Thread: Anyone use kettlebells? or made their own?

my work out has changed quite a bit in the last couple years. i am much more into different types of body weight exercises and full range natural movements as compared to isolation exercises that i used to do at the gym. i was never a huge fan of the gym or that knowledgable for that matter but always hated the circuit machines for their lack of range of motion.

i also really like Pavel Tsatsoulines book The Naked Warrior and recommend it to everyone.

but recently i started looking into kettlebells as my mom bought my dad a few for Christmas. the only place that has them is charging $2 a pound, so if i'm buying a 40, 50 and 60 bell (my dad has the 25 and 30) then it gets pretty pricey. so i found this site: http://timiacobucci.com/Kettlebell.html
let me first say that plaster of paris sucks! so instead i bought an old basketball from a second hand store basically filled it. i made my own handle out of an old piece of fencing and i inserted a nut (which i tack welded to a large washer cuz i'm paranoid and like to over do things) in to the bottom before hand so i can bolt 5 and 10 lb plates onto the bottom.

i will post pics in the next couple days after the concrete dries fully, although i did it last night and i can already pick it up and its hard as a rock.

so has anyone else done this or thought about it?
or used kettlebells?

I considered a kettle bell, but then I found the TSX and am considering that to reduce injury from over exertion.

I've not used them. I have seen some of Pavel's books and he is a very impressive guy. The one book that has been the best for $ spent IME is Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training here. It was written by a chiropractor with extensive experience in Olympic lifting and coaching. I really consider myself fortunate to have found it as it changed my life. I enjoy doing the snatch, squat cleans, and other related exercises. Learning 'good mornings' to strengthen my spinal erectors ended years of intermittent lower back pain. I don't use as much weight as an average high school girl lifter but I have fun and keep my bone density and muscle tone up. If it ain't fun what is the point ?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I have fun and keep my bone density and muscle tone up. If it ain't fun what is the point ?

exactly! i work out to be strong. i want to be able to climb a tree like when i was 9 and weighed nothing (now i weight 190-195). i want to be able to push my own weight around and do pull ups and stuff like that. i honestly don't care if i have the perfect body, but so far the stronger i get the better my g/f thinks i look which is all that matters.

thanks for the book link, i'm always up for more reading.

I use a modified routine sometimes from the Pavel book, I like to work my back so I went and bought an old army duffel bag (called a seabag by some) and filled it with dirt... weighs about 70 pounds, i sling it around and hoist it for a decent workout with not much cost.

nice! have you ever been on the Body Weight Culture forums? its not a huge forum but there are lots of great ideas that people post videos of. the last one i watched wa a guy using and old tire to throw around as a work out but it looked like it could be effective.

i guess i should also state that i am in no way saying that kettlebells are the be all end all of working out, but i think they are a great addition for someone like me.

Here is Ironmind.com, a great web site for strength training with both conventional and unconventional methods covered. The site owner is the publisher of Milo which is the best mag on the subject I've ever seen.

Originally Posted by chee16

nice! have you ever been on the Body Weight Culture forums?
i guess i should also state that i am in no way saying that kettlebells are the be all end all of working out, but i think they are a great addition for someone like me.

can't say that I have, but I'm always doing stuff like that to supplement my gym routine. one of my favorites: beating an old tire with a 10# sledgehammer. awesome workout.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Here is Ironmind.com, a great web site for strength training with both conventional and unconventional methods covered. The site owner is the publisher of Milo which is the best mag on the subject I've ever seen.

+1 they are great. they make the best protein in the world, and I've been using their Captains of Crush grippers for about a year now... they are hands down THE BEST grip strength tools in the world, no one comes close. Stossen sort of obsesses about grip strength, but I buy into his philosophies... have a lot of their books and workout gear, never been anything but impressed by the quality. don't be scared off by their prices, when you buy something from them, you're buying it for LIFE.

I've used kettles, but I always just bought them so don't have much to contribute on that.

As far as good books, I'd recommend Muscle Chow. It's written by Gregg Avedon who writes an article by the same name in Mens Health. Lots of good nutritional info there.

Two pieces of workout equipment I was quite pleasantly surprised by are the perfect pullup and perfect pushup. In that order.

I got both as gifts and was pretty amazed at how much of a difference that little twisting motion really makes. Plus with the ab straps the pullup machine is pretty darn versatile and lets you work out pretty much your whole body in a doorway.

+1 to the duffel bag. They also make good punching bags if you use sand. Beating on a heavy bag has always been my favorite workout.

I'm 6'2, 183 and any more I pretty much only do body weight exercises. I've been tossing around the idea of learning parkour, but there's not much in the way of useable architecture in this podunk town.

That's my 4 cents, as I think it rambled a bit too far for 2.

Those captains of crush look good. I can't believe they go up to 365! I know I could do the #1, possibly the #1.5, but I haven't worked my grip in so long. I really need to get back into it.