To the overweight/out of shape

[AlexSI]

As kettlebells gain in popularity an increasing number of overweight and out of shape people will find kettlebells. What they may not realize is that this is no ordinary workout. I am speaking from experience here. I am easily 50 lbs overweight and have poor mobility from the weight and other things. Here are a few things such a person may expect trying to start out with ETK.

1. Let your Doctor know what you are doing. I am sure he or she will be very happy you are doing something for your health but they might have some input as to how much they want you to do.

2. Don't even think about the PM. You need to address a plethora of issues first. Keep doing the face the wall squats, the pump stretch, halos etc. Your world is going to be doing range of motion drills and basic kettlebell handling first.

3. TGU Turkish Get Ups are especially difficult. Get used to doing naked(with out weights) first. Again you want to get your body accustomed to the movements which is diffcult enough with extra bodyweight. To build shoulder strength half get ups are fine.

3. Swings are your friend. Take it easy though. If you can only do a few minutes at first, thats fine. You are using muscles for the first time plus you are also asking your heart to do alot of work. Give yourself time to build up here. Again see #1.

4. RKC's are also your friends. They want to see you succeed with your goals what ever they might be and they want you to like kettlebells. They have definately been doing this longer than you have and can help you with moving with the kettlebell properly and teach methods that will help you in your routines.

And a little more about my own experiences. I ended up getting a 12 and a 16 kg bell just because of my own shoulder problems. I still cannot do a proper get up but I continue to practice naked ones and half get ups with weights. With my developing abdominal muscles it looks like my belly is pushing out a little more since fat and muscle cant occupy the same space at the same time. I am starting to develop some endurance with swings but need alot more strength and practice with snatches.

These things will come with time and I am really excited about it. So don't be discouraged when you read some of these other posts and think wow I am nowhere near that. Because there are a bunch of people just like you that are either just starting out and facing similar challenges. I might not ever press a beast but I would be thrilled just the same in a healthier body.

AlexSI

 

[FatJon]

Great post, I have been weight training for a little over 8 months now but decided I wanted to focus on Kettlebell workouts and a lot more cardio going to burn fat. I am seriously overweight IMO and want to use KB's to get down to 210-220lbs from 257. I was originally 270 before I started lifting. I should be getting my first two KB's sometime this week (30 and 55lbs) and am really looking forward to it. Especially seeing how many snatches I can do before my lungs reach the point of near explosion.

I am really glad to be on this forum, hopefully in the near future I can post some videos and get serious critiques of my form from you more seasoned KB folk. I have a few videos that I downloaded from the "Crossfit" website with instructor Jeff Martone to learn some basic technique / form. I plan to get the ETK book and dvd sometime at the end of the month.

Thanks to Pavel and all the RKC's and everyone else who makes this forum run, I and I am sure many others greatly appreciate it.

 

[Ideal Paradigm]

AlexSI, I can see how this would be incredibly motivating to those who are overweight and browse these forums.

With your permission, may I put this in the FAQ Megathread? I think it would be a good for some of the members on this forum who are lurkers.

Thanks.

 

[skyray]

Fat Guys Forever

Read the FAQ before you ask a stupid question. I have been reading all about swings and the implication that they are aerobic exercise. My experience is that they are anaerobic. After twenty five to thirty swings my pulse rate is 150 which is slightly above my Karvonen target heart rate, and I have a slight oxygen debt that takes about 30 seconds to resolve. Having read this thread, I suspect that the problem is the extra weight I am carrying. Anyone got any bright ideas on how to bring the intensity down to the "fat loss" range? I am using a pood (16 Kg) and swinging at natural periodicity (probably two swings a second). Would less weight or slower swinging be more effective?

