Getting Started With Kettlebells

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and get started training with kettlebells. There are several things you’ll need to know as you begin this new training regimen, such as where to find good quality equipment, safety, instruction, techniques and workout routines, to mention but a few. We’ll look at some of these so you can get started down the road of extreme fitness that kettlebells can help deliver!

Where Can I Find Good Kettlebells?

There are several places you online where you an order kettlebells, and they come in several sizes for both men and women. One of the best selections can be found at Dragondoor.com This site was founded by the man responsible for bringing kettlebells into the spotlight in this country, Pavel Tsatsouline. Pavel is a former Russian Special Forces instructor, who has made it his life’s work to travel the world educating the faithful regarding the benefits of training with kettlebells. Give the site a look for all your equipment needs.

There you can find men’s kettlebells in “poods” (an archaic Russian measure of weight) of 26, 35, 44, 53, 62, 70, 88, and 106 pounds. Women’s sizes range from 10, 13 18, and 26 pounds. You can also find packages there intended to get the beginner off the ground, so to speak, and started correctly with kettlebells. This is a resource definitely worth checking out.

Safety and Instruction

Safety and instruction in most sports go hand in hand, and with kettlebells this is no exception. The consequences of dropping a 53 pound kettle bell onto your foot can be devastating, and put you out of action for some time. Training with kettlebells is not for the faint of heart, but rather for the serious person who is after a level of fitness and conditioning unavailable through more conventional means. Kettlebells have a foot in both strength training and cardio training, and do a great job at both. The kettlebells themselves are swung, flung, hoisted and lifted in various routines designed to give the user a wide range of athletic moves. Thus the emphasis should be on proper technique, and instruction. These last two can be obtained by seeking out the best local instructors you can find, and in addition to that, educating yourself with videos and other instructional materials to give you the best chance of achieving proper technique and not hurting yourself or anyone else!

Going too heavy or too fast can create overuse injuries that can put you out of training for some time, so it’s best to ease yourself into training of this sort until you have a good idea of just what you’re doing here. The type of training routines typically involved in kettlebells is non-stop, heavy lifting of some duration, for multiple sets and reps. This type of training differs in it’s intensity from other traditional methods, and proper technique and care is of the utmost importance to your safety, results and enjoyment.
There are RKC certified kettlebell instructors near to most every metropolitan area in the US, and many have classes and workshops where you can go for instruction and to meet like minded individuals to share tips and workout routines. There is also a lively forum at DragonDoor.com that answers most of your questions. The point here is to avail yourself of every possible chance for instruction when you’re new to this, to give yourself the best chance for success. This is an extreme form of exercise, and you need to give yourself the best odds for making it work for you! At the very least pick up an instructional video or book that will enable you to get some clue as to form, workout routines and tips.

One tip that I can relate is to try and come up with a workout partner for your journey into kettlebells. Since this type of training will require a significant commitment on your part in terms of selling out to the intensity of the workouts to get the best results, it’s helpful to have someone with which to hold each other accountable, and to push one another. Just having someone else there to encourage, exhort and shame you can make quite a bit of difference in your workout.

Another good tip is to eat sensibly while in training with kettlebells for best results. Many people think that the mere intensity of this type of training can give them a license to eat what and how much they’d like to, but the truth is, that no amount of training can make up for poor eating habits. Give yourself the best chance for success by keeping your diet in reasonable check, and you will be amazed at the results you’ll come up with! The cardio aspect of kettlebells can and will get your weight to it’s proper level if you don’t sabotage it.

Kettlebell routines are many and varied, and can be quite general or very specific. Kettlebell training as a rule tends to exercise the whole body, rather than the strict range of motion found in more traditional weight lifting apparatus, and free weights. When first starting with kettlebells you’ll want some guidance in this area, both in defining your goals and the areas of strengthening you wish to work on to start with. This is why it’s important to work with someone if at all possible. If that’s not practical at first, you’ll be able to find basic routines in the instructional materials that you get started with.

Kettlebell training can open up a whole new world of strength, fitness and possibility for you. You’ll get a stronger core, probably lose unneeded weight, and define areas of your physique that up to now have been difficult to reach with any effectiveness. Make sure you take the time necessary to set yourself up correctly, and get the instruction and the best equipment you can so as to stay safe and healthy. You’ll be definitely rewarded in the long run!