I do not normally respond to critics, but there was a recent
article published in Dolfzine which was intended to be an attack
on Kettlebells, but ended up looking more like schoolyard gossip.
I am proud to say that I have an article published in that same
issue, so I respect the magazine, but this particular article
is pure garbage. It was written by Raymond Brennan, an Irish martial
artist, and entitled "Kettlebells
and Martial Arts". I feel it is necessary to respond,
because many of his arguments not only further misconceptions
about strength training, but many of them appear to be based on
a personal agenda rather than the facts. He couldn't have made
any more arguments of convenience if he had placed a Slim-Jim
rack and a Slurpee machine in his article. The first sentence
sets the tone when Brennan refers to Kettlebells as "the
so-called Iron Balls". I believe we call them iron
balls because they are round and made of iron, of course that's
just a guess. I will be making frequent references to pieces of
the article, but to see the full picture, you can read the article
in its entirety at Dolfzine.
"There is also little doubt that most
of the claims made about them are exaggerated and they are surrounded
by hype and overblown language as few other methods of training
are."
Apparently Mr. Brennan has read the marketing material for Kettlebells.
Yes, the advertisements do portray Kettlebells in a positive light,
but as one marketing genius once said, "You don't sell the
steak, you sell the sizzle." Of course the advertisements
will try to make them sound good. To do otherwise would be a bad
business strategy. I've seen many methods of training that are
surrounded by some amount of hype, at least the ones that are
attempting to be successful. You hear great claims associated
with yoga, Pilates, spinning, Olympic lifting and yes, Kettlebells.
However, looking at the marketing alone is insufficient to judge
the merits of any program. We will now take a look at the supposed
"myths" surrounding Kettlebell training.
Myth #1- Kettlebells are Russian-
Brennan asserts that Kettlebells were not invented in Russia.
"In fact, they originated in the Highlands
of Scotland." Ladies and Gentlemen, you better break
out your tin foil hats, because this sounds like a conspiracy
theory to me! He goes on to say that Kettlebell lifting is an
offshoot of the Irish sport of curling. Well, true or not, you
have to give credit to the Russians for dropping the brooms. He
goes onto say: "To evoke a spurious
mystique about the unique horror that was the USSR in order to
promote what are nothing more than iron balls is, quite frankly,
in bad taste. I wonder what the reaction would be if they were
hyped as "the favourite training tool of Nazi Germany"
or "what the Viet Cong used in the tunnels underneath Saigon"
or (in the post September 11th era) "what al-Qaeda used in
the caves of Afghanistan"?" This is downright
absurd. To compare a company that promotes fitness with the Nazis
and al-Qaeda is "quite frankly, in bad taste." It has
been said many times that sport is the world's most effective
form of diplomacy. The sharing between cultures through sport
should be something encouraged, not criticized. Furthermore, there
has never been any attempt by anyone to use the newfound popularity
of Kettlebells to promote Communism or glorify atrocities committed
during the time of the Soviet Union. Should we ignore everything
that has come out of Russia, including a huge body of research
on sports science? Is that research invalid because of the culture
that produced it?
Myth #2- Kettlebells have a Unique
Training Effect-
Brennan makes the point that there is nothing magical about Kettlebells
that make them more effective than other types of resistance and
it is TRUE. This is one of the few good points that Brennan makes
in his entire article. However, he is overlooking the obvious
point that Kettlebells are becoming popular not due to magic,
but because they are a versatile and useful tool.
Myth #3- Kettlebells Provide Progressive
Resistance-
Brennan claims that Kettlebells do not provide progressive resistance.
"These solid-ball versions can't be
incrementally made heavier." Actually, Kettlebells
have been made in a variety of sizes, increasing their weights
in increments of 4 or 8kg's. More sizes are becoming available
and you can quite easily add more weight to a Kettlebell. I have
attached ankle weights to mine and others have duct-taped additional
weights to theirs. However, one of the best ways is to simply
switch to a more difficult variation of an exercise. Later on
Brennan touts bodyweight calisthenics as the ultimate form of
training. However, this is NOT progressive resistance training.
Sure, there are fat people and skinny people, but YOU only come
in one size.
Myth #5- Kettlebells Don't Take
Up Much Room-
Kettlebells don't take up much room. True, I have three of them
under my bed. Could someone point out to me where the myth is?
