What’s the deal with these things?
Fad, BS, or Real Deal?
[QUOTE=kfson;983163]What’s the deal with these things?
Fad, BS, or Real Deal?[/QUOTE]
a lil bit of all 3
i think the biggest thing that sets it apart from dumbbells is the handle.
It should be large & the concept is to hold it loose enough to let it swing.
The handle, coupled with the off centered weight and the explosive, full-body exercises allow for a different dynamic in lifting, where lighter weights feel much heavier.
at one time i thought i could replicate the majority of the benefits by going a little heavier with dumbbells, but after last night’s workout, where i was using 2 35lb kbells instead of 40lb dbells, i’m not so sure - coz the first set nearly killed me. hehe
there is a difference between db’s and kb’s for sure.
you can’t do the basic swing with a db …which, imhfao, is one great exercise.
another good one i like is the turkish get up but i don’t think the kb’s makes that much difference because it’s fairly static work…i once did 5 on each side with the 76…is that the 2 pood?..man, that was rough.
oh, and we did an freakish burpee like exercise where you did a pushup on the kb’s and then jumped into the squat position between the kb’s and did a DL and then back to the pushup…oh, yea, that was in a couplet exercise where we did a waiter’s walk with a 45# plate overhead…i think maybe 3 sets, 400m, 200m, 100m with some number of the KB DL Burpee in between.
so…they are not BS and can be the Real Deal even if they are a fad to some.
[QUOTE=Oso;983216]there is a difference between db’s and kb’s for sure.
you can’t do the basic swing with a db …which, imhfao, is one great exercise.
[/QUOTE]
well you can do it, but it’s not quite the same thing
dumbbell swings are actually pretty common and even in Bill Pearl’s “Getting Stronger”, probably the most common weightlifting book on anybody’s shelf from way back.
well, swinging anything from between your legs to over your head is good, but, unless I’m mistaken, the KB is THE tool for that.
i used to have Pearl’s book back in the dim dark 90’s…wonder what happened to it.
he was mostly veg…no meat as i recall…eggs and cheese though.
Yes they are a fad, yes you can duplicate most if not all exercises with a dumbbell with the added benefit that you can gradually increase weight without having to buy a new bell.
Dumbbell swings, snatches and cleans have been around for years, as have bent presses, Turkish getups windmills etc
Are they useful? sure all training tools can be… the question should be asked are they worth getting for you, do they fit your personal goals?
KB’s Uniquue properties
Simply b/c of there shape and and balance they offer a diffent dynamic to your work out. I do KB work outs 3 x a week DL and Squat once a week and body weight excercises 2 times a week. Yoga and Kungfu daily. They are all good. Get a little training buy a 16kg bell and add some swings ang TGU into your stuff. You will really be pleased w/ the results. As an older athlete it has really helped me, I just wish I had started KB and Yoga a little earlier for the joints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TVSVOSykbI
Don Berry DC RKC
As others have said, they are a bit of all three. If money is an issue, I would just do the exercises with a dumbbell instead. If you can afford them, try getting a pair and incorporating them into your workouts. Any exercise done properly will benefit you and the variety will avoid burnout.
The cost is what gets me. You can get a pair of dumbbells even fixed for about 59 cents a pound at a sporting goods store. That means for a PAIR of 50lb dumbbells I spend maybe $60. To buy a 45lb kettlebell (the cheapest kind there) for ONE of them it is $90! So cost benefit to me is buy more dumbbells and exercise more that way.
[QUOTE=Kevin73;983312]As others have said, they are a bit of all three. If money is an issue, I would just do the exercises with a dumbbell instead. If you can afford them, try getting a pair and incorporating them into your workouts. Any exercise done properly will benefit you and the variety will avoid burnout.
The cost is what gets me. You can get a pair of dumbbells even fixed for about 59 cents a pound at a sporting goods store. That means for a PAIR of 50lb dumbbells I spend maybe $60. To buy a 45lb kettlebell (the cheapest kind there) for ONE of them it is $90! So cost benefit to me is buy more dumbbells and exercise more that way.[/QUOTE]
quite right, and different is not necessarily better: the old ways of lifting heavy for strength and doing running, skipping and bag work for cardio has worked for years for martial artists sometimes there is a reason a training method almost goes out of existance
Older ways
New doesn’t necessarily mean better and rediscovering old ways has been due to a much greater understanding of how the body works.
If you never pick up a KB can you be strong as hell? Sure you can! My OL coach has never touched one and he’s a monster, and healthy too! But, he trains really smart.
Look at old style gyms, 80 yrs ago, what was in there?
Climbing ropes, a pummel horse, jump ropes, dumb bells, kettelbells,club bells, medicine balls, wrestling mats, punching bags and speed bags.
Today’s gym: chrome plated machines you sit at and isolate movement. Now thats a load of crap and a great source of injury.
Train Hard Train Smart and don’t let anyone tell you whats right for you! Find out for your self!
Don Berry DC RKC
i can get used KB’s at Play it Again Sports for <$1 per pound. check for cracks first before buying any used weights.
Ebay
Sometimes there are good deals on ebay too. But shipping is always $$$.
