Kettlebell Training

[Guest guest]

Charlie Newkerk wrote:

<Dr Siff, the information on the kettlebell training was informative. Many of

the studies and techniques can be found in Pavel Tsatsouline's 'The Russian

Kettlebell Challenge.' I purchased a solid kettlebell (KB) from

www.dragondoor.com after previously purchasing kettlebell handles from

www.ironmind.com . The benefit of the handles is that weight can be added to

any amount versus the fixed weight of the solid KBs (16 kg, 24 kg, and 32 kg).

The disadvantage, for myself, of the handles is that for cleans, presses,

jerks, etc (overhead movements) the plates slide around and are not too

stable. The handles are great for pulls, swings, extended pulls from blocks

while the solid kbs are more stable for overhead movements.

*** Are there actual studies or references to Russian scientific journals in

Pavel's book? If so, please cite some of them here for our interest.

Charlie Newkerk:

<As one gentleman stated in a past post, it is easy to overtrain with the kbs

as the tonnage mounts very rapidly especially in high rep swings, cleans,

and snatches. A simple calculation for volume of reps x weight, i.e., 16kg

x 25 swings= 400kg (880lb) so you can see that even though the intensity (%

of 1RM) is low, the volume can mount rapidly.

KB training is fun and is a throwback to the early days of weight training

before machines. I take my KB and a jump rope while I travel and get a great

training session anywhere - last trip I trained in the hotel parking lot.

For anyone who has not tried them, they are fun, will definitely increase

your work capacity

and there are an infinite variety of exercise for the whole body to be

discovered. >

*** Our Scots training instructor at my former university had some

kettlebells in our early university gym about 40 years ago and we enjoyed

using them for many exercises, and found that they can be useful in offering

one form of general physical preparation (GPP), alongside various gymnastics

and rope climbing drills. However, their novelty often means that one can

spend far too much time with them, time that could produce greater

competitive improvement if devoted to the competitive lifts and their

variants. The solid variety also allows one to impose more stress on the

wrist flexors and extensors (which also can be a negative feature for some

people who overuse KBs).

Charlie Newkerk:

<Exercises I currently do or am working toward with KBs (can be one or two

arms)-cleans, clean and jerk, snatch, swings, high pulls, squat pulls, side

press, bent press, Turkish get ups, leg circles and figure eights, tri

extensions, curls, rowing motion, pullovers, floor press, pullups (with

bells on feet and release to complete set), press, pistols. I am sure there

are a lot more out there to be discovered.

*** Note that it very simple to devise exercises for KB training - just begin

with the realisation that all you can do with dumbbells, you can do with KBs.

Then, remember that the handles allow you to grip above the load and, if you

are using solid KBs, you can add variations which involve wrist flexion and

extension.

Charlie Newkerk:

<Pavel quotes that in Prof Medvedev weightlifting book there are 24 exercise

for arms and shoulders and 29 for legs and torso! Russian KB Challenge, p

28.>

*** I have Dr Medvedev's Weightlifting book (and a few others by him) and do

not recall seeing any routines being given for kettlebell training - there

were over 100 exercises based upon the Olympic lifts, but none on kettlebell

training for weightlifters - did Pavel quote exactly which of Dr Medvedev's

books featured those KB exercises?

While we are discussing this topic. Would any of you care to list some of the

KB exercises that you enjoy or have found to be useful?

Dr Mel C Siff

Denver, USA

Supertraining/