Kettlebells..? Am I just too old school..?

2

Replies

  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    _Mistah_J wrote: »
    I've seen kettlebells up to 93kg/206lb... you'd have to be a beast to outgrow them to a point where you get nothing out of them.

    Agreed!!! ;)
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    MSH2930 wrote: »

    I will say the kettlebells seem lighter than the alleged weights, but for me, that is fine. They feel comfortable in my hands and being I have wrist problems, I am not sure I would want to go any heavier.

    Assuming you are a healthy adult woman, you are going to outgrow that 5# kb very very quickly. Or at least you should.
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    MSH2930 wrote: »

    I will say the kettlebells seem lighter than the alleged weights, but for me, that is fine. They feel comfortable in my hands and being I have wrist problems, I am not sure I would want to go any heavier.

    Assuming you are a healthy adult woman, you are going to outgrow that 5# kb very very quickly. Or at least you should.

    Let's hope!! But even with my bad wrists, I still don't want to get too crazy with them..
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    I have bad wrists - especially in winter. I wear lifting gloves with a wrist support and happily play with my 36 and 25lbs kettlebells - if your form is correct your wrists should not bend anyways and the weight is handled by your core, not your wrists....
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    edited January 2016
    astrampe wrote: »
    I have bad wrists - especially in winter. I wear lifting gloves with a wrist support and happily play with my 36 and 25lbs kettlebells - if your form is correct your wrists should not bend anyways and the weight is handled by your core, not your wrists....

    Wow, that is awesome!! And yes, I am finding the weight is handled mostly by your core, and thankfully my core is very strong!!! May I ask if you are male or female..?
  • hollynurse803
    hollynurse803 Posts: 11 Member
    does anyone have any suggestions for YouTube videos or something I could download. I have a very light kettle bell (5lbs) but not sure where to start.... Thanx
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    I see people at the gym doing the swing-between-the-legs thing. What's the point of a lifting movement that's mostly momentum?
    Why not do a raise, pause, and slow lowering?
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    feisty_bucket wrote: »
    I see people at the gym doing the swing-between-the-legs thing. What's the point of a lifting movement that's mostly momentum?
    Why not do a raise, pause, and slow lowering?
    feisty_bucket wrote: »
    I see people at the gym doing the swing-between-the-legs thing. What's the point of a lifting movement that's mostly momentum?
    Why not do a raise, pause, and slow lowering?

    Because that's not the same movement and you can't safely work with a heavy weight that way. Done correctly, a kettlebell swing is a forceful hike back between the legs and a sort of hip snap forward; momentum is only part of the action.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    astrampe wrote: »
    I have bad wrists - especially in winter. I wear lifting gloves with a wrist support and happily play with my 36 and 25lbs kettlebells - if your form is correct your wrists should not bend anyways and the weight is handled by your core, not your wrists....

    Same, and I have a 54-pounder I use for swings and deadlifts. 35 pounds is the usual recommended starting weight for women on swings. Use good form to protect your wrists and don't be afraid to pick up a weight that might seem heavy to you. If you can pick up a toddler, you can pick up a 35-pound kettlebell.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    feisty_bucket wrote: »
    I see people at the gym doing the swing-between-the-legs thing. What's the point of a lifting movement that's mostly momentum?
    Why not do a raise, pause, and slow lowering?

    You're using your legs, butt and core to create that momentum, and your arms are acting as a fulcrum for the weight. It also creates a great cardio effect. I agree with the others, if you're wrists are coming into play, you need to check your form.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    MSH2930 wrote: »
    astrampe wrote: »
    I have bad wrists - especially in winter. I wear lifting gloves with a wrist support and happily play with my 36 and 25lbs kettlebells - if your form is correct your wrists should not bend anyways and the weight is handled by your core, not your wrists....

    Wow, that is awesome!! And yes, I am finding the weight is handled mostly by your core, and thankfully my core is very strong!!! May I ask if you are male or female..?

    Female, 47 years old....
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    hollynurse803 wrote: »
    does anyone have any suggestions for YouTube videos or something I could download. I have a very light kettle bell (5lbs) but not sure where to start.... Thanx

    Try Sarah Lurie's Kettlebell Bootcamp - her form is really good and a nice place to learn.... IMHO, 5lbs kettlebells should only be used as a paperweight for any able bodied adult...

