy:

 

Chalk for grip

 

Lifting straps, at the beginning. Don't get too used to them though because it eliminates grip and hand/wrist/forearm strength.

 

Get the mirrors out of your way.

 

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

Those kettle bells sound dangerous!

 

What I was doing recently, must get back to it again, was swinging around a heavy steel(?) weightlifting handle shaft as a staff.

 

It was quite heavy and I could really feel it pulling on my muscles.

 

A few weeks of that made a visible difference.

 

I should get back to that.

 

So much to do!

...

[thelerner]

 

 

The trick is to balance them straight upwards, not having them lean across the back of the wrists.

Leaning them backwards will break your wrist/forearm, once you start using the heavier ones.

Might as well just use a dumbell instead. It will do the samething, except keep you injury and pain free.

 

The goal is balance - this builds tendon and ligament strength.

 

Muscle does not make you strong- tendons and ligaments do.

Compound exercises, like free weights, provide this, plus neurological advantages.

 

Using Kettlebells with proper form is essential.

Swinging them upwards uses momentum. Momentum does little for you.

 

There was a girl in my gym, staring at herself in the mirror wearing short, short orange shorts and swinging a 10 pound kettlebell up, as she was squatting down. It slipped out of her hand and went through the mirror.

 

Try this- lift the bell with it behind your wrist over your head.

 

Now try it by keeping the wrist straight and aiming the bottom of the bell to the ceiling. You will instantly realize their sole function is balance.

 

Carpal Tunnel and Tendonitis will be your new buddy if you do not heed my advice.

Almost 40 years later and I still use Kettlebells to warmup with before I powerlift.

 

These days I only use the 120 pound dumbells for supine bench press but can only bench press *90 pound Kettlebells

EDIT: *85 pound kettlebells these days. Old age and Arthritis catching up to me

Check out some older YouTube videos of Russian kettlebell. Their Military uses them a lot. There used to be many videos on it.

 

The American fad of using them the wrong way has become common now, even the pictures on the box shows it the wrong way.

 

I teach women self defense classes in the local community for free.

I use Kettlebells because it teaches females to keep their arms straight, so when they punch, they do not bend their wrists and hit.

Thanks. You are hard core . I have one of Pavel's older books, Push Yourself to Power. I'm using his Grease the Groove principle to do swings and KB squats during the day; going for volume without tiring myself out. To keep a kettlebell straight on high lifts I'm gonna have to go for a lower weight. For all its good looks, they claim the demonbell design has a smoother, less angled back, so its better for the fore arms then the traditional ball shape.

 

My 35# feels lighter after the initial week, but is heavier enough for now.

[SonOfTheGods]

Edited December 22, 2013 by SonOfTheGods