Kathryn/Leanne: your opinion?

M

maddiesmum

Cathlete
Kathryn and Leanne:

You are my go-to ladies for all things kettlebell, so I have a question I hope you can help me with, please?

I am going to buy a 15 and a 20 pound kettlebell. I saw your suggestion of the Go Fit brand Kathryn, but the shipping cost pushes the total price up. I wanted to know what you thought of the Bodycraft brand, as seen on the www.weight-lifting-equipment-guide.com website?

They look pretty good to me, handles don't look too thick, $84 for the two is a good price, nice colours!!!!

What do you both think?

If not, I'll head to my nearest Target and see if I can pick up the Go Fits without paying s/h charges.

Thanks for all help!

Clare
 
Hi Clare!

I don't know much about the Bodycraft brand, but I'm honestly wary of ordering any kettlebells on-line since the thickness of the handles can vary so much. I have three Go Fit kettlebells, and the handles on all of them are great.

One of those Go Fit KB's is a 35# one that we got for my DH, and I can use it just fine; the handle isn't too thick for me at all, and I'm on the smaller side. Peggie L. recently posted something about how she ordered a 35# one that wasn't a Go Fit from Perform Better, and the handle is so thick that she can't use it very easily. The Go Fit ones might be more expensive, but I honestly think it's worth it to not have to run the risk of purchasing some kettlebells that you wouldn't be able to use, even if you're ordering smaller sizes.

If you have a Target near you, I'd say to go buy some Go Fit ones there. I think that someone mentioned that in the Midwest (where I think you said you live??) there is a sporting goods store called Scheels or Scheers that carries the Go Fit ones on-line and that has free shipping.

My DH and I also saw some at Sports Authority that were their brand, and that looked very good.

I hope that this helps! Kathryn certainly knows much more about kettlebells than I do, and hopefully she'll chime in, too! Keep us posted on what you do! :)
 
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One other thing: you could also try contacting Customer Service on that website to see if they'll give you the handle measurements on the sizes you're interested in ordering. I did that at Perform Better when I was going to buy a KB for my DH, but they took so long to get back to me that I ended up just getting the Go Fit one. :)
 
Hey Leanne:

thanks for responding! Oh well, I soooooo wanted you to say I could go ahead and order the pretty coloured kettlebells, I fancied the purple one myself! I get bored with hex dumbells!! I need colour! It's Winter after all!!!!

What you said makes perfect sense. In the end, you need a product that you know works and value for money. So, I tried scheels.com, never heard of them before, weird. Yes, I live in MI and have crossed North Dakota on my way to the Rockies many times and never seen one of these stores, but no matter. They only have the 10 pounds in stock right now. Not too helpful. Sounds like kettlebells are getting very popular. So it's off to Tarjay for me tomorrow and see what I can pick up. I bought my daughter some new clothes in Old Navy yesterday and in return she's giving me her $30 Target gift token she received recently from a friend, so I can buy the kettlebells without feeling like I'm really spending much money at all, and they won't show up as a nasty, suspicious, large debit on my Discovercard statement either, so no need to play subterfuge next month! It's a win-win!

Thanks for your advice and I hope you are doing well? From my post, you can tell that I have finished rehabbing my knee and am ready to train hard again, yippee!

Cheers Leanne, stay well,

Clare
 
Hi Clare,

I know -- it's so much more fun to have pretty fitness toys ;), but you probably will be much safer getting the Go Fit ones. Plus, the fact that you have that gift card really is an omen to visit Tarjay and get yourself a treat, and the GF ones do have some pretty colors. I have a red one and a blue one that are awfully purty! ;)

When you're at Target, don't forget to feel the handles (which stick out of the cardboard packaging that they're in) to make sure that you get smooth ones.

I'm so glad to hear that your knee is doing better! That's just fantastic! I've been doing a round of P90X and I really miss doing my KB workouts, so I think that I'm going to add in one KB workout a week.

Be sure to keep us posted on how you like them, OK? :)
 
35# you are amazing!!! I bought my first Kettlebell on Friday, a Gofit 10# bell. As you may know the DVD that accompanies is not a true workout - it is instructional only and I did enjoy but I must admit I'm a bit afraid :eek: it is different. All that swinging and over the head stuff is making me a wee bit nervous. I ordered the 5# Kettlebell from the Firm until I get a little more confident with some of those moves. I keep visualizing my Kettlebell crashing into the TV. I also plan on ordering the Lauren Brooks DVD along with vol #1 & #2 of the IronCore and if I really get into it I'll order AOS Providence. Does that sound like an OK plan? Or do you recommend other DVDs? Were you a little nervous when you first started or am I just being a big chicken? How long did it take you to work up to 35#, and lastly have you ever dropped it in mid swing?
 
Hi, Clare!

I hear what you're saying about shipping costs (and about wanting purty kettlebells!;)). Sometimes, the shipping costs more than the kettlebell itself!

I agree with Leanne that unless you try out a bell in person, you can't judge the handles. And ordering online is a crap shoot. I got my first GoFIt online, and I was lucky: nice, smooth handle. When I went to Target and Dick's to pick up more, I found that the smoothness really varied from handle to handle.

Some of the KB's on your link look okay. In fact, the Bodycraft bells look a lot like the GoFit ones (except I llike the BC color on the 30# one better than the GoFit color!). Again, though, you might get a rough handle. Some people sand their handles down if they are rough, but that would remove whatever coating is on it (and I'm not sure what to coat it with, if anything, to replace that coating).

HTH!

I just got a 30# Ader kettlebell (from Amazon.com) because I've heard a lot of good about them, and I needed a bridge between my 25# and 35#. The handle is wonderfully smooth, and I like the size (it's a bit smaller than my 25# GoFit.

