Kettlebell

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Replies

  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
    My instructor said start with 5 lb kettle bells until you have the form down. Form is more important than anything. Women should increase to 10 lbs, but unless they want to really bulk up they shouldn't go higher than 15. It's the exercises that you do that are key. The more muscle groups used during the exercise the better the results. Build everything up slowly.

    My sister started this way and has had awesome success. I'm starting on this soon.

    Ok, I'm going to say that your instructor is full of crap and giving you bad advice. I know plenty of fit women doing 35 lbs and they are far from bulky. Artofstrength.com has some videos of very non-bulky women doing 70 lb kettlebells. The common advice though is that there is a point of diminishing returns in weight of KBs and 35 lbs will do most fit women nicely.

    The only reason someone would start at less than 15 lbs is due to incredible muscle weakness. If you are using less than 15, you are most likely treating kettlebells like an arm workout. Using light weights actually makes it harder, I think. Kettlebells are really using your legs and a lighter weight encourages bad form.

    Umm...that's a bit presumptuous. Everybody is different and should start at a weight that they can comfortably handle and then move up once they've ready. I will fully admit that I don't have the greatest upper body strength, but I am in good shape and certainly wouldn't classify myself as having 'incredible muscle weakness'. I started with the 10lb. kettlebell and just recently moved up to the 15lb. one. I'm struggling a bit to keep proper form with the new heavier weight.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    My instructor said start with 5 lb kettle bells until you have the form down. Form is more important than anything. Women should increase to 10 lbs, but unless they want to really bulk up they shouldn't go higher than 15. It's the exercises that you do that are key. The more muscle groups used during the exercise the better the results. Build everything up slowly.

    My sister started this way and has had awesome success. I'm starting on this soon.

    Ok, I'm going to say that your instructor is full of crap and giving you bad advice. I know plenty of fit women doing 35 lbs and they are far from bulky. Artofstrength.com has some videos of very non-bulky women doing 70 lb kettlebells. The common advice though is that there is a point of diminishing returns in weight of KBs and 35 lbs will do most fit women nicely.

    The only reason someone would start at less than 15 lbs is due to incredible muscle weakness. If you are using less than 15, you are most likely treating kettlebells like an arm workout. Using light weights actually makes it harder, I think. Kettlebells are really using your legs and a lighter weight encourages bad form.

    Umm...that's a bit presumptuous. Everybody is different and should start at a weight that they can comfortably handle and then move up once they've ready. I will fully admit that I don't have the greatest upper body strength, but I am in good shape and certainly wouldn't classify myself as having 'incredible muscle weakness'. I started with the 10lb. kettlebell and just recently moved up to the 15lb. one. I'm struggling a bit to keep proper form with the new heavier weight.

    The thing though is that if you are using upper body strength to swing a kettlebell, then your form needs to be checked. And by incredible muscle weakness, I would say those that require 3 lb dumbbells (and 5 lb are a challenge) to do any upper body exercise would fall into that category. Maybe I'm presuming the average woman is stronger than that but from what I've seen, most women have some upper body strength.

    I've seen it with both men and women where they have trouble with a kettlebell weight and it seems to be a lot of improper form. Starting with a lower weight encourages the bad form.
  • sarah692
    sarah692 Posts: 136 Member
    Well, as a girl with pitiful upper body strength (certain exercises using 5 pound dumbbells are in fact challenging for me lol), I'm fine with 20 lbs for swings and I still don't consider myself to be "in shape". I have a 10 pound bell as well but I only use that for presses. 10 pound swings feel like absolutely nothing is happening, I can't even imagine going lower than that, and I felt that way even after starting with kettlebells after being sedentary for months. I also don't see myself bulking up any time soon... there's no way any exercise using only 20 lbs is going to make someone bulk up. lol

    Make sure your trainers are actually certified to teach with kettlebells. Otherwise they're about as trustworthy as strangers on the internet.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    Yeah, I was just giving an example. I had a friend who had very weak upper body strength and 3 lb dumbbells for any upper body movement was tough and overall, she just wasn't strong at all. I was thinking about someone like her. I have swung a 53 lb kettlebell and although I can do a few of them, I choose 25 lb ones. It isn't like I'm curling 50 lb dumbbells or anything, but since my legs are strong, it is doable.
  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
    Well, as a girl with pitiful upper body strength (certain exercises using 5 pound dumbbells are in fact challenging for me lol), I'm fine with 20 lbs for swings and I still don't consider myself to be "in shape". I have a 10 pound bell as well but I only use that for presses. 10 pound swings feel like absolutely nothing is happening, I can't even imagine going lower than that, and I felt that way even after starting with kettlebells after being sedentary for months. I also don't see myself bulking up any time soon... there's no way any exercise using only 20 lbs is going to make someone bulk up. lol

    Make sure your trainers are actually certified to teach with kettlebells. Otherwise they're about as trustworthy as strangers on the internet.

    Sure, if we're talking swings - I don't have any problems doing 15lbs. with those (I could probably even use the 20lb. bell for those). I'm talking Turkish get-ups, clean & press,etc.
  • auntiemsgr8
    auntiemsgr8 Posts: 483 Member
    Replying partly so I can go back to the websites and names. I have heard of kb but if they are not an upper body workout what are they. Do they give a total body workout of more for core?
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    Replying partly so I can go back to the websites and names. I have heard of kb but if they are not an upper body workout what are they. Do they give a total body workout of more for core?

    More of a total body workout. A lot of the work is actually in the legs.
  • Neets086
    Neets086 Posts: 60
    Bump.. My trainer had me using KBs last year, but i am looking to get some to use at home... will def do some research on the websites you guys have mentioned :)

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