Anyone use kettlebells? or made their own?

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i can't tell what the pro grade ones are like.

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pro grade typically refers to kettlebells like the ones traditionally used in competition in Europe (and now in North America).

they have a handle that is approximately the same size as an Olympic barbell, that is, a size that is useful for human hands. traditional lifting is done for maximum reps, so you need a handle that is more ergonomic (ie not oversized)

pro grade kettlebells are also all the same size. from 8kg up to 40kg (and maybe higher). this means that the small bells are hollow. this keeps the center of gravity the same. you can groove the skill of each life without relearning it each time you move up in weight.

i have used agatsu bells and dd bells and they are good quality ( I have also made several bells). but if you want to really grow as a kettlebell lifter you need to go pro.

there are other little tricks that kbellers use that you cant really do with american bells, particularly, how we rest in rack position. the larger handles with a trapezoidal handle just wont work.

see my video here of a competition I did recently.
KB_CB_Biathlon_April_17_2009.wmv
you can see clubbells and kettlebells used. watch the difference in technique from what pavel and agatsu teach.

Matt

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Originally Posted by philiopoilopoli

pro grade kettlebells are also all the same size. from 8kg up to 40kg (and maybe higher). this means that the small bells are hollow. this keeps the center of gravity the same. you can groove the skill of each life without relearning it each time you move up in weight.

i have used agatsu bells and dd bells and they are good quality ( I have also made several bells). but if you want to really grow as a kettlebell lifter you need to go pro.

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i guess it is all in what your goals are right? for me all i care about it whether i get all around stronger, so i use a bunch of different ways to work out rather then focusing on one type. yes this does lead to becoming unfocused sometimes :) but it does keep things fresh. (i hope you don't take this as an insult as it is the opposite i assure you). to me controlling the size of the bell and making the handle easier to use defeats the purpose which is to do something that is difficult in many aspects. whereas i can absolutely see where if you were using kettlebells in a more serious and competition type setting these things would HAVE to be thought out and controlled. (please realize that in no way am i saying that what i am trying to do is better or the right way, its the opposite, more of an amateur way of using a basic tool). so really if i could figure oput a way to attach a nice handle to a big rock, that would be perfect for me :).

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Originally Posted by philiopoilopoli

i have used agatsu bells and dd bells and they are good quality ( I have also made several bells). but if you want to really grow as a kettlebell lifter you need to go pro.

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just out of interest, how did you make your bells? how did they work? how much did they weigh?

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Originally Posted by philiopoilopoli

pro grade typically refers to kettlebells like the ones traditionally used in competition in Europe (and now in North America).

they have a handle that is approximately the same size as an Olympic barbell, that is, a size that is useful for human hands. traditional lifting is done for maximum reps, so you need a handle that is more ergonomic (ie not oversized)

pro grade kettlebells are also all the same size. from 8kg up to 40kg (and maybe higher). this means that the small bells are hollow. this keeps the center of gravity the same. you can groove the skill of each life without relearning it each time you move up in weight.

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Great post I was just thinking about the pro bells and why they are better.

I'm not a user, simply because I can't afford the pro bells I would want :( But they are the way to go.

One thing that you didn't mention with respect to them is that having that consistent center of gravity and size means less risk of injury. Moving up in size and having a different grove means that you will be slightly out of position after a weight change, in other words your form in the exercise has to change slightly to be correct. We all know what incorrect exercise form leads to right?

Especially with some of the dynamic movements form is extremely critical when preventing injury, it sucks to be the strongest guy in your hospital wing so spend the bucks to be as safe as possible.

Yeah you are right, it really does depend on your goals. As long as you know what your goals are, and it sounds like you like what you are doing. Power to you (or is it the people?), it is good that you are training.

The biggest difference I see between what we are talking about is depth. I lift with the intention of mastery, you seem (with no slight intended) to prefer to be a jack of all trades. I think that the path towards mastery is the better way. YMMV.;)

So whatever way you choose I am glad to know that there are "knuckle draggers" (or perhaps "physical culture enthusiasts" is more gentelmanly) here on SRP.:beer1:

Train hard, train smart,
Matt

I've never used the Kettle Balls, but have been considering Chains. Have you seen those. If you doing Bench Press, The chains are on the bar, As you lift, you picking up more and more chain, thereby increasing the load. Pretty cool.

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Originally Posted by zib

I've never used the Kettle Balls, but have been considering Chains. Have you seen those. If you doing Bench Press, The chains are on the bar, As you lift, you picking up more and more chain, thereby increasing the load. Pretty cool.

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i have never seen it but definitely heard about it. sounds really interesting.

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Originally Posted by zib

I've never used the Kettle Balls, but have been considering Chains. Have you seen those. If you doing Bench Press, The chains are on the bar, As you lift, you picking up more and more chain, thereby increasing the load. Pretty cool.

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I have, it's a great (and cheap!) form of progressive resistance. also a nice way to add a few pounds to your second set of squats without having to add plates to the bar (drape it on shoulders).

also, a good cheap form of this type of exercise is the completely ghetto (but very effective) sport of shovelgloving.
Shovelglove: The Sledgehammer Workout
basically, you wrap a rag around a sledgehammer and swing it around, doing digging and churning movements. i frequently do a similar workout for forearm isolation, absolutely fantastic.

Chains have a specific purpose. in the bench press they help someone who is weak in their lockout (ie the bar weighs the most at lockout). They may have other uses, but that is one thing they are good for. you should look into a good powerlifting coach if that is something you are interested in. A good coach will help you get where you want to go without so many rabbit trails.
tricks are cool, but they are only gimmicks unless they serve a specific purpose within your training goals. JMO

Matt

I've used most types of exercise equipment over the past 40 or so years. Kettlebells are one of the best fitness tools you can use. Portable and inexpensive into the bargain. Kettlebell handbook is the only book you need.
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