I was curious how many of you live by kettlebells and conversely i’d like to hear from those that think it’s only a gimmick.
I have one (1 pood;16kg) personally but haven’t used it since the first training session. I’m thinking about taking another class and using my kettlebell as my primary cardiovascular and strength training exercises.
Comments and suggestions are always welcome. 
It is a good tool to have in your toolbox of exercises but it is not a “Magic Wand”. The kettlebell could be replaced by a sack of rocks if need be. It is not the tool but how it is used that counts. Kettlebells are good for training RFD, core stability, and strength and power endurance. However, these characteristics can be developed with many other means as well. Like I said before, they are a good tool to have in your toolbox of exercises to provide variation both physically and mentally.
Do you use kettlebells in your training? If so did it improve anything you required more so than other exercises.
I use them in my own personal training, more for variation than anything else. I have had athletes that I trained perform one-arm snatches, one-arm clean and jerks/presses, and swings with a dumbbell just as you can with a kettlebell. Due to the design of the kettlebell, the same exercise is slightly different when performed with a kettlebell than a dumbbell. While technique is important for any lift performed, I have found that the technique of performing a one-arm snatch (be it with a dumbbell or kettlebell) is easier to teach and easier to learn than a barbell snatch from the floor. Because the weight is fixed and somewhat limited or fairly light (15kg to 40kg) the emphasis is on speed of performance. Because the actual load is not extremely heavy, this is why kettlebell snatches can be performed for high repetitions.
I love KBs. KB swings are just the shit. get Pavel T’s RKC and get better.
explain why…what do they do? I use a handfull of exercises but rarely find them vital to any program…am I missing something?
Now Brian why do you love KBs? Why do you think others should use them? Why shouldn’t they use them?
Clemson what have your experiences been like? What exercises have you used? Have you experimented with a KB only regimen to see the results compared to a more traditional regimen?
It’s general training. Meaning it is not required. I see no advantage to using Kettlebells over Dumbbells, Barbells, and Medicine Balls. In the case of medicine balls the actually weight can be projected… a definite benefit. Combined with the fact that Kbells take awhile to learn so that you’re not beating the shit out yourself in the recieving phase and there are distinct disadvantages. The only people who will teach you how to use them properly charge you an arm and a leg. Most athletes would be better suited to spending their money on proper regeneration than on something with so few advantages over what they already have.
nArKeD have you worked with KBs? I am only asking because I am trying to understand the basis of your opinion. Is it just observation or experience.
I’m just curious what you guys think of the following articles
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler56.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler8.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler47.htm
I’m hardly the expert on them - the best I can do is refer you to dragondoor.com and read the articles. the forum used to be great, but has suffered recently. as for why I love them - it’s just so simple a tool for a varied amount of applications, that when used IN CONJUNCTION with other training modalities helps to create a more well rounded and better generally prepared athlete.
Windmills and lunge style turkish get ups are nice ways to get some oblique work early in the GPP…everything else is a waste of time. The bells feel good, but they are just expensive dumbbells in my opinion.