They also make adjustable kb with varies weight. Might save you a little money from running out and buying little weight advances for a while. Not sure how strong you are I just seen Kb I think 15 or 25lb with a instructor DVD at target or Wal-Mart for like 15$ on sale. Made of rubber I believe not sure if you have a preference to material. I never used before so can’t comment on how good they are compared to traditional weights. I did try Indian club swinging for a month but went back to traditional lifting. Good luck on what you decide just thought I would mention the sale and the adjustable for you to consider.
Bad Buy
[QUOTE=dcrjradmonish;983995]They also make adjustable kb with varies weight. Might save you a little money from running out and buying little weight advances for a while. Not sure how strong you are I just seen Kb I think 15 or 25lb with a instructor DVD at target or Wal-Mart for like 15$ on sale. Made of rubber I believe not sure if you have a preference to material. I never used before so cant comment on how good they are compared to traditional weights. I did try Indian club swinging for a month but went back to traditional lifting. Good luck on what you decide just thought I would mention the sale and the adjustable for you to consider.[/QUOTE]
The handle is too small and the weight is too light for anything done properly.
Don Berry DC RKC
[QUOTE=donbdc;983327]New doesn’t necessarily mean better and rediscovering old ways has been due to a much greater understanding of how the body works.
If you never pick up a KB can you be strong as hell? Sure you can! My OL coach has never touched one and he’s a monster, and healthy too! But, he trains really smart.
Look at old style gyms, 80 yrs ago, what was in there?
Climbing ropes, a pummel horse, jump ropes, dumb bells, kettelbells,club bells, medicine balls, wrestling mats, punching bags and speed bags.
Today’s gym: chrome plated machines you sit at and isolate movement. Now thats a load of crap and a great source of injury.
Train Hard Train Smart and don’t let anyone tell you whats right for you! Find out for your self!
Don Berry DC RKC[/QUOTE]
I am not to sure about this, outside of a few drawings in Pavels books and some strongman acts (not training pictures but using them as part of their acts in carnivals)I have never seen kettlebells depicted in any literature from the early parts of the last century, the same with clubs bells, apart from in the Indian gyms when the British troops were stationed there I can’t remember seeing them anywhere in literature. If you could point me in a direction that would be great I love old time lifting. I find it interesting that the modern wrestling gyms in India now for the majority have proper weights and use the clubs sparingly and only bring them out for demonstrations to visiting westerners.
I agree with the train smart point though and not falling for others ways of doing things but finding your own way, but this can be difficult with so many fraudulent trainers latching onto the latest gimmicks
KB’s are awesome…they are old school full body exercises. They stress your body and make you use your core more because your center of gravity is off with the way the KB is designed.
Sandow and other old school weight lifters used to use KB’s.
Of course, DB’s and BB’s are great also. You will also benefit with all of them. I do all of them and body weight exercises, but if I have only a little time, I just use a pair of 35, 45, or 53 lb KB’s and do basically deadlifts and clean and press and then its done. I’ve done the same exercises with adjustable weight DB’s and they’re easier…
kettle bells are simple one more device to use to do the same old stuff. lol
stone locks, dumbells, tins filled with sand with a handle etc etc etc can all be used to do the same stuff.
the device doesn’t do the work for you.
KB’s and Indian Clubs
[QUOTE=Frost;984521]I am not to sure about this, outside of a few drawings in Pavels books and some strongman acts (not training pictures but using them as part of their acts in carnivals)I have never seen kettlebells depicted in any literature from the early parts of the last century, the same with clubs bells, apart from in the Indian gyms when the British troops were stationed there I cant remember seeing them anywhere in literature. If you could point me in a direction that would be great I love old time lifting. I find it interesting that the modern wrestling gyms in India now for the majority have proper weights and use the clubs sparingly and only bring them out for demonstrations to visiting westerners.
I agree with the train smart point though and not falling for others ways of doing things but finding your own way, but this can be difficult with so many fraudulent trainers latching onto the latest gimmicks[/QUOTE]
Grey Cook showed a pic in a seminar/ FMS workshop, that was such a classic looking old style gym and thus the description. I don’t know where he got it, I wish I had a copy. But I will do my utmost to look into it.
I do know that Burmes Martial Artist that I have trained w/ have used them as part of there training. Much like a weighted escrima.
Don Berry DC RKC
Pics of Gyms in years gone by
Heres 1 pic http://www.ramblezone.com/fitness/pics/image.jpg
Here is another http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/blog/2009/03/noel-le-gaulois.html
This link has many pics and stories of old time strong men.
Why the KB went out of favour is pure conjecture. As for me it has helped greatly and that is really all I care about as far as proof goes. My ? for you though is have you ever been to a certified (rkc, IKFF or any other) kettlebell trainer and actually tried some of the excercises before passing so much judgement, or is it stuff you just read. Can you do 100 snatches w/ 24 kg in 5 min, can you press 40kg KB. Why hate something so much that does good for many. If you don’t like it don’t use it.
I have never said it was a magical device just a good tool, w/ solid people behind it.
Don Berry DC RKC
It comes down to people never really trying it.
The KB probably went out because it does take a fair amount of instruction to do it properly.
How many people have a set of Stone locks these days? They’re hard to get…