Do you have a Dick's sporting goods near you ? They also sell the GoFIt bells (and if they don't have a particular size in stock, they can order it and not change you shipping costs.
 
jlsahli said:
35# you are amazing!!! I bought my first Kettlebell on Friday, a Gofit 10# bell. As you may know the DVD that accompanies is not a true workout - it is instructional only and I did enjoy but I must admit I'm a bit afraid :eek: it is different. All that swinging and over the head stuff is making me a wee bit nervous. I ordered the 5# Kettlebell from the Firm until I get a little more confident with some of those moves. I keep visualizing my Kettlebell crashing into the TV. I also plan on ordering the Lauren Brooks DVD along with vol #1 & #2 of the IronCore and if I really get into it I'll order AOS Providence. Does that sound like an OK plan? Or do you recommend other DVDs? Were you a little nervous when you first started or am I just being a big chicken? How long did it take you to work up to 35#, and lastly have you ever dropped it in mid swing?
Click to expand...

The 35# one I have is actually my husband's, although I usually try to do a short set of swings with it during each workout -- emphasis on short! ;)

Honestly, try not to be afraid! I think everyone is worried about the KB getting out of control or dropping (I know I sure was!), but you actually have a lot of control over it.

I've heard some negative things about the Iron Core workouts (that they are not very much fun), so you may be better off getting Lauren's workout and AOS Providence (or The KB Way, which is a cheaper re-make of Providence) once you get more comfortable with your Firm one.

Hope this helps! :)
 
kathryn said:
I just got a 30# Ader kettlebell (from Amazon.com) because I've heard a lot of good about them, and I needed a bridge between my 25# and 35#. The handle is wonderfully smooth, and I like the size (it's a bit smaller than my 25# GoFit.
Click to expand...

Hi Kathryn,

Just wanted to say that I'm glad you like your Ader! Lauren Brooks had quite a few of them when we took the three-week session with her, and they were really nice. Of course, the black is certainly not as pretty as the colored ones ;), and it makes telling the weights apart much harder if you have more than one!
 
3 weeks with Lauren Brooks? That must have been fun. I wish I lived near her (or Lisa Shaffer---I see they did a workshop together)

LeanneM said:
Of course, the black is certainly not as pretty as the colored ones ;), and it makes telling the weights apart much harder if you have more than one!
Click to expand...

I now have two blacks (basic black sets of my red, blue, orange and pink ones!), but I'm thinking of painting at least one of them. Anthony Diluglio gives directions on painting them on his site.
 
kathryn said:
I just got a 30# Ader kettlebell (from Amazon.com) because I've heard a lot of good about them, and I needed a bridge between my 25# and 35#. The handle is wonderfully smooth, and I like the size (it's a bit smaller than my 25# GoFit.
Click to expand...

Kathryn~

I was looking into Ader KB's because I heard good things about them but was afraid to order online not knowing how thick the handles were. I sent an email to AOS asking for a comparison of their bells to Ader and the response said Ader's were not a good choice for women because the handles are thick and there is too much room between the handle and top of the bell. So confusing!

I'm taking private instruction from Andrea DuCane and she has bells I can buy but she uses the true russian kb's. They are very $$$ and the handles feel too big to me.

I've got a coupon for $25 off $100 at Sports Authority so I'm going to check them out.

JJ
 
NinjaMom said:
I sent an email to AOS asking for a comparison of their bells to Ader and the response said Ader's were not a good choice for women because the handles are thick and there is too much room between the handle and top of the bell.
Click to expand...
I wonder how much of that is because Anthony is selling his own brand of bells?

The Ader handle is no thicker than the handle on the Lifeline KB I have (which is what Anthony D. used to use and sell!). And the gap between the handle and the bell is just minimally different.

I'm not using it for squats or cleans and presses or moves like that where I need to rack it (yet), so if there is a problem with the handles, I haven't come across it.
 
kathryn said:
3 weeks with Lauren Brooks? That must have been fun. I wish I lived near her (or Lisa Shaffer---I see they did a workshop together)



I now have two blacks (basic black sets of my red, blue, orange and pink ones!), but I'm thinking of painting at least one of them. Anthony Diluglio gives directions on painting them on his site.
Click to expand...

Hi Kathryn,

Yeah, it was a lot of fun to do the session with her! She teaches out of her house, and Tneah and I did a three-week group class, where we went once a week.

Great idea to paint your KB's!
 
NinjaMom said:
Kathryn~

I was looking into Ader KB's because I heard good things about them but was afraid to order online not knowing how thick the handles were. I sent an email to AOS asking for a comparison of their bells to Ader and the response said Ader's were not a good choice for women because the handles are thick and there is too much room between the handle and top of the bell. So confusing!

I'm taking private instruction from Andrea DuCane and she has bells I can buy but she uses the true russian kb's. They are very $$$ and the handles feel too big to me.

I've got a coupon for $25 off $100 at Sports Authority so I'm going to check them out.

JJ
Click to expand...

Wow, may I ask where you found the Sports Authority coupon? We have those here on California. I did check with two of their stores yesterday and they both did not carry Go Fit. Maybe I will have to drive further out of my comfort zone and check with other stores.
 
booboo39 said:
Wow, may I ask where you found the Sports Authority coupon? We have those here on California. I did check with two of their stores yesterday and they both did not carry Go Fit. Maybe I will have to drive further out of my comfort zone and check with other stores.
Click to expand...

Hey BooBoo~

The coupon was on the front page of their ad that came with our Sunday paper. BTW...I wanted to thank you for posting the coupon code for total fitness dvd's. I used it to buy Lauren Brooks KB workout.

JJ
 
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