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New Mike Mahler Beginner Kettlebell DVD…
I’ve been really busy lately and haven’t posted in a while, but I got an email about this DVD this morning and wanted to let you guys know. It’s currently at the top of Mike’s Store.
It’s around 2 1/2 hours of no-fluff basics of kettlebell training. From the sample clip, it looks like the video/sound quality and editing is similar to the Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD, which I have and recommend.
Right now, he’s got special pricing on it, and you’ll get a free copy of his Kettlebell Workshop Manual. Check it out here.
Tags: beginners, Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, Kettlebells, Muscle Building, Strength Training, Womens TrainingPopularity: 59% [?]
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Ready to Purchase Kettlebells?
So you think you might be ready to purchase kettlebells. You’ve been looking around online for the best way to get into shape, and found out about them. Personally, my results from kettlebells have been better than any other type of exercise I’ve tried.
Fortunately when you’re ready to purchase kettlebells, you have a few options. Unfortunately, good kettlebells are rare in the “real world”, so you’ll probably have to get them online. I’ve found a few trustworthy options, whether you just need one or two, or a full kettlebell set.
First, you can buy kettlebells from RussianKettlebells.com. These are the kettlebells designed by Pavel Tsatsouline and offered through Dragon Door. These are the kettlebells that started the current trend in the US and are Read more
Tags: beginners, Circuit Training, Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, KettlebellsPopularity: 68% [?]
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The Turkish Get-Up…
The Turkish Get-Up is a great exercise for overall bodywork. It’s a good workout for the core, shoulders, and even the legs. In addition, there’s an added element of shoulder stability and flexibility that you don’t get with many other drills. These are a few reasons why Pavel has made it one of the only two exercises in Enter the Kettlebell.
Another great thing about the Turkish Get-Up is that it can be done with different tools. While kettlebells are excellent for them, you can also get creative and use a dumbbell, a sandbag, even a barbell with some work.
Jeff Martone has a great article on the Turkish Get-Up that covers both a warm up and the TGU itself on his Turkish Get-Up article.
Tags: Barbells & Dumbells, beginners, Kettlebells, Strength TrainingPopularity: 56% [?]
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Kettlebell Training for Beginners - Part 2
Last time we went over the basic mechanics of the good morning stretch. Our purpose for that drill (in addition to being a stretch) is to show you proper swing technique. If you’ve read it and are comfortable with it, go ahead and pick up your kettlebell. You can do it with a dumbbell or some other appropriate object, but a kettlebell works best.
Pick up the kettlebell with both hands. Use the same action as described in the previous article to pass the kettlebell down and back between the legs, then back up in the same path. Keep these tips in mind: Read more
Tags: beginners, KettlebellsPopularity: 21% [?]
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Kettlebell Training for Beginners…
If you’ve just gotten your first kettlebell (or are about to), the kettlebell swing is the first drill you need to learn. It is the foundation of many other kettlebell exercises, and will teach/enforce proper body mechanics.
Before you even pick up a kettlebell, the first step to learning the swing is to learn the good morning stretch. Stand comfortably with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keeping your back straight, hinge forward at the hips, placing the knife-edge of your hands in the creases at the tops of your thighs - right at the hip joint. Remember - the hips move first!
Keep your weight on your heels, and you should look like you’re sticking your butt out. Your knees should only bend slightly, and make sure your back is straight to slightly arched - not rounded. Also, keep in mind Read more
Tags: beginners, KettlebellsPopularity: 21% [?]
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Kettlebell Drills With a Dumbbell?
One of the questions most frequently asked by someone new to kettlebells is, “Can’t I just use a dumbbell instead?” The answer is yes and no, but mostly, no. The kettlebell is far more flexible, offering much more than a dumbbell. When I first became interested in kettlebell training, I just went out and bought a 25-pound dumbbell and went to work.
Here’s what I found out. Swings, the most foundational of the kettlebell exercises, don’t work well with a dumbbell. With a kettlebell, the weight hangs below the handle, so it swings easily between the legs. A dumbbell doesn’t work nearly as well. Because the handle is in the center of the weights, a dumbbell is much wider than a kettlebell.
