Why Kettlebells May Not Be For You
A lot of people have asked me what the big deal is with kettlebells. Really there is nothing magic about them. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they are the latest and greatest fitness fad and I see all manner of folks who go out, buy a kettlebell and for most of these people the kettlebell is about to become an expensive doorstop that joins the clothes hanger that was supposed to be a treadmill. You get the idea.
Effort equals results over time. If you want to lose fat you need to oxidize more calories than you consume. If you want to press a lot than you have to press often and a lot. But for most of us, we read this "Lose 12 inches in 12 days" crap and they get frustrated. Deep down everyone who wastes money on these programs knows its bunk but when they buy it and nothing happens except a thinning of the wallet than they can blame the "wallet thinner" and not take any of the blame themselves.
Kettlebells may not be for you if you aren't willing to pay a price. If pilates, yoga, dumbells, barbells, machines etc haven't been for you then don't waste time with kettlebells. The price can be heavy. I work my butt off and I get results. Now, I'm not you and you're not me so don't misunderstand me here. Check it out though. I reverse engineer everything I do. I write down my goal and when I want to accomplish it. Then I figure out what I need to do in the meantime to get it done. Just mapped it out for the next 12 months. Did it yesterday. I mapped out rest (thanks StrongSarah), work, results. I have it all wrapped up in a neat little package. What are the chances of success? Pretty good.
Now I am pretty crazy so don't mistake what I've done for what you should do. Just keep it in mind. That's all. It's simple and hard. Not easy but worth it. What price are you paying?
Sandy Sommer, RKC
Labels: Are Kettlebells Right For You?
posted by Sandy Sommer, RKC @ 5:15 AM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
I was getting mad when it started becoming the latest and greatest, as opposed to an obscure underground thing. BUT... I have to hand it to folks, if a person who didn't know about this finds one at Target (god forsaken Target kettlebells in 5lb increments LOL) and learns at least a few basic moves and routines, and sticks with it and pushes hard... then they deserve the rewards of the training, and I shouldn't be snobby about the way they found it.
What differentiates this from the other fads, is that this one is extremely hard. I think most folks will buy a Target bell, and you'll find it at a yard sale the next year. But for those that stick with it and want to learn more, they will eventually find Sandy Sommer and you can further mentor them :)
You are so right, Sandy. So many people search for a miracle solution and buy into one fad after another - "12 inches in 12 days" indeed! The solution is inside, not outside!
I think another thing that sets kettlebells apart from many other training modalities is that you need to invest a fair bit of time in learning proper technique before you can really experience the benefits. If you're not willing to put in the time learning how to do the foundational exercises correctly--and that means putting ego aside, being patient, and not expecting to see results right away--kettlebells are probably not for you. I'm not making any judgments, just being realistic. Unless your ultimate goal is to compete in kettlebell lifting competitions there's no reason you *have* to train with kettlebells. They are simply one tool among many.
Very good article Sandy. I wanted to get into KBs so I went to Mike Stehle's workshop. Got my foot in the door but instead of trying to learn technique myself I found a coach. I put in about 8 sessions before I could get the basics down. Now that I put in the work for a great foundation, I get one hell of a workout in less than 15 minutes.
Hey Sandy! Terrific piece...
Makes you think about what your end goals are...You're also the first person I've read who suggests that kettlebells may not be for everyone (not that they wouldn't be effective, just that if the desire is missing...no point in it.) and I like that.
My gym has a few kettlebells, but I always feel like a klutz since I really don't know the correct way to swing one or do a snatch, etc.
Hopefully, that will change soon.
Thanks for the post!
Fred
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