Kettlebells

Absolutely, I have a 12k and two 16k's.  If you're looking for a resource, by far a guy named Nate Morrison is the best of the best when it comes to KB and military fitness. 

The best thing about them is portability and versatility.  A KB swing is one of the best strength endurance exercises IMO.

im lovin them, cant seem to find a good workout though, other than youtube

Fullkontact.com

Fullkontact.com

Big fan of KBs. Be careful because they're addictive. I started with one 24 kg KB thinking that was all I needed. Now I have a pair each of 24s, 32s, and 40s.

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was hopin to find somethin for free

After reading this thread, and the link from the OP I ordered a 16kg kettlebell.  The free e book from that link will be great for a starting point I think.

I love kettlebells so much I am now a kettlebell instructor! They are a great tool for triathletes because, like someone else said, they build great strength without bulk. Ketllebells as a tool are also great for multiple plane, compound movements that use your whole body. It truly is a way to not only gain strength but work on muscle imbalances and flexibility in order to prevent injury. And they are FUN.
If you want to get into kettlebells, try to find a kettlebell class or instructor near you to learn the basic moves. It is SO important to learn how to fire your glutes and load your hamstrings (rather than using your quads) on the basic moves like swing, clean, and snatch. For most triathletes, that is where a LOT of the benefits from kettlebells comes from, developing your posterior chain.
Here is a great article on KB swings and snatches for runners and triathletes.

Great article- it made me realize I need a live instructor.  How can I know if an instructor has been decently trained.  Like anything that gets popular press it seems that there are new KB classes and such every day. I don't want to work with someone poorly trained and then get hurt.

^^ I have wondered about that as well. I actually haven't found any classes near me. Have you Kathy?

You can look for instructors here.   And also here.

If all you learn is the swing, you will have a great exercise to improve your overall fitness. I am an Art of Strength instructor, so I have a bias towards them although I would like to also pursue RKC some day just for the challenge of it. Here on the AOS website is an index of all of their "Minute of Strength" videos which have lots of good tutorials on all things kettlebell. Check it out for some basic instruction on how to do swings, snatches, and other fun stuff.

Thanks for the info!!  THere is a Punch training center in Seekonk just a few minutes from me so I will have to go check it out.

KOM, if you like I can contact the people at Seekonk and get some info for you. I work at a Punch Gym here in Nashville and I can tell you for SURE that being a member of a Punch Gym will be GREAT for you as a triathlete. Over the winter I did NOTHING but classes at Punch and got my 5K down to 24:00 on NO run training at ALL. Nothing. I know it's not fast, but that was on NO running.
And the one time (grin) I went to Masters in that time the thing I was amazed at was how good my kick had become. I was the first across the pool when we did kick sets...totally bizarre what a developed posterior chain will do for you!
I also did a sprint triathlon in that time without having ridden my bike in months or swimming (only that one time at Masters!) and got 3rd in my AG and had a decent race...I think I was about 19mph on the bike course, which was hilly. It was all from classes at Punch...kettlebell and circuit class (25 minutes high intensity).

I use them during my buildup phase of training. http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#KBs has some good exercises using kettlebells. In fact they have a whole source of excersises. I used some of them to develop my weight loss program. +70lbs. later I say Success!!!

I used them in single arm swing and hip thrusts and didn't notice my HRM was pegged at 151bpm!!!. They will certainly get the engine going. Not to mention they help with Hand Eye Coordination.  When done properly they use the whole body.  People at the gym look at me funny when I'm using them. LOL

I wish I would have purchased a 20lb KB vs by 40lb Dumbbells.



Edited by Thrash1 2009-10-04 12:37 PM

they look great, but from the YT vids I have seen, they also look very risky to me, as a beginner. I get the impression that all the movement with the weight makes it both important, and tough, to have great form in each exercise?

If I could find a class that uses them I'd love to give it a go, but right now dont feel confident enough to just (try to) pick one up and have a go!

I have a DVD by Nate Morrison called The Kettlebell Starter.  I also have Pavel Tsatsouline's From Russia With Tough Love which is geared toward the female audience.  Anyone want them?  Free to a good home, just asking for the cost to mail them.  They're both good, I just don't need them anymore.

Love love love kettlebells. However, my new gym only lets you use them with a trainer...they are roped off but within eyesight which is a cruel trick. I have been using dumbells instead, do you think you get the same effect? I'm thinking of buying my own and carting them into the gym with me on KB days. It's one of my favorite workouts.

Can anyone recommend a book on kettlebells I can read over my winter break?

Pavel's "Enter the Kettlebell" is good. If you are a visual learned, you may want the DVD either instead of or in addition to the book.

Thanks.  I'll order that off Amazon to study once finals are over.  What I'd really like is to attend a clinic on them, but it's surprisingly hard to find a gym that has them, much a clinic heh.