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Off-Topic Why Do YOU Use Kettlebells?

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Hector G

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Senior Certified Instructor
Elite Certified Instructor
Why do YOU train with Kettlebells?

I found the Kettlebell through Jiu-Jitsu in 2006.

I was looking for something to give me an unfair advantage on the mat...

... I was looking to do something no one else was doing.

I was sick and tired of spending an additional 4 hours a day, 6 days a week on exercises and methods that had ZERO carry over to the mat.

That was until I found the mighty kettlebell.

So when I’m doing snatches or deadlifts...

My entire purpose is to give me an unfair advantage on the mat.

So I’m curious...

Why do YOU train with kettlebells?
 
I like the kettlebell ballistics. They pack a nice punch for the weight, I get a handle on them quickly, and they're versatile.
 
They are versitile and compact. Balistics, TGU, Bent press and carries gives me full body control... And in your words an unfair advantage on the sand (beach volleyball)
 
For me, it was highest return on investment. I work full time and have a wife and three kids. A few kettlebells, my basement or back yard, and 45 minutes 3-4 times a week was (and remains) the ideal balance between time and energy invested and results obtained. I’m content with 80% of my potential because the cost of chasing that remaining 20% would have to displace other higher priorities in my life. At the end of the day, I’m just an average Joe in early middle age trying to undo the damage of sitting all day, stave off frailty, and resist settling into a dad bod. Kettlebell training checks all those boxes for the least amount of brain and will power.
 
The KB is the most effective tool to build general physical preparedness for a busy person not in the fitness industry with limited time to train. I find slow endurance training inefficient compared to KB ballistics, and heavy barbell work can interfere with life when I am busy. I do bodyweight and it is important but I don't believe bodyweight only is optimal. Once a basic foundation of strength is obtained, strength-endurance is the optimal skill to train for healthy aging with the greatest transfer to life. It helps to control weight but also builds some mass. Neither optimally but both adequately. Finally, ballistics offer power production, which is one of the first abilities to atrophy as you age. It is not the only tool I use but the best all-around one. It also feels better on the shoulders than the barbell or dumbell press. Double KB front squats are pretty much all you need for lower body work for an average person. The squat rack is hard to get at in peak times at the gym, and takes up a lot of space in a home gym.
 
Sean M nailed it...so many priorities (family, work, etc) and so little time. With 3 KBs in my garage and 40 minutes most nights I stay nearly fit.
 
Started out at home with dumbells, than mutated to a gym rat with a colleague afterwork. After around two years working out near daily 2 hours at the gym a friend invited me to a circle training he did in a local park. Strictly bodyweight, but I was destroyed afterwards. Lesson: Muscles and strength are nothing without functionality.

Hopped onto the bodyweight bandwagon, did barbell work and running for conditioning. Was in the best form in my life. After several heavy injuries through MTB and skateboarding I was thrown of the tracks and in the worst form of my life. Everything I tried to get back on track has lead to injuries or overtraining (wanting to much in a to short time, also fell on the crossfit and HIIT-mentality).

In a quiet moment I reflected what my goals are:
- to be fit and healthy in general
- to be able to ride MTB on a high level (but quit racing)
- maintain muscle as natural protection for crashes

What I don´t need/want:
- maximal strength
- maximal conditioning
- spending more time with exercising, than riding my bike oder be with my girl

Through coincidence I found a fitness blog from an very nice PT named "Vereinfache dein Training", means "simplify your training". This really nice guy wrote about how to design your training in a very efficient way and also had nice stories how he found the way to kettlebell training and also the WTH-effect. I was hooked instantly since he described all the attributes I was looking for and also a new philosophy in how to train (not always balls to the wall, focus on health and mobility). Unfortunately he was to far away for me, but I found a very good alternative and visited a beginners course.

In this few weeks I had soooooo many insights and feeling better overall. Sure I lost a little bit strength and also conditioning, but in general I´m feeling better and healthier than before for much less invest. The training is much more fun than everything I did before and I´m in a constant state of readiness. In summary: Kettlebells were the best decision in my life. :)
 
They are simple, effective, don't take up much room, and I can easily do them at home.... Also I've found a great enjoyment out of different movements.

I would say the main reason is the simplicity of them....
 
Needed a way to work out in the living room while keeping an eye (ear) on two sleeping babies. I had a 24kg bell for years but had never done anything with.

Came here for advice and was told to do S&S until I hit Simple. So I did and felt great. Then I did a round of ROP + daily dose deadlifts and made great progress. Eventually did Dry Fighting Weight, which I liked as well.

If I had had a barbell in my living room, I probably wouldn't have discovered the power of KBs. Life with the kids is more manageable now and I was able to the garage gym to bench and such, but I made a few mistakes on my barbell programming so I've gone back to KBs.

KBs are working better than the barbell for now though I'll try Easy Strength or Even Easier Strength at some point, I think.
 
For me kettlebells and martial arts go together like peanut butter and chocolate. I'm a striker but the carry over still applies. A stronger posterior chain, anterior chain, shoulders, grip, wrist and forearm strength makes for a much stronger block, punch and kick. Sometimes I feel like I can knock down trees:mad:. Well... Maybe small ones.. :D
 
Strength, Power and "conditioning" all in one package. I personally believe that a home gym just needs heavy objects and gymnastic ring/pullup bar. as far as heavy objects Kettlebells are versatile, Press/Squat for strength, Swing/Clean/Snatch for power and TGU/Windmill for mobility. for condition/Strength/Hypertrophy you have a simple tool that can be molded to any goal.
 
For efficient use of time to obtain strength, power and mobility. About 10 year ago I came across DD after looking for an alternative to the bar bell programmes I was doing. After a couple of crude get ups and swing sessions with a 16kg, I felt much more mobil. From that point I was sold.
 
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