Kettlebells: Tool of choice

I'm not big on using external resistance (i.e. weights, machines, etc.) unless one has already become effective at using and controlling one's already existent body weight. In my experience working out and being a physical trainer, there is no healthy reason one should be doing, bench presses let's say, without first being very effective at doing proper, full range of motion pushups for multiple reps. If you do not have the core stability to hold up your hips in proper alignment, stabilize your neck in a safe isolated neutral position and stabilize your shoulder capsule while bringing your body down to the ground and then up again against the forces of gravity. What makes you think bench pressing 225 lbs off your chest makes any sense whats so ever? It doesn't... And don't get me started on these folks who are doing lat pulldowns but still have not even been able to do one chinup.

But what do I see all the time when I'm working out in the gym? People hyperextending their backs while do bench presses, necks leaning forward when ever someone is trying to push or pull weight, knees caving inward while someone is attempting to lift hundreds of pounds of weight off the floor...injury after injury, pain after pain, wasted energy and people taking it as if thats the way strength training was expected to be.

So for a long time I stayed away from weights and machines, trying to focus on my body weight, doing my pushups regularly, mastering my squats and pullups, taking my yoga and martial art classes. Then I came across tools that enhanced my body weight training, namely suspension trainers, like the TRX suspension trainer www.trxtraining.com and my favorite but less well know Jungle Gym XT put out by my friends at www.monkeybargym.com. These took my training to the next level.

So instinctively when I was introduced to Kettlebells a few years back I was a bit of a skeptic. I had lost a lot of faith in the effectiveness of weight training for the general population, but there was something appealing about this weird shaped bell that intrigued me. So I started researching the tool and found that it was a piece of equipment that originated from Eastern Europe and became the training tool of that region and was studied closely by the exercise scientist of Soviet Russia, who as many of you know I place a lot of trust in because of their track record of wanting to advance the nature of a human being as opposed to most of these weight training companies who's only motivation is to produce a product that they can "sell" to the consumer market.

A mentor of mines introduced me to the basic concepts and I was hook. No other weight or machine allowed for the freedom in motion and uneven weight distribution that the Kettlebell does. The dynamic nature of the swinging effect and the battle against inertia not only made me feel stronger but worked multiple muscles all at once, creating an additional great caloric expenditure. It brought balance to my muscles, so I was never just isolating or over developing just one muscle but evenly strengthening myself. I eventually went on to get my status as a KettleBell instructor through KettleBell Concepts and have been teaching individuals and groups how to get the best out of them for the past two years or so.

Would I say its the only way to weight train? No...but I would said Kettlebells are definitely my tool of choice. If you can definitely check them out, get a trainer to show you some of the basics with them. Please make sure the trainer is certified to do so, because they can be very dangerous if used incorrectly. And if you want to buy a pair, check out the ones put out by LifeLine  they put out a really great version. Also air on the side of heavy with Kettlebells, because a lot of the movements are assisted by total body muscular recruitment and you'll have them forever, so buy a pair you'll grow into.... so get to the swinging suckas!!