 

[Zartan]

Read the FAQ before you ask a stupid question. I have been reading all about swings and the implication that they are aerobic exercise. My experience is that they are anaerobic. After twenty five to thirty swings my pulse rate is 150 which is slightly above my Karvonen target heart rate, and I have a slight oxygen debt that takes about 30 seconds to resolve. Having read this thread, I suspect that the problem is the extra weight I am carrying. Anyone got any bright ideas on how to bring the intensity down to the "fat loss" range? I am using a pood (16 Kg) and swinging at natural periodicity (probably two swings a second). Would less weight or slower swinging be more effective?

Are you sure you meant two swings per second?

 

[skyray]

Periodicity estimate

Are you sure you meant two swings per second?

Merely an estimate. Unfortunately I am forced to work alone and there is no one to handle the stopwatch so it wasn't measured. Time flies when you are having fun.

 

[skyray]

More data. I got to thinking about the physics involved and realized that pendulum law says you can't vary the period without involving your arms and blowing your swing form. So I dug out the fifteen pounder that I bought for my daughter and swung it. Heart rate 120 at 25 reps and 130 at 50 reps with no oxygen debt. Now I need to work hard enough to get these same results with the pood.

 

[Topmaul]

Don't forget about nutrition you can not out train a bad diet I read that some place but it's true I have tried. Also if you watch what you eat and keep a workout log there is no need to stand on a scale more than once a week. Might set a goal like this on a day off when you're going to be home. Say 300 swings that day. Do a few many times during the day don't do long sets maybe 5 to 10 put it down do something else and in a few minutes do another set. If 300 is unrealistic adjust the number.

Good Luck

 

[D-Rock]

Anyone got any bright ideas on how to bring the intensity down to the "fat loss" range?

Get your diet dialed in.

 

[skyray]

Get your diet dialed in.

Normally a consideration, but not in this case because I am already at a low enough calorie intake to be at risk for malnutrition. My last stress test I presented with eight beats of atrial fibrillation on 400 calories per day and my cardiologist told me to knock that extreme diet crap off. Since then I have lost about twenty pounds on 1800 to 2000 calories per day combined with moderate exercise. If the exercise gets too intense, I start to catabolize muscle, if it is not intense enough I gain weight. So I try to maintain it between 50% and 80% of VO2 Max. Be careful with your metabolism; it can become a real problem.

 

[kbSagoo]

Are you sure you meant two swings per second?

Merely an estimate. Unfortunately I am forced to work alone and there is no one to handle the stopwatch so it wasn't measured. Time flies when you are having fun.

So you are maintaining a 120 swing/minute rate? Most on average have a 40 swing/min rate.

 

[faizalenu]

Merely an estimate. Unfortunately I am forced to work alone and there is no one to handle the stopwatch so it wasn't measured. Time flies when you are having fun.

For most people, the average number of swings is 40/minute +/- 2.

If it is slower than that, chances are they are using their arms.

 

[Rambodoc]

To the OP:
Great post, with one significant problem.
Most doctors (somewhere in the region of 99%, I suspect) would be totally blank about exercise, unless it is walking or swimming. These two, being aerobic exercises, will get an enthusiastic response. Anything more, you can assume your Doc is gonna be firing blind.
Should you squat or deadlift or do burpees? Can you do a 2-3 minute circuit with bodyweight? Can you swing a 'kettleball' for a minute?
His answer will be inclined towards NO, but that is because he doesn't know squat.
So, I would say your basic cardio-respiratory system should be cleared by your doctor. For example, if you are in atrial fibrillation, as our comrade seems to have suffered, you should get that treated first before venturing into exercise. Within the parameters of your basic CV fitness being acceptable, start off with someone who understands movement limitations and can help you. People tend to have gluteal atrophy, lumbar lordosis and tight hip flexors, all of which have implications on movement patterns that could lead to injuries once you start training. In order to avoid this, get those imbalances diagnosed and corrected.
Only then should you lift weights of any kind, if injury-free training is your goal.
Disclaimer: I am no RKC or fitness professional. I am just a smart, honest dude.

