Kettlebell

MrsRichmond060212

I was interested in trying a kettle bell workout. Any opinions or advice is welcome. What did u think? What DVD are you using? What kind of results have you had? Thanks:)

RambyPandy

I have been shopping for one too!

I am interested in what a good weight is for a beginner. 5, 7, or 10?

KatLifter

I'd poke around Marshalls/TJ Maxx, I got a set with a 5, 10, and 15 lb kettlebell and a DVD for $20. Also, look on YouTube for exercises.

kmbrleee

Kettlebells are my FAVORITE workout! So much bang for your buck. I took a class for a few years, but am doing it at home now. There is a great free site, fitnessblender.com that has some workout videos on there, I think I saw a beginner one. I'd start with a 5 or 10 lb bell, especially if you haven't lifted much. I use a 15 now, a few (very few) women in the class used a 20. Oh, and don't worry if you can't do the Turkish Get Up. That one always hurts my shoulder, I just do some basic swings to move past that set.

MrsRichmond060212

Thanks ladies!:) I'm looking to burn calories but also build muscle so I hope this is it!

blobby10

I would recommend you use a trainer either solo or in a class for the first few times as, in my experience, its really easy to get the technique wrong and to strain your back or other joints.

And obviously, in a class, you have access to a much wider range of weights so you can work out which ones you use most before paying out!

tinabuggy

bump

MadeInDR022

I would recommend you use a trainer either solo or in a class for the first few times as, in my experience, its really easy to get the technique wrong and to strain your back or other joints.

And obviously, in a class, you have access to a much wider range of weights so you can work out which ones you use most before paying out!

I second this. I hurt my back trying to do them alone...they are a hell of a workout and produce a great burn!

MostlyWater

I just bought a Groupon deal for classes with that!

demorelli

Did the KettleWorx cardio yesterday with the ten pound. I had no idea cardio could leave so many muscles sore.

ETA: KettleWorx is an amazing series!! I haven't tried all the videos yet but I'm super partial to the core workout.

KatieLou1022

I began working with kettlebells ... 10 and 15 lbs ... about two weeks ago. It is an awesome workout ... almost instant gratification as results go. I agree with the others ... be extremely aware of your body positions while working with them. I've looked at just about all the videos on youtube. Some of the people on there have very poor workout posture. I began with the fitness blender workout and felt it was not varied enough. So I did some research, found video or photos of all the different moves and made my own program to follow. Some of the moves are more advanced than I can do now, but they are on my program for the future. I love working with kettlebells so much that it is now my major exercise focus. I do cardio and work with a trainer on my other days. And if you are wondering whether you can do it or not ... I will be 67 next week. Yes ... you can do it too!

Katie

1sisrat

go to fitnessblender.com and see a few of their free kettlebell workouts.
Also, Jillian michaels has a dvd that has a beginer and advanced kettle bell workouts on it. it's call "shred it with weights"

jadedone

I am doing 15# right now. It is too light for me to do two arm-swings, but OK for one armed exercises.

It is too light for deadlits, OK for goblet squats and lunges. Too light for two armed rows. OK for one arm. Two heavy for windmills. I can't do many reps fo Turkish get ups.

I love using them, I find it to be pretty fun. When I work out at home I use my KB and maybe my dumbbells and create a circuit with KB exercises, body weight exercises and compound movements. It kicks my butt. (Sometimes I try to finish up 500 - 700 reps of a mix of things. Or I just spend 20-40 minutes)

One new one I did yesterday was a KB standing fire hydrant. That was so hard. Wow! (And keep in mind, I didn't quite finish the 200 squats program, but I can bust out 150 body weight over a few sets. And I can leg press my body weight for at least 3 sets of 12.)

I plan to try out a class soon enough, so I don't want to buy another KB until after that.

Definitely get the cast iron KBs and not the concrete ones. The are easier to use and more compact. I really like the curved Bob Harper one I have. It makes things like cleans super "easy" since it curves better to your body.
http://store.gofit.net/Contour-Kettlebell-s/44.htm (available at Target with a basic video).

I cannot do videos. My attention span is too short, so I use the video to master the move, and do my own thing.

MzKym31

Thanks guys for your post!!! I'm getting me a set of kettle bells...sounds super cool. Jillian Michaels has a set in Wal-Mart that I like. Right now I do cardio 5 to 6 days a week...how many days per wk would you suggest using the kettle bells? What are the cal burns like?

cordianet

Most women go too light on a starting weight. Pavel, the father of the Kettlebell movement in the USA says a beginning women should start at 18 lbs. If you go too light, there is a tendency to "muscle through" the exercises using your arms, etc. instead of engaging your core and posterior chain. If so, it will make it that much harder to get any benefit from it, and you many need to relearn the movements.

Here's an easy test for you: If you can take the kettlebell and lift it straight out in front of you with stiff arms, it's too light.

groomchick

Been doing Kettlebell for about a year...Love it! Kettleworx or Skogg are great home dvds for it! That's exercising SMART!

harlanJEN

I incorporate KB swings - two handed and one handed alternating - into my Tabatas. I also use them to warm-up prior to lifting.