  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    hollynurse803 wrote: »
    does anyone have any suggestions for YouTube videos or something I could download. I have a very light kettle bell (5lbs) but not sure where to start.... Thanx

    Livefitrevolution.org has a ton of videos (I think 28 weeks worth). It's completely free and they are on youtube though only accessible through their site. This is where I really got into my kettlebells because I like the motivation of doing it 'along' with people and now I just use their printouts or create my own with what I have learned.

    That being said, like others have mentioned, if you're using your kettle bells properly 5lbs really isn't much use for most exercises, maybe starting out for the cleans, presses and snatches but you will want to try and find a heavier one.
  • Ivy_Autumn
    Ivy_Autumn Posts: 9 Member
    I've been given some and I'm excited to try them out! I need some good exercises to do, I have read above several different ideas, people, places but I'm UK based - any ideas here or just stick to the You Tube for a set work out routine........
    Thanks peeps.
    Ivy xxx
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
    MSH2930 wrote: »
    Thanks all. I got a set/kit and it includes a 3 lb kettlebell, a 5 lb kettlebell a DVD and wall chart. So far, so good, I am enjoying it!! I think this is a great way to get broken into kettlebells, especially being I am such a novice to working out, having 'let myself go' for years...

    I will say the kettlebells seem lighter than the alleged weights, but for me, that is fine. They feel comfortable in my hands and being I have wrist problems, I am not sure I would want to go any heavier.

    Those kettle bells are way too light. I train with one of Ireland's top instructors and she would give the most unfit person a 4kg kettlebell to start with (4kg approx 10lb). You would hold it with both hands to start with. I started on 6kg and 8kg but would use 10kg up to 16kg depending on the exercise. I'm a 41 year old female with very little muscle mass. Kettle bells are fantastic for a short workout which combines cardio with strength.
  • DBL_IronDog
    DBL_IronDog Posts: 115 Member
    I have yet to try kettlebells, but they look like a fun way to workout. So many different ways to get to Rome:)
  • kikih64
    kikih64 Posts: 349 Member
    I second the recommendations for Sarah Lurie or Lauren Brooks dvds. I have both and like them. I've been doing kb for about 4 years now and still love it. I started my strength training adventure with dumbbells and barbells, but feel like kettlebells give me a solid core and "functional" overall strength if that makes sense. Good luck!
  • Ivy_Autumn
    Ivy_Autumn Posts: 9 Member
    That it does - thanks Kikih64 :smile:
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    I will definitely get a 10 lb once I get used to the form and get it down to where I feel I can do the workout in my sleep. Working my way up rather than pushing too hard I think is the way to go. I will definitely check out the Sarah Lurie workout and have already peeked at Lauren Brook's stuff on amazon.. :wink:

    Thanks, all!
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    Also, I guess I should mention, when I mention that my wrists are bad, they often prevent me from gripping things properly and I've dropped things. It is not so much actually moving the wrist(s) as it is it keeps from getting or keeping a grip on things..so I have a slight fear of dropping the kettlebell on my foot or my head..Seems silly, I guess, but when you've dropped things to lack of gripping sometimes, it can be a bit if a worry..hopefully someone out there knows what I mean and/or has similar "problems"..

    Thanks...
  • dlm7507
    dlm7507 Posts: 237 Member
    If you are serious about kettlebells StrongFirst
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    dlm7507 wrote: »
    If you are serious about kettlebells StrongFirst

    That looks wickedly cool!! TFS!!! :smiley:
  • zipa78
    zipa78 Posts: 354 Member
    Get a proper sized KB. You'll probably hurt your form more than anything by trying to practice with no resistance. a 10 lb would be the absolute minimum, and for a woman in "normal" fit and health a 20 lb is a good starter. If you worry about your wrists, get straps for security while doing swings but do try to get in some grip strength training as well.

