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I recently purchased an adjustable kettlebell for the purposes of experimentation. It is said that kettlebells are a great cardio exercise as well as being a strength and joint training tool as well. I have read that it is better at creating functional strength than traditional weights. If it works out I will probably buy a fixed weight bell as those are more comfortable to use, however I see it as an addition to my regular weight training and running...not a replacement. I set the kettlebell up with 42 pounds of weight on it, and learned some basic kettlebell drills like presses, snatches, swings, and cleans. Today I did an very intense 15 minute workout for a starter, and tomorrow I will move up to 30 minutes. I found the workout to be interesting due to the novelty of the exercises. It really ramped up my heart rate fast, and challenged my strength somewhat. The kettlebell is effectively a cannonball with a handle. It was used by 19th and early 20th century strongmen as a strength drill, and is still in active use in Russia, it is also currently enjoying a comeback in America. It has a primitive quality about it that is aesthetically pleasing. I am pleased with the quality of the workout so far and I plan to stick with it for a few months. Has anyone else here tried the kettlebell?

Yeah, I got one, but don't use it much. Nobody around my area to swing with and learn from. I hear there's a gym in Louisville that uses them.

The book Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel Tsatsouline will tell you exactly what to do with it. The video is helpful if you feel that the book is not clear enough...for me it was.

I have heard of these. Is the point to train core muscles? Is this the regimen where you swing the ball around while standing on one foot, balance board etc...?

They are essentially an oldeschool flavor of Russian dumbbells but damn they are hard to work with. Mostly same exercises as with normal free weights (though one handed) but there is a focus on some dynamic stuff along the lines of Clean n Jerks, windmills, and around the body passes. It does work your core a hell of a lot more than nautilus machines and the aerobic benefits are another plus.

One of the guys I work with swears by them and after playing around with them a bit I have no reason to argue with him.

Russian kettlebells are not for Kens and Barbies who want to look like ‘a collection of body parts.’ K-bells forge doers’ physiques along the lines of antique statues: broad shoulders with just a hint of pecs, back muscles standing out in bold relief, wiry arms, rugged forearms, a cut midsection, and strong legs without a hint of squat-induced chafing. Kettlebells melt fat without the dishonor of dieting or aerobics; losing 1% of bodyfat a week for weeks is not uncommon. If you are overweight, you will lean out. If you are skinny, you will get built up. According to Voropayev (1997) who studied top Russian gireviks, 21.2% increased their bodyweight since taking up kettlebelling and 21.2% (the exact same percentage, not a typo), mostly heavyweights, decreased it. The Russian kettlebell is a powerful tool for fixing your body comp, whichever way it needs fixing.

http://www.mikemahler.com/kettlebell_exercises.html

Rad! Makes my palms sweat just reading it. Thanks.

They are definitely a primeval tool, though what they do is not primitive at all. I lift weights regularly with a lot of intensity, but after a couple of short KB workouts I have muscle soreness in some of the oddest places...like where my legs join my hips and where my arms join my body. I also have lines of muscle soreness running down my abs and back.

yeah, i got the book, but its really hard to figure out how to lift the kb from still photos. i need the dvd.

If you use bit torrent you can find The Russian Kettlebell Challenge video up on many of the the torrent download sites. It has all of the same exercises clearly demonstrated. If you search youtube by exercise name you can find videos of all of these exercises performed properly.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... arch_type=

For what it is worth this seems to be an intense workout. I have done only 2 30 minute workouts with the KB in the last 2 day, and today I feel like an old man...totally whipped. I have been lifting weights intensely for several months now, and running for over a year (5 to 10 mile runs), so it is not that I am not used to doing a little exercise. I feel that if one ONLY did the swings with the KB that it would be a good workout with maximum result.