Information:

Here you can find some general information on your kettlebell and training. We hope to pad this out with further information but for now here are the bare essentials... It is up to you as the user to seek specific advice on technique. We strongly advise this to gain the most from your kettlebell and to perform the exercises correctly and reduce the risk of injury. A safe technique is also a strong technique so you will have the best of both worlds! If you can't attend a seminar then buy a DVD and watch closely.

Your Kettlebell: We only sell solid cast iron kettlebells which are painted black. If you would like to paint yours a different colour by all means do so. If you regularly knock your kettlebell on something hard the paint will come off, so simply dab with paint as necessary. Your kettlebell is a tool so please treat it as one; having said this 'a good workman looks after his tools'.

When training, the only accessory we frequently see used is chalk (for the hands/kettlbell handle). Some of the exercises, particularly when performed with a heavy weight, are tough on the hands. The chalk should help with this. There are also tips on looking after your hands on forums and in training books.

Simple is best: To get the most from your training we suggest keeping it simple. This method is followed by a lot of kettlebell users and it has worn off on us. You can keep your regime down to 2 or 3 exercises, which maybe boring but you will gain more with less. For people without much time this is perfect. You can still have a 'day off' where you perform some different kettlebell exercises to keep things interesting. You can also have as complicated a regime as you like, if this is what makes you tick! We simply feel the range of exercises can be overwhelming, particularly for beginners, causing some people to lose focus and ultimately lose interest. Please see the DVD's on Dragondoor.com for details. Again this is our favourite and there are other sources for kettlebell exercises. The people we recommend in no way endorse our products.

Exercise Variation: This is a quick example of making an exercise harder: Here we have a standard military press position (right). When performed 'bottom's up' (left) the exercise is a lot harder with the same weight. On the right our 'guinea pig' can use a 24kg kettlebell for 1 or 2 repetitions, but on the left he uses the bottoms up technique and has to revert to a 16kg kettlebell. The bottoms up technique requires more stabilisation and focus; it will force you to improve your technique thereby becoming safer and stronger. Again, refer to a qualified instructor in order to perform these exercises correctly.