WHATS the difference between Kettlebells and Dumbells?

[dawnmh22]

Do Kettlebells work the muscles different then a Dumbell,Barbell,are they more effective?TY!

[farmgirl]

you might get more responses in the open discussion forum...but I'll give you my thoughts as I am just dipping my pinkie toe into this new style. It seems to work your muscles differently...almost a more functional type of workout as it is very dynamic. I've been working out with Cathe for over 10 years and have only done AOS Providence twice, but HOLY DOMS after the kettlebell workouts!!! The movements are still controlled (or should be ) but go through a larger range. Squats in a KB workout are a** to the grass style and definitely go deeper. Am I going to forego Cathe strength DVDs? NO!!! I see it as a great crosstraining tool and it really gets your HR up there, so I'll use it in place of DVDs like bootcamp, cardio and weights, etc. Check out youtube for KB demos or go to www.performbetter.com for more. Several Catheites have a WAY more experience than me...but I think KBs are a winning companion to Cathe DVDs
take care
julie

[Lanity]

I think this excerpt from an EZine article by Stephanie Hofstetler covers the differences pretty well. Personally... I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kettlebells and can't imagine going back to traditional weight workouts now. I still LOVE Cathe for her core work, stretching and other types of workouts, but dumbells are mostly a thing of the past for me now.


"A kettlebell workout differs significantly from free weight or dumbbell exercises. Although they have a lot of similarities with dumbbells, kettle bells engage all 38-core muscles because merely picking it up triggers instability since the center of gravity in a kettlebell exists on a vertical rather than a horizontal plane.

When you pick up a dumbbell, the handle is directly in line with the wrist. There is a direct line of what is called "Applied Force." This is because the dumbbell is symmetrical due to its balanced grip.

However, when you lift the kettle bell by the handle from the floor, you are engaged in a pulling motion. As you raise the kettlebell, its center of gravity relative to your body begins to shift. At approximately shoulder level, the pull on your bicep, tricep and shoulder muscles becomes a pushing motion. The kettle bell's effectiveness is in its instability since its very design is asymmetrical. There is no direct line of applied force.

The effect of this change in the center of gravity in this sample exercise is to engage stabilizing muscles at multiple points in and around your arm and core. By contrast, a standard biceps curl engages only those stabilizing muscles necessary to support your arm in a single plane of motion.

Another difference between kettlebells and dumbbells is the versatility a kettle bell provides. You can do a total body workout using a kettlebell in 20 minutes including cardio and resistance training. You cannot do that with a dumbbell. This is due to the kettle bell's unique shape.

Some of the exercises you can do with a kettle bell included power swings, power squats, snatches, cleans and Turkish get-ups. These you have to see to understand. There are several videos on YouTube demonstrating the various kettlebell exercises. "

[farmgirl]

may I ask...which DVDs for KBs do you use or would you recommend? I'm just getting started, I have AOS Providence which I have read that it is a great place to start...I'd consider myself advanced in Cathe workouts...any suggestions?
thanks
julie

[tneah]

OMG! I adore kettlebells and own a ton. Here are my faves...

Lauren Brookes...I actually took classes from this pint sized dynamo..awesome girl and a great workout. Google her and her workouts will show up. She has one DVD and it has complete instructions on all the KB moves and two workouts, a 40 minute and a 12 minute total body.

Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout-dragondoor.com..Keith Webber instructs on the beach...I call him "Sand Dude". Its super tough, no rests here! So do not get this one until you are familiar with all the KB moves.

Newport and Firepower...Anthony Duligulio again...Newport kicks arse..its a super interval cardio workout...Firepower is chock full of interesting moves, good interval training, but you need two kettlebells of the same size here.

Steve Cottrells Extreme Kettlebell Workouts..alot of bang for your buck done in a straight forward simple way. You will receive 4 DVD's, one is all cardio, the other all abs and core, the other two are lower body and upper body. I use these ALL the time..Loving them so much with the mix and match options...plus they are just hard enough, not so hard you dread them.

Hope this helps a little....I love kettlebells!

[farmgirl]

I'm really thinking about Newport...but I hadn't heard about the last couple you listed...I just love how the time flies by but the next day I have a hard time sitting and an even harder time trying to stand back up!!!
julie

[elsie3]

When I started kettlebells, I got DOMS. When I did kettlebell only for a couple of weeks, I got DOMS when I started doing weights again. They each work the muscles differently--I love them both.

[Aaroneet]

My back is not loving the free weights right now, so I'm thinking of switching to kettlebells. Since I'm new to it, I ordered a 5 lb. kettlebell. I also got my first Gin Miller DVD. It seemed to start out with basic moves, but advance quickly, which is right for me. I picked up step just the same way, although my mother thought I was crazy when she saw me start with Step Max.