Batman's Kettlebell Strength Training Blog

Hi all, this my attempt to start a blog and help me to stay motivated whilst exercising!

I train 6 days a week, using a 10kg kettlebell (Doesn't sound like much but swinging it around for 15 minutes is tough!)

I follow this routine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRpbM9nzDcM

The goal is to be swinging a 16-18kg kettlbell by the end 2011

The long term goal is 45kg kettlebell within 3ish years!

Todays Session

After feeling tired during yesterday's workout, today's workout felt easier and completed it within 15 minutes!

Reply 1

username369234

Nice work pal, I've got a few kettlebells - a 20 and a 32

You'll be swining a 16-18 in no time! IMO buy one now ready, a 10kg really isn;t much

Also get on dragonsdoor, thats where all the kettlebell stuff goes on - a lot of good programs over there too

6 days seems like quite a lot

Get the Enter the Kettlebell Book - and do ' The Program Minimum ' - it's the best out there for beginners, and will provide a solid foundation. I can send you the book if needs be

Reply 2

BatmanUK

Original post by commandant

That would be excellent, I've already been training I guess already properly since November where I was swinging around a 6kg kettlebell and I was going to try to aim for a 1kg increase each month on the weight.

It works well for me whilst at a uni because the 300 kettlebell workout routine takes 15 minutes and where at uni I am pressed for time it works well.

Yeah that is true most of the time 6 days a week is overkill, I feel I can do with this routine and to ensure I don't put on significant weight over uni I can do this routine.

Reply 3

username369234

Ill upload all the kettlebll books I have in the next few days then pal, when I get a chance :smile:

Reply 4

BatmanUK

Went a bit crazy today, in a push to burn more calories (To try lose some weight before my university prom) I did my usual 10kg kettlebell workout, waited 5 minutes before repeating the cycle with a 6kg kettlebell took about 30 minutes and my heart was pounding, really intense workout!

Reply 5

BatmanUK

Feeling slightly fatigued from yesterdays hard session, I did my usual 15 minute, 10kg kettlebell routine.

Reply 6

iqlu

Original post by commandant

You train with kettlebells at home? Doesn't it become expensive/a hassle to keep on buying a heavier weight as you get stronger?

Reply 7

BatmanUK

It can be, but what I've done is purchased 2 ankle weights of 2kg each and its a good way to prolong the life a kettlebell. As I'm aiming to improve my kettlebell strength by a 1kg a month, if I bought a standard 8kg, with the ankle weights I can get 6 months use out of it, by adding the ankle weights to the strap. Obviously depends how fast you progress and improve your strength by.

Reply 8

username369234

Original post by iqlu

You train with kettlebells at home? Doesn't it become expensive/a hassle to keep on buying a heavier weight as you get stronger?

Not really, I won't outgrow my 20kg and 32kg for a very long time, and when I do, I only need to by a 40 and im sorted for a few more years.

Anyway, they're a great investment. You'll have them for life, and even if you decide you don't want them, you can sell them second hand for near the price you bought.

Reply 9

BatmanUK

Great session yesterday, worked hard and managed to complete the circuit in 13 minutes

Reply 10

BatmanUK

Been continuing the progress, whereas I used to struggle with the 10kg, the sessions are becomming easier, I will bump the weight up after my rest day, so Sunday's work out will be with 12kg!

6 months ago I started this with 6kg, nice to look back at the progress I've made! Still the long term goal is 45kg kettlebell, so I will be working hard to achieve that!

Reply 11

BatmanUK

Didn't feel ready to increase the weight to 12kg, going to give it another week training with a 10kg kettlebell before increasing the weight.

Had a good session today, the burpees (As per normal) were a struggle, but managed to complete the circuit in under 15 minutes.

Reply 12

BatmanUK

Decided to go for it, increased the kettlebell weight to 12kg, within 5 months I've gone from 6kg to 12kg. Certainltly felt the additional weight today, took about 20 minutes to complete the circuit.

I am looking at nutiritional plan in the hope to bulk up, going to try my best to pack on some muscle over the summer.

Reply 13

BatmanUK

Another tough session with a 12kg kettlebell today. With the 10kg I can complete the circuit without stopping, but even with pausing now and then to catch my breath, I found this a tough workout.

I was wondering what you guys thought, instead of getting a 14kg kettlebell, I might make the jump to a 16kg to save money, would a jump of 4kg be a foolish move though?

Reply 14

henryb1992

Hey there, just stumbled across this but it seems like a fantastic workout, would you recomend it?
I'm 6ft 2in, 75kg and trying to get a good overall workout and I often rockclimb and want to take up MMA. What are your goals out of interest?
I have a workout atm consisting of pullups, pushups and other basic stuff but I feel I've plateaued recently.
Cheers, Henry

Reply 15

BatmanUK

Original post by henryb1992

Hi Henry, my goals in terms of kettlebell is to aim to progress to swinging a 45kg-50kg kettlebell. As I am in my first year of uni, I am going to aim to try join the hockey team next year, so to regularly play for them is another ambition.

I would recommend this workout, I have done a bit of barbell work before and I feel I've gained more strength in a shorter space of time working out with kettlebells than I ever did with a barbell.

I know the "Meltdown 300" workout is tailored to loosing weight, but from my experience I don't think its limited to just losing weight, from my experience I have become a lot stronger as a result of it. It really does give an all round workout experience, but like with the poster above in this thread, I would get the enter the kettlebell workout book, to get a feel for kettlebells. Start slowly and work up.

They recommend you start this routine with 16kg, and with someone with rock climbing experience I suspect it'll be around that weight or perhaps more dependent on how strong you are.

Me, I've spent 2 year's doing bugger all exercise, so I started with 6kg, which sounds light, but bearing in mind your swinging the bloody thing around for 15 minutes! This is a taxing workout! :smile:

Reply 16

henryb1992

Original post by BatmanUK

I'm not a fan of barbells and stronglift excercises myself, I've found I can't do them at home because I only have 45kg of weights! Do you do this workout at your uni gym? I'm going to uni next year and will definitely be taking out the cheap memberships they offer.

Have you noticed any increase in size from this workout? Or are you aiming to lose weight? I'm trying to get up to about 80KG just because I was so skinny before but it makes climbing difficult haha.

I'll check out those books and try to get my hands on a kettlebell soon, only problem is their not cheap.

Reply 17

cttp_ngaf

Kettlebells are so 2005.

Plus, have you seen the physiques on most KB sport practitioners? Disgraceful and skinnyfat, there's no point.

You'll likely burn out and go stale pretty soon as well, if you read between the lines on DD then no one actually progresses for long.

Reply 18

henryb1992

Original post by cttp_ngaf

Ignore this moron. It doesn't matter if the workout is in or out of fashion, just so long as it gets you the results you want. As for going stale, just variate the workout a bit and add more weight. Have you seen the physique on the guy in the video? Looks pretty good to me