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Posted 18 August 2008 - 08:45 AM
When I noticed that a friend of mine had started to lose weight around her midsection, I asked what she was doing and she shared her discovery of kettlebells. And that she had lost nearly 10 inches off her waist and hips in 1 month by doing the workout only 2-3x/week. Like me, she is in her early 40s and had had a hard time losing weight after the birth of her third child (which she had, like me, at 40). She Googled "weight loss after 40" and found kettlebells.
They're strange-looking weights that have traditionally been used by the Russians in training their special forces. This video will show you what they look like and give you an idea of some of the exercises you can do with them. I do that figure 8 in my workout but without the fancy throwing of the kettlebell! LOL
Why are they so effective? According to the research I've done, the off-centered weight of a kettlebell forces you to use more of your core, stabilizer muscles while working the targeted muscles through a longer range of motion. All I know is that doing the ab exercises at the end of the workout I'm doing with a 20# kettlebell feels AWESOME. The momentum of the kettlebell that you're lifting up actually *helps* you do the exercise--very cool!
I started doing the workout 3x week with a 10# kettlebell. After one week, I had lost 3 inches in my waist and hips. The day that I took those measurements, I promptly went out and bought a 20# kettlebell so my husband could start doing the workouts with me. The next day, we got up together to do the workout but because I remembered how incredibly sore I was for 2 days after my first workout, I took pity on DH and let him use the 10# while I attempted to do the workout with the 20# kettlebell. I was able to do the majority of the 14 rounds but there were several that I really struggled with. My 2nd and 3rd workouts that week were done with the 20# kettlebell, though, because even after just that one workout with the 20# KB, using the 10# just didn't feel like it was challenging enough anymore. I took my measurements again yesterday and have lost another 2.5 inches off my waist and hips, and lost 5 pounds (I actually had a 5 pound increase the first week so I'm back to where I started! LOL).
I'm still struggling to do some of the presses with the 20# KB but for the most part, I can now do the workout in the same way that I was able to do it with the 10# KB. I expect to stick with the 20# for a lot longer than I did the 10#. I'm not looking to bulk up, after all...just to burn fat and increase muscle mass which it seems is happening.
My posture has improved dramatically and I am noticing that I can actually *feel* my muscles now when I do things as simple as get out of my chair after sitting at the computer for a while. I'm just feeling strong, plain and simple. I've suffered from plantar fasciitis since the birth of my youngest son (2.5 years ago) and that has finally begun to go away, too. I don't believe that's just a coincidence.
The specific workout that my friends and I are doing can be found here, but there are LOTS of options out there if you decide you want to give it a try. You can probably find kettlebells in the weight training section of your local sporting goods store (that's where I found my 20#) and you can also buy them online.
If you decide to give them a try, let me know what you think!
Where do you buy these? Are they online purchase-only, or do they sell them in stores? I've honestly never heard of them. Would my DH, who is big into running & fitness, and who has always wanted a home gym, like these? He is always so skeptical of the "quick fix" solutions - but these look great!
Posted 18 August 2008 - 04:17 PM
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