Here is an interview that I did with Celebrity Dialogue.  Some history you might be interested in.  Enjoy!

CelebrityDialogue: How long have you been using weights?

Dennis: I have been lifting weights now for about 27 years now.  Seems like forever.  I saw an issue of Muscle & Fitness when I was 14 and I was hooked.  I remember getting a new issue every month and reading it cover to cover during the first week and then reading it again and then again.  I used to stay up late at night with a flash light and read them.  Like most kids my age, I wanted to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

CelebrityDialogue: What is an Iron Kettlebell?

Dennis: A kettlebell is made out of solid iron and resembles a cannon ball with a handle.  Kettlebells have been around for over two hundred years but have only gained popularity in the United States in the last decade or so.  As best we can tell, the kettlebell or girya was first introduced in Russia and the original use wasn’t to exercise with at all, but to be used as ballast in Russian markets. It wasn’t long before the people started throwing them around as a way to get strong and fit and the rest as they say is history.

CelebrityDialogue: Why should a person train with a Kettlebell?

Dennis: A kettlebell is one of the most versatile pieces of workout equipment you can ever use. Two things make if very unique. The first is the handle which allows you to utilize the kettlebell for tens if not hundreds of different ways while at the same time reducing significantly the stress placed on the wrist from using dumbbell and barbells. The handle allows your wrist to stay straight which places it in a strong and safe position. The handle is what makes a kettleblell extremely versatile and user friendly.

Second, a kettlebell is portable. The compact size of the bell allows you to take it anyplace and workout. For instance, if you are a stay at home mom and don’t have time to go to the gym, a kettlebell lets you bring the gym to your home. Workout in the living room or basement or even the kitchen. If you hate going to the gym or don’t have the extra cash to pay out every month, one kettlebell will give you a fantastic workout in your home at a cost of usually less then a hundred bucks.  For those who like working out outside, the kettlebell is perfect. Backyard, front yard or just an open field, a kettlebell goes where you go.

CelebrityDialogue: Which body parts does it cater to?

Dennis: A kettlebell caters to the entire body.  Again, the versatility of a kettlebell is one of it’s greatest advantages.  With one kettlebell and the right program, a person can train their entire body from head to toe.  Additionally, you can strength train with a kettlebell as well as get a great cardio workout and improve your flexibility.  A kettlebell really does it all.

CelebrityDialogue: Why do you call it a “breakthrough system’?

Dennis: A kettlebell to me is more then just another piece of exercise equipment, it’s also a philosophy.  When I first started training with kettlebells, I had been training utilizing a bodybuilding type of workout system.  What I mean by that is that I trained each body part individually using isolation type lifts like barbell curls, leg extensions, dumbell kickbacks and things like that.  I trained like that because that’s how all the bodybuilding and fitness magazines I grew up on said I should be training.  The fitness industry over the last 30 years or so has programmed us to think and act like bodybuilders in the gym. That’s fine if you are indeed a bodybuilder or if you really like that kind of thing but for most people, it just doesn’t seem to work over the long haul.

Unless you are a bodybuilder, you shouldn’t train like one. In most everyday situations, our bodies tend to work as one whole unit and so it stands to reason that we should train our bodies as one whole unit.  That philosophy of training the whole system is the “breakthrough” I talk about.  Once I bought into this type of training and started to employ it, my strength and fitness levels skyrocketed.

CelebrityDialogue: Did you create it? Why?

Dennis: I cannot take credit for kettlebell or the system that accompanies them, I’m just the guy trying to get the word out to others who might benefit from this type of training.  The guy who deserves the credit for bringing the kettlebell back into popularity in the U.S. is Pavel Tsatsouline.

CelebrityDialogue: Do you regularly use it yourself?

Dennis: I train almost exclusively with kettlebells, probably 75% of the time.  The other 25% is spent using traditional free weights, body weight only exercises and odd object lifting.

CelebrityDialogue: What has been the response from other fitness freaks who have used it? Are the results promising?

Dennis: I haven’t met or spoken with anybody who employs kettlebells properly in their training who hasn’t benefited immensely from them.  The results are definitely promising.

CelebrityDialogue: Is there a variety of Kettlebell products available?

Dennis: There is a wide variety of kettlebell products available today, unlike when I first started using kettlebells.  I remember when I first looked into them back in the early part of 2004, I called every sporting goods store I could find in an effort to find a kettlebell.  Almost nobody back then had ever even heard of a kettlebell much less sold one.  I even had a guy laugh at me on the phone.  At that time there was only one place on the internet you could by authentic kettlebells and now they are everywhere along with DVD’s and books and online training sites like mine.

CelebrityDialogue: Do they come in different sizes?

Dennis: Yes, kettlebells come in many different sizes.  An authentic kettlebell is measured in poods which is an old Russian unit of measure which equals 16kg or 35 pounds.  Kettlebells come in 1 pood, 1 1/2 pood, 2 poods and so forth.  In the U.S., you will see the weight measured in kilograms.  16kg, 24kg, 32kg all the way to 48kg which weighs in at an impressive 106 pounds.  That particular kettlebell is commonly referred to as “the beast” and for good reason.

CelebrityDialogue: Do you provide training?

Dennis: Most of my training is through my website via articles and videos.  I answer a lot of questions that are emailed to me as well and perform one-on-one training on occasion.

CelebrityDialogue: We heard you like fine cigars too?