I use a 50 lb. for two handed ; 40 lb for alternating. GREAT weighted cardio : )

I have basic KBs - nothing fancy. They run around $1 per pound.

contingencyplan

You're going to want something that's 15 lbs at the lightest and even that is probably too light. Here's why:

The first mistake people, especially women, make in choosing a kettlebell (yes, you do only need one to do it right) is in choosing one that's too light. Many women start out with 5 or 10 lb kettlebells because they incorrectly gauge their strength based on their upper body. ALL kettlebell exercises originate with lower body muscle groups, and there is no isolation training with kettlebells. 5, or 10 lb weights, are too light for anyone who is not using the kettlebell for PT reasons. The correct way to gauge the kettlebell weight you should be using is to perform the single most basic fundamental exercise with it: The swing. The swing is a primarily lower body muscle exercise that also heavily works the back and core. Perform basic kettlebell swings for 30-40 seconds. That should be sufficient to require you to stop for a break, and you should be feeling it most in lower body muscle groups. Look for it specifically in the hamstrings as these muscles go ignored when the weight is too light. It doesn't matter if you're not strong enough to shoulder press it, that will come with practice and exercise. Start out with the swing. If that's all you can do, keep doing it. Then transition into the bump/push-press (a variation of the swing that also gets the chest, bicep, and tricep muscles involved as well) and then finally the press, the snatch, and the clean.

Most women who are beginners start out with an 8kg (~17.5 lb) kettlebell, or, if using ones rated in pounds, they'll go with either a 15 or a 20. For men, 25-35lbs, or 12-16kg.

While shopping for a kettlebell, you will find there are two types made. There are cast-iron style (which are also available with vinyl coating or plastic coating), which get bigger as they get heavier, and competition-style, which are all the same size regardless of weight (changing weight is achieved by hollowing out the center by varying amounts). Competition style kettlebells (which are unfortunately harder to find) are almost always superior for most forms of training, because the changing size with cast-iron style kettlebells can alter range of motion and the basic dynamic of the exercise as you go up in weight. With competition-style kettlebells, the size doesn't change, so your range of motion is not affected as you progress.

That is an excerpt from a blog post I wrote on kettlebell training. Regarding DVDs you will want Skogg System as, out of all the purely DVD based programs out there, it is the best at illustrating proper form. That and anything you can find by Pavel Tsatsouline.

Yes2HealthyAriel

I started with an 8 pound kettlebell.

harlanJEN

Most women go too light on a starting weight. Pavel, the father of the Kettlebell movement in the USA says a beginning women should start at 18 lbs. If you go too light, there is a tendency to "muscle through" the exercises using your arms, etc. instead of engaging your core and posterior chain. If so, it will make it that much harder to get any benefit from it, and you many need to relearn the movements.

Here's an easy test for you: If you can take the kettlebell and lift it straight out in front of you with stiff arms, it's too light.

INDEED! Very true. Too light and you do tend to engage arms too much and .. I almost fling it across the room. LOL. As you get stronger, DEF need to move up in weight !

contingencyplan

go to fitnessblender.com and see a few of their free kettlebell workouts.
Also, Jillian michaels has a dvd that has a beginer and advanced kettle bell workouts on it. it's call "shred it with weights"

Never_ever_ever do the JM Shred It With Weights DVD. Ever. The form will get you hurt. She's come under a lot of fire for that DVD because of the poor form she demonstrates.

contingencyplan

I'd poke around Marshalls/TJ Maxx, I got a set with a 5, 10, and 15 lb kettlebell and a DVD for $20. Also, look on YouTube for exercises.

Those weights are insufficient for proper kettlebell training even for a beginner.

beaches222

Wow i just bought a kettlebell kit and reading all your post I think i need heavier weights. I have a 3 and 5 pound that came with it and it seems so light. I may hit the store for a 7 or 10 pound weight. The workouts burn serious calories

coke_bottle

OMG! I love kettlebell! It is the best workout to wake your barely used and used muscles up!! It had me sore in the thighs on my first 20 minute work out! I'm talking every step i take sore deep in the muscle tissue! But it's a good sore! I purchased a 10 lb kettle bell that came with 2 workout dvds under $30 with shipping and handling! Trust me when i say, it really gets your heart pumping and your furnace turned on to burn calories plus you are building muscle because it is strength training as well!!!!!! KETTLEBELL- a win win situation:)

Jo2926

Most women go too light on a starting weight. Pavel, the father of the Kettlebell movement in the USA says a beginning women should start at 18 lbs. If you go too light, there is a tendency to "muscle through" the exercises using your arms, etc. instead of engaging your core and posterior chain. If so, it will make it that much harder to get any benefit from it, and you many need to relearn the movements.

Here's an easy test for you: If you can take the kettlebell and lift it straight out in front of you with stiff arms, it's too light.

This. Its all about the hips and core!!

chrisdavey

I'd poke around Marshalls/TJ Maxx, I got a set with a 5, 10, and 15 lb kettlebell and a DVD for $20. Also, look on YouTube for exercises.

Those weights are insufficient for proper kettlebell training even for a beginner.

agreed.

Highly recommend going to a class to get taught all the movements before trying it on your own. Also, they are not generally the best for muscle building. Possibly some upperbody hypertrophy but they are more about conditioning that involves some strength.

I swing a 64kg (140lb) KB.

lizzzylou

bump

AmandaDawnRN

My husband does this exercise. I didn't realize so many woman did. Great job ladies!!

FitToLead

Thanks contingencypl
I will look for higher weight, and those dvd's and avoid the JM DVD.
cool.

adamsh78

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2011/01/08/kettlebell-swing/
This is one of the female "case studies" in the man book 4-hour body. The video is geared toward guys but show the basics of how to do the Kettlebell Swing correctly also a link under the video shows how to build an adjustable weight kettlebell with some plumbing supplies from Lowe's or Homedepot if you already have plates(which I did). Hope this helps folks it got me into the swing.

spike90

The Kettleworx DVDs are great!