The Iron Supplement–Wherever Kettlebells are Sold
by Gary Riggs
OK, so now you’ve gotten your first kettlebell from your local MC Sports or Dick’s–or. if you live in Jackson, from P and T Fitness–and now you’re wondering what to do with it.
Well, if you’re asking me, I’d say, “Start with the Swing. It’s the simplest exercise to begin with, and the basis of every exercise in the kettlebell program–works every muscle in your body.” A simple drill–but if you were to ask me how to do it properly, I might not be able to tell you, let alone show you. When you know what you’re doing, the kettlebell is a safe and effective way to exercise. When you don’t, at best it’s embarrassing (think husky gym rats doing biceps curls with a 5-pound bell), or disastrous (joint, elbow, back, head injuries).
Instead, I’d lend you one of these from my own meagre little library:
From Dragon Door (www.dragondoor.com):
“The Russian Kettlebell Challenge” Book and DVD. Kettlebell pioneer and “evil Russian” Pavel Tsatsouline dishes the hard science behind the basic, bare-bones exercise regime that made it cool to go low-tech. As he did in “Power to the People”, Pavel explains how to develop a Hercules physique with just two exercise–the snatch and bent press–and ‘nary a bench press to be found!
“Enter the Kettlebell” Book and DVD. An update of the classic “Kettlebell Challenge”, Pavel reaches out to a broader public with an even more accessible “program minimum”–the swing and Turkish Get-Up. (Okay, this one I don’t have. But I recommend it. Get the book and the DVD.)
“From Russia with Tough Love” Book and DVD. Kettlebell workouts for women–or “comrades’ ladies”, as Pavel says. But probably the first time anybody saw women doing the same workouts as men, with some serious weights–as opposed to gym bunnies of another day, from an era not long enough ago, doing disco with 3-pound dumbbells.
From No Fear Fitness (www.nofearfitness.com):
Lisa Shaffer’s book, “Get in the Best Shape of Your Life!” and her DVD, “Kettlebell Basics”. Excellent to start and grow with (Iron Core’s Sarah Lurie, who has her own set of DVD’s, recommends Shaffer’s book to her own clients) Shaffer picks up where Pavel left off. Each exercise is explained in detail, shown from various angles, in regular and slow-motion, as well as listing muscle groups worked.
Others I would recommend would be any of Anthony DiLuglio’s “Art of Strength” series, and Steve Cotter’s high-ticket Kettlebell Encyclopedia, volumes 1 and 2.
Next time, I’ll share some of my favorite kettlebell websites.
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