 

[Rambodoc]

Normally a consideration, but not in this case because I am already at a low enough calorie intake to be at risk for malnutrition. My last stress test I presented with eight beats of atrial fibrillation on 400 calories per day and my cardiologist told me to knock that extreme diet crap off. Since then I have lost about twenty pounds on 1800 to 2000 calories per day combined with moderate exercise. If the exercise gets too intense, I start to catabolize muscle, if it is not intense enough I gain weight. So I try to maintain it between 50% and 80% of VO2 Max. Be careful with your metabolism; it can become a real problem.

Com. Skyray: On more than one count, Ayn Rand's philosophical admonition to 'Check your premises' holds true in your case. If you are training and dieting for health and fat loss, don't try to geek things out (esp. if you do it-geeking- for a living).
Forget about fat loss zones and vO2 max (for Chrissakes! ). Also forget about the laws of physics and how it applies to the pendulum of the swing.
Simplify your life to doing what works and leave the fine tuning and the numbers (vO2, periodization, etc.) to the experts, or till you become one.
Eating 400 calories is BAD dieting-- didn't someone tell you? Chances are something bad may happen to you if you try to go into VWC or something similarly badass without truly knowing your shit.
So, take it easy, and don't allow yourself to dictate what is needed to be done. Your health is too important for that.
Disclaimer: spoken in good faith and humor. No offense intended.

 

[ladrones]

I'm still a fat dude at 285 pounds. But with a 6'3 extra large frame I can carry it very well. Still by medical standards I'm considered severely obese. I doubt I will ever be less than obese. Last February I was 430 pounds. Morbidly obese. Today I can strap on a 30 pound pack and go for a 10 mile hike at elevations of 5000-10000 feet with very little problems. I can go on a 30 mile bike ride.

I do a light kettlebell routine 2 times a week. Two times during the week at work around lunch time I take a 20 pound sledge to a cat tire to get my heart rate up. Then I flip the tire a few times.

To all that are starting out I would tell you to start with your diet. Cut the junk out. Eat six to seven light meals a day. Mostly protein for the first month or two. Then gradually start adding in veggies and then even later add in fruits. Instead of bread have one blue corn tortilla. Cut the sodas and beer completely out. Even cut out the diet sodas.

Start working out slowly. Walk then walk some more. Ride your bike. Gradual increases. Do not over do it. Be consistent. Eventually you will do a mile walk. That will turn into even more if you stay at it.

Baby steps,

 

[Topmaul]

Self workout stuff less than 30 bucks get a gymboss time like 25 dollars, then get a small dry erase board. Set the gym boss time to what ever interval you want say 30 seconds and 30 seconds. Next write the what exercise you want to do say sings lh then when the GB goes off swich hands for 30 more seconds. maybe take 30 second break then what ever else you want to do just an example.

Now you don't need anyone to man a stop watch for you and you pre planned your workout. Now recond the info in your training log.

John

 

[skyray]

Some are helpful

Thanks, John. Got to try and figure out where to get a gymboss, but that ain't no hill for a stepper. The 400 calories was way back when Dr. Atkins was alive, because I went to see him at his office in Manhattan to discuss the lack of weight loss on the starvation diet. I have a dry-erase board that holds about three months worth of data on my workout data. Been pushing iron for a couple of years since I discovered that I was badly atrophied and decondiitoned--got up over three hundred pounds and was weaker than pond-water. Using conventional iron I am down to 255, bench 180 and leg press 600 ten reps. Big disparity between upper and lower body strength. Then I got ETK and I just bought a couple of kettlebells and took Andrea DuCane's level one seminar to learn what to do with them safely. I hope to drop another fifty without the dishonor of cardio.

 

[poody]

I downloaded Gymbossier (there are a few other free options on the web), and use it on my laptop, but if you work out anywhere but home this wouldn't suffice.

 

[skyray]

Thanks, Poody. I googled it and got three pages of vendors.

 

[Topmaul]

I took my Gymboss and some double stick tape and stuck it to my dry erase board. To keep the system together.

John