Comments on: Kettlebell Practice & the Magic Potion http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/ Lifting Heavy Stuff is Fun Mon, 03 May 2010 02:50:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Fred http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-127 Fred Sun, 24 May 2009 03:33:46 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-127 Bubblegum pink. [I have a pair of black Feiyue shoes that I do deads in...a lot like Chucks but less expensive...highly recommend them..I use them for outside Tai Chi practice as well! Here's a link to them: http://www.martialartsmart.net/4535k.html ] Stylin'!!!!!!!! -F. Bubblegum pink.

[I have a pair of black Feiyue shoes that I do deads in...a lot like Chucks but less expensive...highly recommend them..I use them for outside Tai Chi practice as well! Here's a link to them: http://www.martialartsmart.net/4535k.html ]

Stylin’!!!!!!!!

-F.

]]> By: Sarah http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-126 Sarah Sun, 24 May 2009 02:11:37 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-126 Very good advice, Fred! Thanks! I must have missed a picture of Laura's Chucks! Are they pink? You definitely need some Chucks, Fred. It's a must. :-) Very good advice, Fred! Thanks!
I must have missed a picture of Laura’s Chucks! Are they pink?
You definitely need some Chucks, Fred. It’s a must. :-)

]]> By: Fred http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Fred Sun, 24 May 2009 01:59:45 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-125 One last thought, Sarah: I always use a mixed grip when doing deads...and I switch the hand positions at the beginning of each new set. This way you give your biceps additional work (the side with the hand facing away from you. I never do 'curls' anymore...Much more efficient to do chin-ups or mixed grip deads! (You hit a lot mre muscles with them instead of 'curls') Also makes me smile when I see folks walking over to the DB rack and "doing a couple sets of curls". [Said in a very macho voice] Now all I need are a pair of coooool 'Chucks' like Laura's...only in a different color! ;) -F. One last thought, Sarah: I always use a mixed grip when doing deads…and I switch the hand positions at the beginning of each new set. This way you give your biceps additional work (the side with the hand facing away from you. I never do ‘curls’ anymore…Much more efficient to do chin-ups or mixed grip deads! (You hit a lot mre muscles with them instead of ‘curls’)

Also makes me smile when I see folks walking over to the DB rack and “doing a couple sets of curls”. [Said in a very macho voice]

Now all I need are a pair of coooool ‘Chucks’ like Laura’s…only in a different color! ;)

-F.

]]> By: Sarah http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Sarah Sat, 23 May 2009 18:14:33 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-123 Dave, excellent comments! I agree. I would rather do what I need to do if it means I still get to continue on with my kettlebell practice. Down the road I'd be able to ditch whatever "crutch" I used temporarily. But at least I wouldn't have to miss a work out. I see how easy it might be to get dependent on said crutch, though. It's a fine line to walk. Dave, excellent comments! I agree. I would rather do what I need to do if it means I still get to continue on with my kettlebell practice. Down the road I’d be able to ditch whatever “crutch” I used temporarily. But at least I wouldn’t have to miss a work out. I see how easy it might be to get dependent on said crutch, though. It’s a fine line to walk.

]]> By: Dave Currie http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-122 Dave Currie Sat, 23 May 2009 17:57:28 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-122 I aim not to wear gloves when I use kettlebells, not because I am aiming for any kind of certification, but because I kind of regard using kettlebells as very much a "basic", almost spartan, type of exercise. No airs or graces, no frills, no pretension, just you and a big lump of metal, and the simpler the better. Having said that, my hands are not tough enough (yet) to withstand the amount of exercise, kettlebell or otherwise, that I do and I do sometimes resort to wearing gloves, even on occasion my slightly padded cycling gloves, to "get me through" the week of exercise. Q. Does this make me less of a kettlebell enthusiast, or less "hard-core" (hate that phrase), than someone who never wears gloves? A. Don't care :) If my hands hurt and I want to swing some steel, I'll wear gloves, if they don't, I won't. I'll try and refine my technique and treat my hands to minimise the times when I feel I need to wear gloves, but I won't lose any sleep over whether it's "the right way" or "the wrong way" :) I aim not to wear gloves when I use kettlebells, not because I am aiming for any kind of certification, but because I kind of regard using kettlebells as very much a “basic”, almost spartan, type of exercise. No airs or graces, no frills, no pretension, just you and a big lump of metal, and the simpler the better. Having said that, my hands are not tough enough (yet) to withstand the amount of exercise, kettlebell or otherwise, that I do and I do sometimes resort to wearing gloves, even on occasion my slightly padded cycling gloves, to “get me through” the week of exercise.

Q. Does this make me less of a kettlebell enthusiast, or less “hard-core” (hate that phrase), than someone who never wears gloves?

A. Don’t care :) If my hands hurt and I want to swing some steel, I’ll wear gloves, if they don’t, I won’t. I’ll try and refine my technique and treat my hands to minimise the times when I feel I need to wear gloves, but I won’t lose any sleep over whether it’s “the right way” or “the wrong way” :)

]]> By: Sarah http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Sarah Sat, 23 May 2009 17:41:34 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-121 You rock, Fred. Thanks for asking an excellent question!! :-) You rock, Fred. Thanks for asking an excellent question!! :-)

]]> By: Fred http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Fred Sat, 23 May 2009 17:37:04 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-120 Thanks Sarah, Chris and Laura! I had a feeling the answer would be something along those lines...makes perfect sense! I use gloves with heavier DB work,(bench and rows), but not with deadlifts. I can see how they could mess up KB swings, snatches, etc. Great response, folks! VERY much appreciated! -Fred Thanks Sarah, Chris and Laura! I had a feeling the answer would be something along those lines…makes perfect sense! I use gloves with heavier DB work,(bench and rows), but not with deadlifts. I can see how they could mess up KB swings, snatches, etc. Great response, folks! VERY much appreciated!
-Fred

]]> By: Sarah http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Sarah Sat, 23 May 2009 17:32:15 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-119 Laura, thanks for the input! There's proof that grip strength does improve from kettlebell use! Makes me want to go try barbell DLs. My deadlifts were never heavy enough for me to consider going to straps. I did resort to a mixed grip for help though, and it would be neat to see if I still needed to do that. Or maybe I'll just go open a jar of pickles! :-) Laura, thanks for the input! There’s proof that grip strength does improve from kettlebell use! Makes me want to go try barbell DLs. My deadlifts were never heavy enough for me to consider going to straps. I did resort to a mixed grip for help though, and it would be neat to see if I still needed to do that. Or maybe I’ll just go open a jar of pickles! :-)

]]> By: Laura http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-118 Laura Sat, 23 May 2009 16:55:44 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-118 This is a great discussion! Since I am pursuing certification as a goal I haven't been wearing gloves, and while my technique still leaves much to be desired I've experienced tremendous improvements in grip strength that carry over to the other workouts I do. I no longer need to use straps when I deadlift, and I'm very pleased about that. This is a great discussion! Since I am pursuing certification as a goal I haven’t been wearing gloves, and while my technique still leaves much to be desired I’ve experienced tremendous improvements in grip strength that carry over to the other workouts I do. I no longer need to use straps when I deadlift, and I’m very pleased about that.

]]> By: Sarah http://strongsarah.com/2009/05/22/kettlebell-practice-the-magic-lotion/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Sarah Sat, 23 May 2009 15:50:22 +0000 http://strongsarah.com/?p=293#comment-117 Thanks so much, Chris! Those videos helped immensely!! Thanks so much, Chris! Those videos helped immensely!!

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