Myth #6- Kettlebells Have Good
Carryover to Martial Arts-
"As a martial artist myself, I respectfully
but emphatically disagree. The single activity which benefits
martial arts the most (whichever art you're talking about) is
the art itself." True, you do have to practice martial
arts to become proficient at them. However, supplementary strength
training and conditioning has proven invaluable in many sports,
including football, boxing, wrestling and the martial arts. "An
iron ball is not able to grab your wrist or ankle after you grab
or strike it and cannot counter by hitting back."
Given your many remarks on the dangers of Kettlebell lifting,
I am quite surprised that you practice martial arts. After all,
it is very easy to injure your face when you're getting PUNCHED
IN THE FACE. Compared to actual combat, Kettlebells are quite
safe. Going into combat without any conditioning is far more dangerous
than the training itself. However, I did see an exception to this
rule on the Conan O'Brien show. His guest was the world's worst
boxer. His take on conditioning was to do none, so that he would
lose more quickly and thus take less of a beating. For the rest
of us, I think some training will make us better fighters.
"Another related point is the area
of 'body awareness'. When on the mat, one needs to be aware of
his/her own body and to be able to handle it. One needs to know
the position of the limbs, how flexible they are, in what positions
they are the strongest and weakest, how stable the trunk of the
body is and how fast it can move. The best and most effective
way to do this is to do calisthenics." During combat,
body awareness is probably the last thing one should think about.
How about awareness of your opponent? "Body awareness"
is important for ballerinas and figure skaters, athletes judged
by their appearance. They lose points if their toes are not pointed
or if they do not have the proper body line. Such awareness is
worthless in the flow of combat. Are you honestly thinking about
how flexible and how stable your core is during the heat of a
fight? If one wants to find out how flexible they are, their weakest
and strongest points and the stability of their core: try the
Overhead squat. I do not see how pushups and crunches would tell
you any of this. Fighting involves a unique set of skills. Weightlifting
and calisthenics are a completely different form of proprioception
than fighting, thus neither will improve your "body awareness"
during fighting. The only point left for debate is which method
is the most effective as a form of conditioning, because neither
will directly improve your combat skills.
Myth #7- Kettlebells Work The
Body Across a Wide Range of Angles.
"Kettlebells certainly work the shoulders
across a wide range of angles and the wrists and the elbows and
the lower back as well. They can work these areas of the body
really well. They can really stretch them. In fact, unless you
are really careful and have perfect technique every time you move
the bell, they can overextend them." Hmm, proper technique,
where have I heard that before? Of course, there are many ways
you can injure yourself using just your bodyweight, and let's
not forget martial arts, a discipline designed to impart injuries!
In over a year of lifting kettlebells, I have had only one minor
injury, a pulled hamstring. However, I had not slept in three
days and I had pneumonia, so perhaps technique was not the only
factor. My experience lifting kettlebells has greatly reduced
the number of injuries I experience. I used to have chronic back
pain, but now my back is stronger than ever and I rarely feel
the slightest pain. I should note that from reading some of Brennan's
other articles, I have heard the sob story of how he tweaked his
shoulder one day while lifting weights, because he lost his concentration
for JUST a minute. That sucks, but I don't think you can blame
the "so-called Iron ball".
"The muscles and ligaments have to
adapt. The whole body has to adapt." Correct. Stronger
joints are a beneficial adaptation, not something to be afraid
of. There might be some ballistic shock along the way, but it
is the only way to build up joint strength.
"Also, when pressing, the wrist and
forearm take the bulk of the strain, not the upper arm and shoulder."
I would like to see a textbook on Brennan's version of biomechanics,
where a stabilizer muscle in static contraction can take the load
away from a prime mover. "Even if you
attempt to make certain to grip the bell firmly every time you
do a press and your resoluteness is commendable, have you always
done every repetition of every exercise perfectly?"
Apparently Raymond didn't and now we have to endure his non-sequiturs
and senseless articles on the dangers of REAL training.
Myth #8- Kettlebells exercise
the system more efficiently than bodyweight exercises.
Since purchasing my collection of Kettlebells, I still have my
bodyweight to work with. I kid you not! However, the addition
of weights offers new training options and possibilities. I have
never seen a bodyweight exercise equivalent to the deadlift, snatch,
clean and jerk or a wide variety of other exercises. "The
truth is that one-legged squats are far harder using your own
bodyweight, whereas adding resistance makes them easier."
This another one of the more interesting phenomena in Brennan's
version of biomechanics: additional weight makes exercise easier,
as long as it's not a Kettlebell. Seriously Ray, drop that Ken
and Barbie weight and try a pistol with the 2 pood and tell me
how easy it is.
