Has anybody tried lifting kettlebells?

[Lone_Wolf]

I'm looking to add some variety to my weight training by adding kettlebells. Does anybody have any experience with them (good or bad)? The only information I can find online is pretty much from companies who sell them (and who tout them as the second coming). I'm just looking for some unbiased opinions about them from people who have actually tried them. Thank you in advance.

[seemunkee]

1. Yes

I have a couple of them and they do what they claim.
Like any work out you can go easy or hard.
A hardwork out with KBs will definately wear you out and leave you hurting the next day. Simple swings and snatches can burn a lot of calories and leaving you gasping. I've recommended them to other people and most who try it end up buying one.
I've been on and off of using them due to unrelated shoulder problems but now that I'm doing better I'm going to switch up my workout to include them. The Dragondoor KBs are very nice and I have a 26lb one but bought one of the adjustable ones from US Kettlebells so I can up the weight without having to buy a new bell each time. The bacic video that Pavel sells is good instruction if a little spartan and he plays up the Russian "comrade" routine too much. The book is a good reference and taking a seminar is worth while.

Midnight armadillo who posts here often uses them too and lost quite a bit of weight doing a KB routine.

[Lone_Wolf]

2. Thank you for you recommendation.

They do sound like they'll augment my powerlifting AND be fun to train with (which is a big plus). I'm very interested in their capacity to build functional strength. I'm going to make a couple of homemade ones to use on a trial basis. If I like it, then I'll take the plunge and buy some real ones.

[seemunkee]

3. If you have barbell plates with handles they work OK to test

Only up to 25lbs the 35lb plates are too big to swing.

[Lone_Wolf]

4. I made mine out of concrete and threaded black iron pipe...

I poured the concrete into a mold (an inverted one gallon plastic container that was more tapered at the bottom), fashioned a handle out of black iron pipe, and stuck it in the concrete. I took it out of the mold today and it actually came out pretty good. I'll start swinging it when the concrete cures a little more!

[midnight armadillo]

5. They're great go for it

KB's give a great workout for strength-endurance.
I would post more but am staying up late with my month old son.

Send me a PM if you've got questions about 'em.

[Lone_Wolf]

6. Thanks for the input!

I've fiddled with the one I made and I like how it feels. My main problem now is trying to incorporate them into my existing weightlifting workout without overtraining.

Any suggestions on a routine?

BTW... I too remember the late nights with my kids who just turned 2 and 5. Although I was tired from them, I still look back and smile. Those were special times. It is amazing how quck they grow.

[midnight armadillo]

7. Here's what works for me

You can use the KB's for warmups or recovery days doing light swings etc., but to get the full benefit I've found you need to specialize the workouts.

I found doing 3 weeks KB, 1 week lifting would maintain strength while making v. good KB progress. Or swap to maintain KB fitness while focusing on strength. A 2 week each routine is good for making gains in both areas at once. Mixing it up within a single week just made me spin my wheels.


Our biggest kid challenge is our 2.5 year old, who is having a tough time adjusting to not being the center of attention anymore!

[Lone_Wolf]

8. Thanks...

I'm going to start out with the two week each schedule and see how it goes. I'll ease up on my weight workouts during the weeks I concentrate on the kettlebell exercises. After a few weeks I hope I have a good feel for how much I can do without overtraining.