Kozushi
Level 7 Valued Member
Without getting into all the justifications for things, this is what I've come to think about exercise and kettlebells. I'm very much an amateur, but most people who do this stuff are amateurs just wanting to stay healthy and fit.
- Weights are great if you're already doing "cardio" - walking, jogging etc. If not, you just get fat and strong but without good shape nor much in the way of endurance.
- Our bodies are made mainly for walking and running, so these exercises get us in shape and train our hearts in the perfect way.
- "cardio" exercises like walking and running also grant strength gains and strength maintenance throughout the body - they aren't "just" for your heart and lungs.
- You get get to a certain level of strength, like (roughly, depends on the individual) 1.5 bodyweight deadlift, bodyweight barbell squat, etc through technique mainly since our bodies are already capable of these "feats" naturally. To go significantly higher is possible but takes a lot of training and is hard to maintain.
- If you're already staying fit with judo/hiking whatever, it is often better to train less strenuous moves with weights to aim for moderate strength gains, as you don't need ridiculous strength necessarily for sport nor life, and you'll tire yourself out for the sport by doing too heavy weights.
- The movement is not the muscle, thus training moves like the goblet squat with the kettlebell, even though nowhere near the weight a barbell squatter can squat, is a different movement pattern and uses different muscle systems in the body. This is also why kettlebell moves like the Turkish Getup and swing are nothing to scorn since they exercise muscles and movements that heavier weights cannot do.
- Regarding exercises with weights, it's generally recommended to at least do a big pushing movement and a big pulling movement and/or something more for the legs and something more for the arms. It also seems that one that focusses more on your own bodyweight paired with one focussing on free weights is a good balance of skills and muscular systems. Moves with lighter weights often mix together your own bodyweight with the free weight, examples: Turkish Getups and goblet squats.
- Kettlebell swings and Turkish Getups. (Intense!)
- Goblet squats and presses. (Moderate.)
- Barbell deadlifts and presses or dips.