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On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 19:37 rick strong wrote:


>Hi, Keith.  I have a kettlebell that I have not used much in the past
>year as I have been doing strength training at a gym and leave the bell
>at home.  However, I am going on a vacation next week and planned to
>take it with me.  Am I correct in assuming that you simply substitute
>the kettlebell for the medicine ball for these movements?

Not really, kettlebells are heavier than any medicine balls I know (I use
a 12.5kg medicine ball for some work).  Here's the range from my supplier:

http://www.kettlebells-australia.com.au/Products.htm

I use a 24kg and a 32kg bell.

Here's a page with a 'testimonial' from me

http://www.kettlebells-australia.com.au/Testimonial.htm

This is an extract from the e-mail I sent to the manufacturers in April.
None of these exercises would I bother to do with a medicine ball:
-------------------
I'm a bit reluctant to say too much now, as I'd like to work the 'bells
into my routine and, I expect, learn by my mistakes.

But you asked, so here goes: My 24kg kettlebell arrived and I took it off
to my next trip to the gym where I did my usual (non-bell) routine and
then played with the 'bell to see how it worked in with my body.  First
impressions were that the kettlebell is more cumbersome than a dumbbell
for conventional exercises, but that it encouraged me to break away from
convention and invent my own exercises.  I quickly discovered ways to use
the kettlebell that created (good) stresses and resembled wrestling more
than conventional exercises: the movement was dynamic, it was a little
unpredictable and the exercised involved my whole body. From my ankles
right up through my legs and core (the most important part of the body)
through the arms to the grip.  And then there was balance and co-
ordination.  One day there'll be grace, flow and poise in there as well.
What did I do?  Just to gain familiarity through practice, I swung
the 'bell around then across my body, back and forth, held in two hands.
Then like a soldier marching, back and forth by each side, swapping hands
at the top of the forward swing: left, swing back and up, right, swing
back and up, left, swing back and up etc.  Then I tried holding the 'bell
with two hands and swing it back and forth across my body, with a lot of
core twist, rather like a hammer thrower (great for balance and control -
which I'm still working on).

I was frightened to do cleans and so helped the bell up to my shoulder
with my other hand for a few lifts.  But that hurt my forearm, so I tried
a clean and it went like a dream with the 'bell flipping over and
magically coming to rest gently against my forearm.  The a clean and
press.  Still lots to master, but I have managed a few and the rest will
just be refinement.

Of course I tried the two-handed swing from down between my spread leges,
up in front to eye height and then down again, no pausing and up again.
After just three of these, I determined this was so easy and so much fun
that I swing it right up so that my arm must have been 60 to 70 degrees
above the horizontal.  I still enjoy this exercise as much as I did in the
early 1960s (when I used window counter-weights - exuberance!)

Lots of other exercises, too - all fun and all exhausting.  I suppose the
exhaustion comes from the fact that the 'bell exercises the core like
nothing else, whereas most other exercises focus almost exclusively on a
relatively small part of the body: legs, core, abs, arms, upper back.
When survival is at issue it's about how the whole body coordinates to
survive; isolation and gym machines destroy the total body integration we
should be aiming for.  As such using 'bells is about real-life strength
and fitness, not just strength that can be applied in the gym but is
useless on the street, around the home and in the bush.  This exhaustion
probably translates into calorie burning, and, in fact, I have never
sweated as much in a morning gym session since I was in my 40s. What
really appeals to me is that the bells give a thoroughly natural workout,
close to the sort of activity our ancestors practiced over millions of
years of human evolution and, as such, the sort of activity that our
bodies evolved to excel at.  Handling a 'bell is also about coordination;
you have to think and be alert for the unexpected.  The bell's aren't any
more dangerous than a weight with bars, but they set you thinking far more
about balance and about managing your whole body.  No 'isolation' nonsense
with a 'bell!

---------------------------
Since then I have calmed down a bit, but still use the 'bells at least
once a week.  The only things I would add since the above e-mail are (1)it
took about three weeks, but I gained more power, strength and confidence;
the feeling of control over my body was grat to experience.  Now there is
NO abs exercise that gives me a pain - abs (esp transverse abdominus) and
body core generally must be pretty tough by now! (2) be prepared for the
heavier 'bells to rip your hands about a bit.

Here are some pics (NOT me!).

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kettlebells.htm

keith

I'm sold on the heavier 'bells!

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