Dumbbells vs Kettlebells

Badr Hari

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Gyms are all closed. I worked out today at my cousins home gym 10 kilometers from here. Soon the government will put us in an emergency state and even moving around with cars will not be available. Bad news is nobody knows for how long will this thing go on. I guess a few months. And I've never had as much free time to train as now. I want to buy a pair of kettlebells but IDK if I can do all the exercises that I can with dumbbells. Help me out bros!
 
What do you want to know? Dumbbells are better for some movements, Kettlebells are better for some movements.
 
What do you want to know? Dumbbells are better for some movements, Kettlebells are better for some movements.

Tbh I've never used kettlebells. I've always trained with dumbbells. Presses, rows, curls etc. I guess I could do every excerise that I did before with a barbell. But with kettlebells I have no idea. I guess it's better than nothing. I know they are easier to find in sports shops.
 
Gyms are all closed. I worked out today at my cousins home gym 10 kilometers from here. Soon the government will put us in an emergency state and even moving around with cars will not be available. Bad news is nobody knows for how long will this thing go on. I guess a few months. And I've never had as much free time to train as now. I want to buy a pair of kettlebells but IDK if I can do all the exercises that I can with dumbbells. Help me out bros!

Lots of videos on YouTube showing Kettlebell workouts. Pavel has some free stuff and you can buy his books on Amazon. The classic exercises include the Swing, the Clean and Jerk, the Snatch, Military Press, Goblet Squat etc.

The shape of KB's mean they can be very awkward to use, especially for a beginner. The main drawback is price: you obviously need to keep buying KB's as you get stronger and more skilled in the movements.

Don't believe the hype: Kettlebells will not turn you into Ivan Drago. But they can be a decent alternative when you can't use the gym for an extended period. I'm in the same boat.
 
Tbh I've never used kettlebells. I've always trained with dumbbells. Presses, rows, curls etc. I guess I could do every excerise that I did before with a barbell. But with kettlebells I have no idea. I guess it's better than nothing. I know they are easier to find in sports shops.
Problem for me is finding them heavy enough to do certain exercises or they're too awkward to do other exercises like shoulder presses, bench presses etc. They would be good for rows, but I'd need 80 lb plus kettlebells.
 
@KnightTemplar thanks for the info man. I think I'll search for kettlebells tomorrow. I guess I could do everything I imagined with dumbbells plus some more. I will look up the instructionals too.
 
Problem for me is finding them heavy enough to do certain exercises or they're too awkward to do other exercises like shoulder presses, bench presses etc. They would be good for rows, but I'd need 80 lb plus kettlebells.

Yeah I guess weight could be a concern. I can standing military press 60 pounds dumbbells. What's the heaviest kettlebells I can find? My priority is not strength and skill only. It's strength and mass containment during these times.
 
@KnightTemplar thanks for the info man. I think I'll search for kettlebells tomorrow. I guess I could do everything I imagined with dumbbells plus some more. I will look up the instructionals too.

You're welcome. Good luck. This is going to be a difficult time for all of us.
 
Yeah I guess weight could be a concern. I can standing military press 60 pounds dumbbells. What's the heaviest kettlebells I can find? My priority is not strength and skill only. It's strength and mass containment during these times.

Depending on where you buy them from, Kettlebells can go up to al least 40kg/88lbs. Be advised that even light KB's ain't cheap, and of course the heavier they are, the more they cost.

Also, it's more difficult to press a kettlebell than a normal dumbbell.
 
Yeah I guess weight could be a concern. I can standing military press 60 pounds dumbbells. What's the heaviest kettlebells I can find? My priority is not strength and skill only. It's strength and mass containment during these times.
I got this 70lb one a couple years ago. Seems like a good price https://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-Cast-Iron-Kettlebell-Single-70-Pounds/52418221?selected=true

And this 53lb
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Diamond-Pro-KettleBells-9lbs-70-Lbs/47930408

24kg is the lowest you should start with most people say, and the 70lb is a good starting point if you’re really strong. I only got one of each because you can do most of the shit with one and not have to pay as much.

Simple and sinister is a program a lot of people do, I’m under the same circumstances as you and just started doing swings, pull-ups, and Turkish get ups one day, goblet squat, clean and jerk, and strict press the other. If you have any questions on programming feel free to ask, I’m by no means an expert but have gotten good results laddering my way up for reps until I can do as many reps as I want across all sets.

One last thing, once it gets too easy to swing, you can switch to one handed swing, then either cleans, or straight to the snatch. Just a way to keep progressing without having to buy a new one
 
Thank you @Smato_rules

I've never used kettlebells before. I guess I will use these difficult quarantine days learning something new about fitness.
 
I got this 70lb one a couple years ago. Seems like a good price https://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-Cast-Iron-Kettlebell-Single-70-Pounds/52418221?selected=true

And this 53lb
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Diamond-Pro-KettleBells-9lbs-70-Lbs/47930408

24kg is the lowest you should start with most people say, and the 70lb is a good starting point if you’re really strong. I only got one of each because you can do most of the shit with one and not have to pay as much.

Simple and sinister is a program a lot of people do, I’m under the same circumstances as you and just started doing swings, pull-ups, and Turkish get ups one day, goblet squat, clean and jerk, and strict press the other. If you have any questions on programming feel free to ask, I’m by no means an expert but have gotten good results laddering my way up for reps until I can do as many reps as I want across all sets.

One last thing, once it gets too easy to swing, you can switch to one handed swing, then either cleans, or straight to the snatch. Just a way to keep progressing without having to buy a new one

Yeah, I've just started doing Simple and Sinister, with some calisthenics thrown in because I have a lot of time on my hands right now.
 
Yeah, I've just started doing Simple and Sinister, with some calisthenics thrown in because I have a lot of time on my hands right now.
Same here with all the time. I like the program for what it is, it should hold us over until things get back to normal
 
Same here with all the time. I like the program for what it is, it should hold us over until things get back to normal

Simple and Sinister is a good program, but even doing one-handed Swings, it doesn't take much more than 30 minutes. That's why I'm adding stuff like Cleans and some body weight stuff as well.
 
Simple and Sinister is a good program, but even doing one-handed Swings, it doesn't take much more than 30 minutes. That's why I'm adding stuff like Cleans and some body weight stuff as well.
Agreed. I added goblet squats, presses, pull-ups, and loaded carries with this big ass sandbag I made
 
Simple and Sinister is a good program, but even doing one-handed Swings, it doesn't take much more than 30 minutes. That's why I'm adding stuff like Cleans and some body weight stuff as well.

Throw in a 12 min manmaker. That should do the trick. Try to get over 200 swings.
 
Kettlebells are more versatile....You can have one single kettlebell and thats all you need.
On the other hand if you have money for an entire dumbbell rack, then fuck yeah I would prefer that.
 
Kettlebells are more versatile....You can have one single kettlebell and thats all you need.
On the other hand if you have money for an entire dumbbell rack, then fuck yeah I would prefer that.
Why are Kettlebells more versatile?
Plenty of exercises that are better done with dumbbells.
And for the same $ you should be able to get twice the weight if you go the dumbbell route.
 
Why are Kettlebells more versatile?
Plenty of exercises that are better done with dumbbells.
And for the same $ you should be able to get twice the weight if you go the dumbbell route.

A single Kettlebell can be used for a true full body workout.
The soviet soldiers used to train that way. And it's less static and more fluid than dumbbell training, thus more athletic.
This motherfucker is the God of Kettlebell and this video alone is all a man needs to be fit lol:


But again, give me a bench and a full DB rack and I will take it over a single kettlebell.
 
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