"Is doing thirty swings with a kettlebell
better than doing one hundred pushups ? One definite advantage
is that the swings wouldn't take so long. One definite disadvantage
is that you are exercising for a shorter time. If you are involved
in a sport of activity which requires you to remain active for
protracted periods of time, then you should train to be active
for protracted periods of time. You can do this with heavy resistance
if you wish and -- if your joints can take it.
Bodyweight exercises use the weight of your own body, no more
and no less. As a means of training for endurance, they are the
sensible choice. It doesn't even have to be a specific exercise."
One of the advantages of Kettlebell work is that is does NOT take
as long to get a good workout. Additionally, Kettlebells work
many more muscles simultaneously compared to pushups, situps,
jogging or any other bodyweight exercise. Once again Ray asks
if your joints can take it. If you're doing any type of "protracted
activity" your joints are going to have to take it, so you
better train for it.
Myth #9- You Can't Be Bored Using
Kettlebells Because They Are so Versatile
"You can become bored with kettlebells
just as easily as with any other apparatus. The mere fact that
you are holding a heavy object in your hand (or both hands) limits
what you can do." However, a world without objects
is quite boring as well. The availability of an implement will
always provide more options, not less. "How
can you use a kettlebell in a pushup?" Remember, you
can still do pushups when you own a Kettlebell. You still have
your own bodyweight. "How many ways
can you exercise lying down (grapplers, judoka and aikidoka, please
take note) with a kettlebell?" Turkish get-up, deck
squat, floor press, Renegade rows, stiff-arm pullover, get-up
situp... And in grappling, don't you normally have some type of
weight on you...like an opponent?
"There is an infinite variety of exercises
that can be performed using your own bodyweight and, for some
exercises and some areas of the body, it is much more appropriate
to do just that.
Similarly, strands can exercise the body in all sorts of ways.
Just ask any strandpuller. In fact, it is possible to exercise
all the main areas in the body while seated using strands."
Interesting, but you can add weight to any bodyweight exercise
if it suits your intended training application. You can also combine
strands and flexbands with Kettlebells, as I have done in the
past to improve my pressing abilities. Think synergistically,
not exclusionary.
Myth #10- Kettlebells Will Work
For Everyone
"The truth is that nothing works for
everyone." True, but what's your point? How will the
limitations of bodyweight calisthenics work any better for everyone?
"There is an old Irish saying that "Variety is the spice
of life". (Actually, I am unsure as to whether this saying
is Irish in origin or not, but I am claiming it for Ireland for
patriotic reasons, OK?)." Actually, it's Etruscan
(I'm claiming it for the pre-Romans for purely nonsensical reasons,
OK?)
"On the other hand, I have found a
routine of exercises that work well for me and I tend to stick
with what works." What happened to variety?
Conclusion and Food For Thought-
"Only those who are already fairly
fit and who have trained their connective tissues to withstand
repeated shocks of a ballistic nature should even consider using
them." Beginners can start with a lighter weight and
move onto heavier weights as their connective tissues adapt and
their fitness level improves. "Please
note that in this article I have not even considered related questions
such as the advisability of ballistic exercises in general, the
effect on the joints and posture over time of high-repetition
overhead lifting per se, and the role of marketing."
Olympic weightlifting has a better safety record than most sports,
despite ballistic loading with weights exceeding 400 pounds. There
is no evidence supporting the popular myth that ballistic loading
is somehow dangerous. Yet, these critics make no mention of the
ballistic loading common in almost every sport. Brennan's martial
arts are no exception, there is an incredible amount of ballistic
forces involved in that sport. Why should ballistic loading in
training be isolated as the only type that is dangerous? "Overhead
lifting per se"- sorry, no danger here either.
Success brings critics. The rise of Kettlebells will certainly
not be without them. It is important to look at every piece of
criticism to see what is valid and what can be learned from it.
There is nothing holy about kettlebell lifting, so we should all
cast a wide net and expose ourselves to a variety of different
training methods. Kettlebells are a very useful tool, but it is
in the thought behind a training program and the work that goes
into training that makes it effective, not the implement.
As a final note, I invite Raymond Brennan to respond to this editorial.
Send me an e-mail, hass@girevikmagazine.com, and I will publish
whatever you wish to write, unedited and uncensored in the next
issue of Girevik Magazine. Furthermore, I will not publish any
response to what you write. Should you choose to accept, you get
the final word.