This makes for an awkward swing between the legs. There is a very real possibility of smacking yourself Read more
Tags: Barbells & Dumbells, beginners, KettlebellsPopularity: 24% [?]
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What’s the right kettlebell size for me?
This is a question most people ask themselves when considering buying a kettlebell. The answer can be made fairly simple. Most men should start with a 16kg (35 lb) kettlebell. If you’re exceptionally strong, you might consider starting with a 24 kg (53 lb) kettlebell. However, they feel heavier than you would think, and even a strong man can get an excellent workout with the 35-pounder. I encourage men to start with this one, and it’s also the most recommended starter size by most other kettlebell sites I’ve seen. You can get one from Muscle Driver (less expensive), Dragon Door (the “Gold Standard”), or Dragon Door’s Russian Reds (same, but different finish).
For ladies, it’s a bit tougher. The 18 lb kettlebell is a good choice for most women. As mentioned above, kettlebells feel heavier than you would think because of the leverage factor (unbalanced center-of-gravity). However, I think that the 26 lb kettlebell is a better choice if you’re only going to be able to get one - and especially if your main focus will be fat loss. I say this because if your goal is fat loss, you’ll be doing a lot of swings, and you’ll likely outgrow an 18 lb kettlebell quickly on swings. If possible, you may want to get both. Some of the drills will be harder to do with a heavier kettlebell, but you will likely progress to the 26 lb for swings and some other full-body drills.
The 18 lb kettlebell from Dragon Door has a steel handle that is slightly thinner than the authentic one-piece cast kettlebells. The 26 lb bell is the lightest one-piece cast kettlebell. It has a thicker handle. You can see the difference at Russian Kettlebells.
If you want to get an idea of what you’re in for, pick up an appropriately-sized dumbbell and swing it between your legs a few times. Keep your back straight (not upright, just straight) and watch your knees! Don’t do many if you don’t know what you’re doing. The kettlebell will swing between your legs easier, because it’s not as wide, but this test will let you know if you’re choosing an appropriate kettlebell. Keep in mind that you will become stronger. Also keep in mind that exercises like presses, curls (if you do them), and others will be harder with a kettlebell than with a dumbbell because of the leverage.
Tags: beginners, KettlebellsPopularity: 24% [?]
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Kettlebell Routine For Beginners…
Getting started with kettlebell training can be a bit daunting in the beginning. It can be a pretty intense training style, so it’s a little intimidating for some when just starting out. When you read some of the routines, it can seem very technically demanding, and even scientifically complex. However setting up a kettlebell routine for beginners doesn’t have to be difficult.
One of the simplest beginner routines is actually in Pavel’s book “Enter the Kettlebell”. To put it simply, his recommended beginner routine consists of the Turkish Get-Up and the swing. While it may not seem like enough, this simple routine Read more
Tags: beginners, KettlebellsPopularity: 15% [?]
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The Russian Kettlebell–Top 3 Ways to Build Muscle
One often overlooked aspect of modern fitness is that of muscle building. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to burn fat and lose weight. However, your fat loss progress will move along faster if you add some weight training to the mix. Your body becomes more efficient at ridding itself of excess fat when it has more muscle on its frame.
This is another reason why the kettlebell is such a useful piece of equipment. With this one tool, you get Read more
Tags: beginners, Kettlebells, Muscle BuildingPopularity: 30% [?]
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The Russian Kettlebell–Top 3 Ways to Burn Fat
It’s no secret these days that more and more people in general are getting out of shape. There are countless pills and gadgets on the market that are touted as the latest shortcut to fitness. Sadly, we all know there are no shortcuts. So, how do you know what works? Well, honest effort will always work.
Enter the Russian Kettlebell. This small “cannonball with a handle” represents the utmost in brutally elegant simplicity. Imagine having one portable piece of equipment Read more
Tags: beginners, Fat Loss, KettlebellsPopularity: 25% [?]