    Other than that, a kettle bell is a great piece of equipment to have at home.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited January 2016
    MSH2930 wrote: »
    Also, I guess I should mention, when I mention that my wrists are bad, they often prevent me from gripping things properly and I've dropped things. It is not so much actually moving the wrist(s) as it is it keeps from getting or keeping a grip on things..so I have a slight fear of dropping the kettlebell on my foot or my head..Seems silly, I guess, but when you've dropped things to lack of gripping sometimes, it can be a bit if a worry..hopefully someone out there knows what I mean and/or has similar "problems"..

    Thanks...

    Loaded carries (or farmer walks) are a great, very functional way to build grip strength.
    http://tonygentilcore.com/2014/10/how-to-program-farmer-carries/


    Something else you can do with the kettlebell is the Turkish Get Up. I'm trying to do this but have a bunch of mobility issues I'm working though. These videos show it using a kettlebell, but I have seen one that has the person use a Dixie Cup filled with water or confetti to learn the movement without weight first while keeping good form.


    This is a pretty good introduction:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNVi6H3OUVs

    These are a couple really good, detailed videos on the getup:
    http://functionalmovement.com/articles/FMS Video Series/2013-10-01_fms_unplugged_ep_6_-_cook_-_ing_the_turkish_get-up_speed_bump_part_1

    http://functionalmovement.com/articles/FMS Video Series/400/fms_unplugged_ep_7_-_cook_-_ing_the_turkish_get-up_speed_bump_part_2
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    MSH2930 wrote: »
    Also, I guess I should mention, when I mention that my wrists are bad, they often prevent me from gripping things properly and I've dropped things. It is not so much actually moving the wrist(s) as it is it keeps from getting or keeping a grip on things..so I have a slight fear of dropping the kettlebell on my foot or my head..Seems silly, I guess, but when you've dropped things to lack of gripping sometimes, it can be a bit if a worry..hopefully someone out there knows what I mean and/or has similar "problems"..

    Thanks...

    ummmm

    I'm thinking kettlebells aren't a great idea whereas some focused wrist exercises, guided by a physio might be?
  • sallymason88
    sallymason88 Posts: 69 Member
    Bob Harper has a good kettlebell dvd, and there are any other around. cheap enough on amazon.

  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited January 2016
    MSH2930 wrote: »
    Also, I guess I should mention, when I mention that my wrists are bad, they often prevent me from gripping things properly and I've dropped things. It is not so much actually moving the wrist(s) as it is it keeps from getting or keeping a grip on things..so I have a slight fear of dropping the kettlebell on my foot or my head..Seems silly, I guess, but when you've dropped things to lack of gripping sometimes, it can be a bit if a worry..hopefully someone out there knows what I mean and/or has similar "problems"..

    Thanks...

    Just curious, has your grip always been weak relatively or has it gotten worse? I actually had issues where my thumb basal joint became arthritic due to age and years of keyboard work on a computer, resulting in a weak grip. I had reconstructive surgery on both thumb joints. I did the rehab to the letter and 6 weeks after surgery I was tested and had the grip strength of a 40 year old man that does manual labor (the standard my PT used).
  • ms_smartypants
    ms_smartypants Posts: 8,278 Member
    I just bought kettlebellworX for my b-day ....it comes with 6 dvd's and a kettlebell ... I love it :)
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    Some really great replies here and great info, thanks all!!
    As for those asking about my wrist/grip strength, my wrists are shot due to being a hairstylist for almost 30 years. Had surgery on the one back in 2004. I sometimes feel like I can't hold onto things (like a pot of water) and have actually dropped an item or two over the years. But I definitely agree I need to work on grip strength as well. *sigh* Lots of work to do!! :smile:
  • MSH2930
    MSH2930 Posts: 161 Member
    zipa78 wrote: »
    Get a proper sized KB. You'll probably hurt your form more than anything by trying to practice with no resistance. a 10 lb would be the absolute minimum, and for a woman in "normal" fit and health a 20 lb is a good starter. If you worry about your wrists, get straps for security while doing swings but do try to get in some grip strength training as well.

    Other than that, a kettle bell is a great piece of equipment to have at home.

    This makes a lot of sense, that I could hurt myself using too light of a weight. Great advice, thanks!!
    As are so many of the posts, so great!!
    Thanks, all!! :smiley:

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