Do kettlebells really provide more of a benefit than regular dumbbells? Or is that just a little hype?

I started reading up on KB's and they look intriguing and sound like fun. (They also sound like you can hurt yourself with them, if not properly used!)

I would be interested in the trainers'/readers' opinions on the KB and whether they use them for their own training and/or for their clients; and if so, what kind of results are they seeing?

Thanks!

Anyone here use kettlebells in their training? What do you think?

Hey there, look just above at the Stickies and you'll see a whole thread about them! I know Mel is a big fan from using them to train her clients at the gym. If you search on the term, you'll probably pull up the threads where she was telling us about them.

I love using kettlebells, but you need someone to teach you how to use them properly. And there's really nothing magic about them. If you are a longtime lifter, it's a real nice change of pace. If you workout at home, don't bother investing- they are expensive and you can do most of the same exercises with dumbbells.

A set of kettlebells is more expensive than dumbbells or resistance bands.

Mel

Thanks for the tip, Mel! There has been some discussion on various blogs about KBs due to the training of the "300" actors. It does look like fun and a way to add variety to training.

I can see that some of the exercises are adaptable to dumbbells, and you are correct about the KB cost (yikes!)/ I will try to find someone who is versed in KB instruction. Maybe a KB will be my reward as I build strength and lose weight!