Kettlebells

BLUNT

Was wondering would any one fancie doing a course in Kettle bell's....if your a fighter these pieces of kit are a must.I'm being coached by some one who trains under a world champion from Russia.Pound for pound....this stuff will have you in great shape for any fighting style.If you would like to do a course
drop me a line on pawo_1@yahoo.com.If I get at least thirty people,from any where then I could get this guy over........and he also sell's the bells too.All the best stay hungry..............Jason O Ceallaigh:cool:

dlofnep

Sorry?

BLUNT

Right........a kettle bell is like a cannon ball but with a handel...??? they come in various sizes 'n' weight's ( 8 kilos to 32 kilos ) and have been used by the Russian grapplers for a long time as there main piece of strength training equipment.I've been usen them for some time and can honestly say that it was like do'en a week's hard work 'n' three hour's.......A lot of pro boxers are now useing them,as it gives great explosive power.Of hand I cant remember the E-mail adddress but I'll put it up shortly........................JC

Musashi

Pavel made these really popular a while back.

http://www.strengthcats.com/dragondoor.htm

You can also get kettlebell handles and load your ordinary weight plates on them.

http://www6.mailordercentral.com/ironmind/prodinfo.asp?number=1275

or their UK Distributor

http://www.pullumsports.com/

another crowd has them is

http://www.intensefitness.co.uk/

And for olde timey workouts

http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/compindex.htm

Got this from the IF Website

"

REHAB THE I.F. WAY

By John Murphy. FHFST
Five years ago I prolapsed a disc in my lower back, conventional treatments, physio, spinal manipulations, ultrasound and core stability put me back in the gym after six months, but I still suffered symptoms for some 18 months.

About a year ago I started getting twinges in my lower back, I did what we all do rest for a while take a pain killer and under took conventional rehab regime and carried on with my life, in retrospect I should have known better, should have spotted the signs. By October I was confined to the settee, could barley walk two-steps, had lost 25lb body weight and was begging my consultant to operate. I did eventually have an epidural under general aesthetic (due to the fact I was in to much pain to climb onto the operating table) and together with medication, some mobility returned, and the bad news however was told to avoid heavy weight bearing exercise. I had gotten to the point where I thought that I would never be able to train again and considered that I would be barely able to work full time not good seeing as I am self employed, (no one else will put up with me). I was well messed up. In comes the Internet and a research programme, I simply wasn't going to give up. I read up on anything to do with the spine and it's rehab. During this research I came across I.F. (and my now beloved kettlebell's) I had read lots of post where people claimed to have "cured" their back's with this cannonball with a handle on it. To say I was sceptical would be an understatement. I place an enquiry on the IF forum to find Stan himself called me back the same day, I must admit I was a little impressed with that, we spoke at some length (his phone bill) about rehab and the use of the 'bell, I was still very sceptical and went back to the Internet to do more research .I placed an order some weeks later for my first 'bell a 16k, by now I was doing some physioball work, by this I mean I was simply lying over the ball trying to mobilise my back. I was at this point off the morphine based medication, I was icing my back every hour religiously, and waiting for my 'bell and this miracle cure to arrive.The great day arrived; the bell was in my hands. I read and reread the instruction book, come on how hard could it be to swing 16k about, bad back not withstanding. First and foremost I was shocked to find how much strength I had lost, I could barely pick the damm thing up.So to rehab, I started on the landing at home, just doing swings and more swings. I was stunned to find how this simply little exercise had me sweating and breathing like a man possessed. I spent weeks doing nothing else. I soon found that my back was improving to the point where I was able to buy a pull up and dipping station, Which, I use to hanging upside down (inversion) to stretch my back after a 'bell session .I gradually worked up to squatting with the 16k hanging between my legs; (due to my inactivity my right and affected leg had withered to almost nothing), and sets of swings. My fitness, strength and back were improving by the day, the 'bell was doing it's magic just as good old "uncle Stan" promised they would .I continued to research this phenomenon and still am to this day. I believe the kettlebell's unique properties whilst being used; make the bodywork in very beneficial ways. I say unique compared to the likes of dumbbell although with which you can do many of the same exercises, (for god sake you can swing a bucket after all). Dumbbells simply do not move around the hand in the same manner and do not off set their weight the same. Which is why I think the 'bell is so exceptional in rehab circumstances. They make the body work; you cannot hide from them like you can do conventional "core" exercise's I know I used to teach "core" classes. The body is upright and functioning, as it should not being supported by the floor.The other benefits from the 'bells are: -All over body conditioning. The body is one unit, and should be treated as such you cannot isolate any muscle They teach you to squat correctly i.e. you have to "sit back" very beneficial to someone with back problems Strengthening and correcting function of the posterior chain, i.e. hamstrings, gluts and spinal erectors and also the lats and not least the hip flexors all have significance for those with back problems.They attack the "core" from every angle and in a far more functional way. Strengthening and correcting function of the deep muscles of the vertebral column like the Multifidus and Rotatores I also believe that the pumping action of the swing etc. helps to re-hydrate the discs in the vertebral column. It is very important that they hold their hydration levels.So as you can see that this innocuous little tool has far ranging health benefits, from rehab to general keep fit, fat loss to gaining considerable strength. So use it wisely and use it well.John Murphy. FHFSTI run my own sport injury clinic in Stourbridge and I teach at Dudley College of Technology in the West Midlands. If any one wants to contact me please drop me an email at

sports.injury@virgin.net"

BrianD3

There is a lot of hype surrounding KBs, admittedly i have never used a KB myself but I have read up a lot on them. I've no doubt that they are good but I just don't think they deserve the hype. The article quoted by Musashi is full of this hype it gives the impression that the guy "cured" his bad back using kettlebell swings. When in fact he probably would have achieved much the same thing from dumbbell swings. He probably would have gotten less of a grip/wrist workout with the DBs but the swinging motion would have been much the same.

I do some old school and explosive weight training such as BB one hand snatches, DB swings, BB push presses, BB bent presses etc. and I've never missed not having a KB to do them with as they are plenty tough with DBs and BBs! The DBs and BBs are also cheaper and more adjustable than the KBs which come in set weights with big gaps between the weights.

I read the misc.fitness.weights newsgroup and there are a few KB advocates on there and even they don't base their training around KBs. KBs are good for variation, fun and if you want to compete in KB lifting championships. But apart from that I reckon martial artists would be just as well served using the more conventional BBs and DBs.

End of speech

BLUNT

Each to there own....I quess, but I would not put anything down...If I hadn't tried it.As there is NOTHING to base,what you've said on but what you've read.I've been doing physical arts and sports for a long time and think an open mind is best.........JC