Q: Is kettlebell training the ultimate way to train?

A: No one system is the ultimate way to train. I personnally believe in combining and using many forms of training ( more on that later). Is kettlebell training effective for fat loss, strength training, and building muscle? Yes and it is a super fun way to train. In order to keep training interesting, you have to keep it fun and kettlebells are a great fit. You can benefit from kettlebell focused programs or you can incorporate kettlebell training into your current workouts.

Q: Is kettlebell training effective for fat loss?

A: Yes however pushing yourself away from the table more often and cutting krispy creme out of your diet is even more effective. Fat loss is 70% diet and 30% training. Kettlebell training can be a very effective way to ramp up your metabolism. Kettlebell swings and kettlebell cleans and presses are an example of just two kettlebell exercises that done properly can boost fat loss. However, anyone that tells you that you can lose fat with kettlebell training and a crappy diet is dead wrong.

Q: Is Kettlebell training effective for building muscle?

A: What do barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells all have in common? All three are forms of weight training. Thus, just as barbells and dumbbells are effective for building muscle, kettlebells are effective as well. Nothing takes the place of progressive Weight Training . Barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, Barbell Military Presses, and weighted dips are among the kings of muscle building If your main goal is to build muscle then you are better off with barbells. If your have been training with barbells and dumbbells for a while and want a new stimulus then kettlebell training is a great fit. Also, kettlebells are great for building the shoulders, hamstrings, and arms. Kettlebells are not the best fit for quad development and of course calf development. A combination approach utilizing kettlebells and barbells is a very effective way to go.

Q: Can women train with Kettlebells? I want to lose fat and get stronger without getting bigger. Is kettlebell training for me?

A: Yes, this is one of the most popular benefits of kettlebell training. Women for example love kettlebell training as it helps them tone up and lose fat without over developing muscles.

Kettlebell Renegade Row

Get into the top position of the pushup holding on to two kettlebells that are less than shoulder width apart. Take a shoulder width stance and push one kettlebell into the floor forcefully while you pull the other kettlebell in the working arm. Hold the kettlebell in the working arm in the top position for a second and then lower the kettlebell under control back to the floor. Switch arms after each repetition.

Kettlebell Windmill

Clean and press or snatch a kettlebell overhead with one arm. Keeping the kettlebell that is overhead locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the locked out kettlebell. Lower yourself until your non-working hand touches the floor or front foot. Pause for a second and reverse the motion back to the starting position.

One-Arm Kettlebell Swing

Place one kettlebell between your feet. Push back with your butt and bend your knees to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat and look straight ahead. Swing the kettlebell between your legs forcefully as if you are passing a football to someone behind you. Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips explosively taking the kettlebell straight out. Let the kettlebell swing back between your legs and repeat. Switch arms with each set. Remember that the swing is primarily a hamstring exercise and that is where all of the power is generated from. It is not a front raise.

Thanks to Mike Mahler one of the leading experts on kettlebell training for this workout.

Here is a good program for a trainee that only has one kettlebell:

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

One-arm Clean and Military Press 2x5 l,r (two sets of five left and right)
One-arm Bent-over Row 2x6 l,r
One-arm Windmill 1x3 l,r
One-arm Front Squat 2x6 l,r
One-arm Swing 2x10 l,r
Take one to two minute breaks in between each exercise and work on technique.

The Kettlebell swing one arm style (as described above) done with the Tabata is a favorite workout of mine whe I am short on time.

Kettlebell swings done properly are considered by some the single most effective exercise you can do.

A properly done Kettlebell swing will work your back, legs, heart and lungs and develope all over body strength, conditioning and flexibility.

Tabata's are done by doing as many reps as you can in 20 seconds followed by 10 secomds of rest. Do this for 8 sets.

Q: I hate most forms of cardio such as riding exercise bikes, jogging on a treadmill, and using the stair climber. Is there anything that you can recommend that is more effective?

I am with you and fortunately there are many effective alternatives. One that has some impressive research is the Tabata Protocol? Dr. Tabata found that high intensity aerobic training is much more effective for burning fat, increasing aerobic performance, and anaerobic performance. Moreover, four minutes of the protocol that Dr. Tabata uses is just as effective as forty-five minutes of moderate aerobic exercise!
The Tabata method calls for twenty seconds of all out effort, followed by ten seconds of moderate cardio. Go back and forth for four minutes. Work up to twenty minutes and you will be a ripped machine. You can apply the Tabata Protocol to virtually any form of moderate cardio so be creative.

I have many clients that apply the Tabata protocol to jump roping with excellent results. You can even use it with heavy bag training. Go all out on the bad for 20 seconds and then jump in place for ten seconds, then go all out on the heavy bag for 20 seconds etc.

Enter The Kettlebell by Pavel Tsatsouline Master of Sports, is a former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor who has been called "the modern king of kettlebells" for starting the Russian kettlebell revolution in the West.

"Pavel's Enter the Kettlebell! helps you weed out weakness develop explosive power, strength and never-quit endurance-with his PROVEN system for rapid, spectacular and across-the-board gains in physical performance"

Easy to read and simple to understand. This book is excellent to beginners (but theres also a lot of good information for more advanced trainers). Good pictures, short and clear explanations.

Build Functional Strength:
The unique shape and exercises make your body have to adapt to accelerating and decelerating forces you don't get in traditional weight lifting. Your core muscles, stabilizing muscles, and tendons will become stronger over time.

Builds Your Endurance

Various kettlebell exercises require you control a weight for many reps on end. Your endurance will improve and this will carry over into other areas of you life.

