AOS Bulldog Kettlebell

[Gi]

I agree with you that if you want big muscles you need big wieghts and lift accordingly but thats usually not the case with those interested in the kind of benefits KBells offer specifically for the functional MA/combatives community. Wrestlers/grapplers i.e. are looking for that tendon/sinew strength and not built and sized like Mr. Olympia. Chimps for example, they dont look particularly stong but they're 5 times the average strength of your best developed human. I believe standard wieghts training does not duplicate as many of the same motions that Kbells do for the certain movements that are more appealing and functional and thats where Kbells have the advantage

Yeah for sure that's the arguement, but why has it got to be either/or, when you can have both?

[bladesaint]

I can see the benefits of Kbell training and intend on intergrating some more into my own training program but I can't see that it could replace pushing heavy wieghts. I've seen the guys down the gym who swear by them, one guy is a personal trainer who uses them daily and if I were to be totally honest I'm not that impressed with thier physiques and strength. I'm not saying that they aren't good because I think they are. It's just different. If it's big muscles you want it's big weights you have to lift there's no short cuts I'm afraid. The muscles have to be totally annihilated, fed and rested week in week out. Kbell develope a different kind of strength incorporating some of the smaller muscle groups which some might argue is better for MAs but for out and out strength they are always going to be second best in my opinion.

I agree with you that if you want big muscles you need big wieghts and lift accordingly but thats usually not the case with those interested in the kind of benefits KBells offer specifically for the functional MA/combatives community. Wrestlers/grapplers i.e. are looking for that tendon/sinew strength and not built and sized like Mr. Olympia. Chimps for example, they dont look particularly stong but they're 5 times the average strength of your best developed human. I believe standard wieghts training does not duplicate as many of the same motions that Kbells do for the certain movements that are more appealing and functional and thats where Kbells have the advantage

[Gi]

I can see the benefits of Kbell training and intend on intergrating some more into my own training program but I can't see that it could replace pushing heavy wieghts. I've seen the guys down the gym who swear by them, one guy is a personal trainer who uses them daily and if I were to be totally honest I'm not that impressed with thier physiques and strength. I'm not saying that they aren't good because I think they are. It's just different. If it's big muscles you want it's big weights you have to lift there's no short cuts I'm affraid. The muscles have to be totally annihilated, fed and rested week in week out. Kbell develope a different kind of strength incorporating some of the smaller muscle groups which some might argue is better for MAs but for out and out strength they are always going to be second best in my opinion.

[bladesaint]

So many people swear by kettlebells for building muscle and stamina, I will be willing to try, if I had the time. Are they expensive? What weight do you recomend starting with?

 They are taking the world by storm, I love them. Many things come and go, some have so-so results but I have to admit Ive seen consistant results with the Kbells. I reccommended them to a freind who was already working out regularly and she was curious about them, now she's hooked. She tells me she see's nearly immediate results she didnt get with regualr wieght training. The nice thing is.you dont NEED a lont time to train with them the way you do with standard wieghts. One or two sets of Kbells can replace nearly a whole gym room full of equipment too..Most men should start with around 25-35lbs range. Kbells can get expensive (About 2 dollars for every pound of solid iron) but now they are catching on, the prices are coming down on them. THey are also coming out with newer innovations such as steel or plastic hollow kbells you can fill yourself to the wieght you want. You can empty it out and take it with you on vacation and fill it up again when you get to were you need to go and keep up your workout. Look for KBells with the smoothest (To avoid blisters) and thickest but most comfortable handles. The thicker handles activate more ligaments and muscle fibers in your arm when you grip then the thin handles. The body of the bell should rest around the mid forearm muscle area when holding  in the "Rack position" not against the bone of the wrist. You can have the best set of Kbells money can buy but they wont do you any good if you dont have a good workout plan on how to use them. I highly reccommend AOS.com aka punchgym.com. They are the best with the workout dvds and american made products.

[Chihua-ku]

So many people swear by kettlebells for building muscle and stamina, I will be willing to try, if I had the time. Are they expensive? What weight do you recomend starting with?

[Gi]

I see both of your points for me the most important part of my training is the Meditation but that maybe easy for me to say as I also push a lot of weights. If I had to give one up it would be the weights. There is a hell of a lot of training you can do with your own body weight and within your Karate training. What you can get from Meditation can't be replaced. Hey it's nice to have the chance to do everything.

[bladesaint]

I havent used any kettlebells, most of the time i do meditation. it is the most important factor training KARATE.i dont think training using kettle bells are that important

 
Meditation with your karate practice is all you really need, just as long you keep your karate practice to just practice and are not to physically defend yourself. Odds are pretty good as an adult, you may not likely ever need to do so anyway...lets hope so. I live in a city with high crime rate and am a police officer yet the need to actually use my martial arts as an adult has been extremely rare. In the last 19 years only once and that was 17 years before I discovered kettlebells. So I see youre point. Kettlebells just makes things easiar if strength in a combat situation is required.

[thesilentkiller]

I havent used any kettlebells, most of the time i do meditation. it is the most important factor training KARATE.i dont think training using kettle bells are that important

[bladesaint]

I got my 15 yr old using kettlebells after his kungfu training sessions with me. sets of swings/squats, sumo deadlift squats, squats into shoulder presses. His verticle leap has dramatically improved as well as his overall power and explosiveness. It actually hurts to hold kicking shields for him.

[BlueDragon1981]

I've never used them but I have read about them and a friend of mine uses them. I hopefully will start to use them also once a few things from "life" cool down.

[Gi]

Thanks! I watched the clips and am inspired, I've got a few injuries and will be looking into getting some  kettlebells

[Waxahachie]

Hi Mel, I'm so glad you're back among us.

My own knees are really giving me trouble and I've got to bite the bullet and go see the sports doctor.  My left one has been hurting for about nine months pretty much continuously and I really need to find out why.  Either that or I have to induce everyone in my school to grow six or eight inches so I don't need to squat so much in class.   

[bladesaint]

Bladesaint, it is absolutely wonderful to have you back!

How are your knees and shoulder at this point?

 Hey Waxie, great to see you and thanks for the welcome! Shoulder and knees are great at this point, I hope youve been well and had a pleasent summer.

[bladesaint]

I love kettlebells. Finally, a weightlifting program that works for me. They have definitely helped my back recover from a bad fall (bad uke!).

I started using a 35lb kettlebell about a month ago, but I already notice how much stronger my back and shoulders are. It definitely helped bring my judo to the next level.

 Isn't it amazing how quickly you get so much stronger faster? I went nuts and bought bells in several wieghts both lighter and heavier for different exercises. My heaviest is a new 50lb bell, a few months ago it would have been out of the question! *LOL* I love doing squats! I used to avoid wieght training with my legs thinkng it would make me tighter and slower but the bells actually made me more flexiable than I've been in years and stronger at the same time! I'm holding deep stances I never could before.

[Waxahachie]

Bladesaint, it is absolutely wonderful to have you back!

How are your knees and shoulder at this point?