KettleBell considered strength training?

IamUndrCnstruction
IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
edited February 1 in Fitness and Exercise
The importance of strength training is all over MFP, and I believe it. However, as much as I would love to lift heavy and start maybe a StrongLifts program, I can't yet. Due to medical restrictions I am told I can not lift over 15 pounds (won't go into detail, read my profile if interested).

So I started kettlebell circuits. First with a 10 pound bell, now with a 15 pound bell. I have started to see some definition in my arms, and I do squats and deadlifts and such with the bell. I am just worried that it isn't enough. Or maybe I just feel like a namby pamby wussy girl compared to some of the awesome women on this site!

Anyone else have success with the kettelbell? Any particular workouts that you like?

Thank you!!!

Replies

  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
    Oh, I do this 2 or three times a week.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I haven't read your profile, but I would say that because a lot of kettlebell movements are ballistic (explosive) - for example thrusting the hips in KB swings - you may find that kettlebell is actually harder on the body than weight training.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    KB"s are great.

    KB workouts are great. just make sure you are doing them properly with proper form. You will have success with them if you eat properly and stick with it.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
    I can't afford a gym membership, this seemed like something I could do at home, coupled with logging and eating healthy. I do see what you mean about explosive sort of movements though. I have been using them for about a month and a half with no injury thank goodness. Sometimes I wish I could go heavier...
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    it can be. if your kettlebell movements are explosive and you reach total muscular failure in 8 reps or less.

    But the way most people use them, it's either endurance training or cardio.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    a kettlebell is just a thing. It's like asking if dumbbell is considered strength training. or if taking an individual step is considered endurance training. what matters is what you do with it, not what it is.

    90% of the time, KBs are employed in a high rep, HIIT or metabolic type (read: cardio) training, not in a progressive lifting to failure (read: strength training) sort of way.
  • ttippie2000
    ttippie2000 Posts: 412 Member
    I'm assuming that in addition to weight loss that you have some cardio-pulmonary consequences of your surgery. You may want to consider making regaining your cardio-pulmonary capacity an equal goal to weight loss in your training . May I suggest speaking with your pulmonologist about getting a physical therapy referral to a specialist physical therapist who has specific knowledge of recovering from pulmonary surgery? (I'm assuming that neither your primary care doctor nor your pulmonologist have direct rehab knowledge.) There are some very sharp PTs out there and they might be able to set you up with something.

    Regarding kettlebell training: I concur with DavPul's assessment. You can use it a number of different ways, depending on your goals. Given your cardio-pulmonary history I would be cautious about amping up any HIIT training too fast. Also remember that with kettlebell the safety of the exercise is highly dependent on technique, so you may want to go slow and easy to get good form before doing anything else.
  • MissTomGettingThin
    MissTomGettingThin Posts: 776 Member
    I consider it cardio when I log it. I wear a HRM and my HR gets up higher than it does when I'm running, cycling etc. it works wonders for definition of legs and buttocks. I don't do much of a routine, sort of the same things over and over integrated with my cardio and dumb bells.
    I love them.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
    Thank you for the responses. Ttippie, I have not actually had the surgery yet, which is why this is kind of a double struggle. The pulmonologist is a little vague with a "do what your body lets you" response to these questions LOL. So I have been. I have a few more pounds to lose before they will list me for the surgery. Fine line I walk between exercise and turning blue LOL.

    DavPul, I am aware that it is an object, an inanimate thing, that was not really the point of my question. Thank you for the rest of your answer however, it at least was helpful, as I was not sure what kettlebell circuits were typically considered. Honestly though, I am at this point a weakling and not only do they get my heart rate way higher than typical cardio, by the last two reps of the second circuit I am struggling pretty hard with anything upper body related.

    Just wanted to know if anyone has had success with them and knew of any good workouts.
  • YoBecca
    YoBecca Posts: 167
    After years of doing almost entirely cardio/hiit workouts and distance running, I added kettlebells 1 x/week on top of what I was already doing and saw significant results - built muscle, more strength and definition, and saw cardio improvements in my other workouts. After about a month, I added heavy lifting as well and am seeing the added benefits.

    Agree with folks above that if you stick with a lower weight and high reps its going to be like a cardio workout - if you challenge yourself with higher weights (and correspondingly lower reps) it'll be more like weight training. Frankly, who cares what you call it if it moves you toward your goals? Don't get caught up on labels - do what works for you, and what will keep you coming back.

    I do my kettle bells at home - I have been using a Kettle Bell Bootcamp DVD (actually, stream it from Amazon via my roku) by Angie Miller. I find her annoying, but it got me a good start and a good workout as I've moved from lower to higher weights. Now, I'm ready to find another workout to switch things up, and ready to invest in some heavier bells.

    I have also done a kettle bell class at a gym - it was fun to do it live and liked the energy of the class, but it was no more or less of a workout than what I get at home.

    Good luck!
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