Flexibility and Strength
Big muscles without flexibilityHe might have strength, but he can't use it. Kettlebells will improve your strength, but your range of motion and flexibility will increase.

Lose Fat
Eating a proper diet with the proper exercise will keep you looking great.

Forge a Fighter's Physique
Many kettlebell exercises focus on the shoulders and your core. You'll emerge with a body of a warrior. If you're a woman, using exercises that focus more on your legs and lower body will keep you tight and tone.

Freedom to Work Out When You Want, Where You Want
Kettlebells are small and easier to store at home. They are easy to transport if you like working out in the fresh air.

[ Q ] What is the deal with kettlebells, do you really think that they are superior to dumbbells and barbells?

I have never said that kettlebells are superior to dumbbells and barbells. A smart athlete will utilize a variety of training tools to maximize strength and conditioning.
That said there are several things that I like about kettbells:

The thick handles turn every exercise into a grip exercise. My massage therapist was impressed with the thickness of the muscle fibers in my forearms. For a while now I have only been training with kettebells and clubbells and attest the development to those training tools.

The off centered weight requires more stabilization especially on one-arm and one-leg exercises.

Learning how to absorb the ballistic shock that is involved with exercises such as cleans and snatches is very beneficial for athletes and increases coordination.

Kettlebell training is a lot of fun and having fun with training is critical for training longevity.

Kettlebells allow you to do exercises in which you pass the kettlebell from hand to hand and do "juggling" type moves. These exercises are incredible for developing the mind body connection and shock absorption.

Because of the off centered weight, you can do unique exercises such as the bottom-up clean and the bottom-up press. These exercises take grip training and stabilizer training to a whole new level.
The key with training is to find what you like and tailor it to your sport or training goal. Kettlebells are just another effective tool to take advantage off.

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Check it out and see what you think

One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch

The great thing about the one-arm kettlebell snatch is that it is very easy to learn and does not require as much coordination as the much more difficult Olympic barbell snatch.

The Kettlebell snatch develops cardio-respiratory endurance, strengthens your back, legs, hips and shoulders. The kettlebell snatch can be put into the category of one of the best total body exercises.

Place a kettlebell between your feet. Bend your knees and push your butt back to get in the proper starting position. Look straight ahead and swing the kettlebell back between your legs as if you are passing a football to someone behind you. Immediately reverse the direction and drive through explosively with your hips. Pull the kettlebell towards your body as if you are starting a lawn mower. The trajectory of the kettlebell will resemble a J Curve rather than an arc. As the kettlebell rises to your shoulder open your hand and get your hand around the bell rather than letting the bell flip over and bang up your wrist. Punch through straight overhead to complete the snatch.

Q:
Okay, a lot of what you do might be categorized as "functional training." That term has been abused though, and seems to have lost its meaning. How do you define it?

Mahler: One element of functional strength is strength that carries over to real-world activities such as carrying your groceries to the car, putting your carry-on bag in the overhead compartment, being able to carry your child effortlessly, etc. Those of us that actually have even a small amount of strength and conditioning take such tasks for granted, but I've seen a lot of people that have a hard time with daily activities that should be effortless.

Another element of functional strength is having strength and conditioning for the activities or sports that you love to do such as hiking, surfing, grappling, and mountain climbing. Not only strength that carries over directly, but balancedstrength so that you avoid injuries.

Finally, the most important part of functional strength, the part that's completely overlooked by most people, is this: It makes you a stronger and tougher person overall, not just strong in the context of working out.

I've seen many people that are training bad-asses, but are complete pushovers in their personal and professional life. They avoid risks like the plague, don't have the courage to pursue the lives they really want, and couldn't make a tough decision if their lives depended on it.

They always go with the flow, never trust their instincts, and constantly look to others to make decisions for them. They've completely compartmentalized their strength and conditioning and don't carry it over to any other aspect of their lives.

While they have strength and toughness in the context of physical training, that strength doesn't carry over to where it really matters. It's wasted. If you're strong and in shape when it comes to working out, but a wuss everywhere else, then you're not a strong person overall and you've missed out on the most important benefit of training.

Hard training teaches us how to push through when things aren't easy and finish what we start. Transforming your body and building a high level of strength takes a lot of discipline and hard work. Physical accomplishments, whether it's losing 30 pounds of fat, adding 50 pounds to your bench press, or running a marathon, teach you a lot about yourself and help break mental barriers that hold you back in life.

It's a complete shame if we only have that strength and mental toughness in the context of working out.

Q:What advantages do kettlebells have over dumbbells? How hard was it to become a certified Russian kettlebell instructor?

MM: There are several advantages that kettlebells have over dumbbells:

1. The handles are much thicker making every exercise much harder and giving your grip a tremendous workout. I notice that my forearms get pumped even on exercises such as the floor press.
2. The way the weight hangs to one side makes it much more difficult to control and you have to fight to stabilize it throughout each exercise.

3. It takes more coordintation to master exercises such as the kettlebell clean and snatch in which the kettlebell flips over your hand. In addition to increasing coordination, you learn how to brace for the shock of the kettlebell flipping over. This is very applicable for combat athletes or anyone else that trains for mental toughness.

4. Kettlebells have a real "dinosaur" look to them and they scare what Brooks Kubick refers to as the "Chrome and fern" crowd.

5. Kettlebells are addictive and every time you see one, you want to throw it around, ha ha. Getting certified as an RKC instruction was a grueling three days. Pavel is an outstanding instructor. However, he does not take any prisoners and shows no mercy. You better make sure that you are prepared. He especially took pleasure in drilling me for three days, ha ha.