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Thread: Kettlebell & Barbells...

  1. #1
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    Default Kettlebell & Barbells...

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    Does barbell strength training & kettlebell conditioning go together?

    Tried crossfit for a lil bit and just saw the 2014 Crossfit Games...my left knee was in pain bc I saw some poor form on the deadlifts and cleans. Concluded that I will see some new injuries if I continue with the program.

    Think going back to basics like in high school (powerlifting and Olympic lifting teams) will be a good start but I do like kettlebells too. Does anyone here mix it up with both BBs and KBs?

    Thanks,
    Anthony

  2. #2
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    Kettlebell training is endurance training, not strength training. My experience with it is that it promotes quite a bit of soreness due to the high eccentric component.

  3. #3
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    Before I started barbell training I was exclusively Kettlebells with the goal of getting certified as a trainer eventually ;either StrongFirst or The Skogg method. I have started back with a small circuit on my cardio days. Single arm swings, goblet squats, and snatches. Unlike a lot of people here I do think that the training will and does translate to stronger lifts, especially deadlifts and lbbs, simply because of the incredible posterior chain recruitment that occurs.
    Of course this is only my opinion and specifically about hardstyle.

  4. #4
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    I have spent a lot of time around kettlebell enthusiasts and am married to a SFG kettlebell instructor. Kettlebells are too cumbersome at even moderately heavy weights to be a useful tool for strength training and, as Rip pointed out, there are much better options for conditioning that will interfere less with your strength training.

    Very heavy, low-rep swings might be useful for something similar to dynamic effort sets, but power cleans are better, because you have to rack them.

    My wife says, if you want to get strong stick to basic barbell training; if you want to build your conditioning do high intensity intervals with a sled; if you want to do kettlebells, realize it's just for fun and probably counter productive.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by depictureboy View Post
    Unlike a lot of people here I do think that the training will and does translate to stronger lifts, especially deadlifts and lbbs, simply because of the incredible posterior chain recruitment that occurs.
    How does your understanding of human physiology persuade you that lifting light weights for high reps will make you strong?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    How does your understanding of human physiology persuade you that lifting light weights for high reps will make you strong?
    I only have my experience to actually relate. Plus the articles of Dan John and others. I'm definitely not saying that Kettlebells can compete with barbell training at all. But I do know from experience that when I can't get the right feeling in my hamstrings or glutes during a deadlift or a lbbs a few rounds of heavy swings will help me find those muscles and reinforce the hip hinge.

    But at the same time 3 rounds of goblet squats toast me when I can lift significantly more on my back.

    Sorry if my original post came across as disrespectful or out of place. Tapatalk doesn't always tell me the forum the post is in.

  7. #7
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    I say this as someone who spent a couple of years using kettlebells extensively, who's done KB coaching certs, and who still has a stack of KB in the garage.

    If you want strength, use barbells.

    If you want endurance, go for a run or push a prowler.

    If you want mobility, do yoga.

    If you want an okay but not great amount of each of these things, use kettlebells.

    I do find them a useful teaching tool for certain movements, for example the goblet squat often looks better once you put a weight in someone's hand, and if someone's got a good swing they'll figure out the barbell clean or snatch a lot more quickly. But they're far from essential.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by depictureboy View Post
    Sorry if my original post came across as disrespectful or out of place.
    It wasn't disrespectful at all. It was just wrong.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kyle Schuant View Post
    I say this as someone who spent a couple of years using kettlebells extensively, who's done KB coaching certs, and who still has a stack of KB in the garage.

    If you want strength, use barbells.

    If you want endurance, go for a run or push a prowler.

    If you want mobility, do yoga.

    If you want an okay but not great amount of each of these things, use kettlebells.

    I do find them a useful teaching tool for certain movements, for example the goblet squat often looks better once you put a weight in someone's hand, and if someone's got a good swing they'll figure out the barbell clean or snatch a lot more quickly. But they're far from essential.
    If your gym doesn't have a prowler and you don't like cycling, what's a good conditioning exercise without an eccentric component? Is there something you can do with weights, like maybe farmer's walk laps?

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Think about where the eccentric component of a movement comes from, and examine your question.

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