Dennis: I do love fine cigars although I don’t get the chance to smoke them as often as I would like.  I usually get to enjoy 1 or 2 a week.  I’m not sure what got me into cigars.  I was never a cigarette smoker.  For me, smoking a cigar is a great way to relax and unwind.

CelebrityDialogue: Any health related message for our visitors?

Dennis: The one message I would like people to come away with is that when it comes to exercise, forget what you have been taught in the past about how to train.  The philosophy that accompanies kettlebells is definitely different than what most people were taught when they started working out.  In fact, most people were not taught at all, they just saw what others were doing, and followed them,  be it at the gym or in a magazine.  I know that’s how I started and I suspect most people are like I was in that respect.

Commit yourself to becoming a student of fitness, not just a mindless gym rat.  Exercise should be an enjoyable part of your life and not looked at as a burden or a necessary evil.  We tend to become better and more consistent when we enjoy an activity then when we dread it.

Dennis
Read the original article here – http://tinyurl.com/26wd2na

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If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you are aware that I am not a fan of isolation exercises and I am certainly not in the minority on this topic.  Isolation lifts are for bodybuilders or for somebody who is rehabbing a specific body part after an injury.  Other then that, you should avoid them and stick to compound type, full body lifts.

Performing isolation type lifts to train your entire body makes training very time consuming and since our bodies don’t work one muscle at a time but rather as one whole unit,  isolation lifts are for the most part ineffective.

I have used the everyday example of pushing your car out of the road to demonstrate how the body uses all it’s muscles in conjunction with one another.  Lets take that example and examine what happens from the perspective of your nervous system.

When you perform a movement that involves more then one joint, like pushing a car, a kinetic chain is formed.  As your legs drive, your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves all work as a team over the three joints of the ankles, knees and hips.  The muscles of the back, abs, arms, shoulders, and pecs are also involved.  Pretty much all your muscles will be involved in one way or another.

The efforts of all these muscles must be coordinated.  This coordination is developed via your nervous system.  This coordination of the efforts of all the muscles involved in pushing your car out of the road is one of the main factors in determining your strength.  In other words, strength is measured by how well your muscles work in conjunction with one another, not how strong each individual muscles works independent of the others.

The kinetic chain of coordinated effort developed by your nervous system cannot be established unless you train in a manner that mimics real life.  One cannot expect to develop this coordination without training the muscles in such a way that they are forced to work together in groups as apposed to individual muscles.

Full body lifts such as deadlifts or long cycle clean and presses require and thus develop the inter-muscle coordination required to be successful in sports and everyday life situations like pushing a car out of the road or carrying a couch.  What you are building training in this manner is functional strength.

Single joint lifts like leg extensions or curls don’t develop this type of strength.

Prof. Fahey of Ohio State University says, “One-joint exercises like leg extensions and leg curls, develop movement patterns that will interfere with patterns you use in sports.  Such exercises lead to inappropriate muscle recruitment patters that can impair movement and lead to injury.”  Well said professor.

Kill It,

Dennis

P.S. – Have a question about anything I’m doing, email me and I’ll be more then happy to answer it.  ironkettlebellfitness@gmail.com

Before entering into a fitness routine, especially one that incorporates kettlebells, be sure to consult with your physician or medical professional to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a strength and conditioning regimen.  Be sure to learn the proper way to perform each lift and complete each exercises in strict form employing a spotter when applicable.  In other words, if you hurt yourself, it’s your fault.

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I remember watching wrestling in the 80’s when the big rivalry was Sgt. Slaughter vs. the Iron Sheik.  The Iron Sheik would come out and wave his flag and then start turning a heavy pair of Indian Clubs.  Then Sgt. Slaughter would kick his ass.  Ah, the good ole days.

I never really gave much thought to the Indian Clubs he had, I don’t even think I knew what the heck they were.  The only other time I ever saw them was in pictures in old physical culture books and magazines.

Indian Club training or club swinging, is said to have it’s origins in India.  They were used by soldiers as a way to improve strength and agility, balance and physical ability.  British troops during the annexation of India saw graceful motions and essential property of expanding the chest.  Naturally, the British troops brought Indian Clubs to Europe.  The Germans and Czechs began using the clubs and incorporated them into their training.  German immigrants would eventually bring Indian Clubs to the United States during the middle 1800’s.  The clubs were used in American schools as part of P.E. programs as well as in the military before losing popularity in the 1920’s.

About 6 months ago, I saw them being used again, this time by one of the countries elite kettlebell trainers.  They were being sold as a way to increase shoulder mobility and efficiency,  improve elbow and wrist flexibility and range of motion.  Since I do a lot of pressing and really work the shoulders, I am constantly stretching them along with my upper back.  Indian Clubs seemed to be a good fit for me so I picked up a pair and started training with them.

It’s been six months now and the verdict is in, I absolutely love them.  I use Indian Clubs as a way to warm up before a workout, stay loose during the workout and aid in recovery after my workout.  On variety days, I use Indian Clubs in conjunction with stretching to help speed up recovery and keep things from getting tight.  Indian Clubs are also fun to use and challenging to master.

In addition to being the perfect compliment to kettlebells, Indian Clubs can also enhance sports like golf, mixed martial arts, tennis, wrestling, swimming, bowling, gymnastics, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, baseball and the list goes on.

It goes without saying that I give Indian Club training my highest endorsement.

In the coming weeks, I will post some how to videos about the proper technique for some of the basic Indian Club swings.  For now, check out the video clip below to see a short demonstration of Indian Club swinging.

Enjoy,

Dennis

Shop Indian Clubs at Art of Strength

P.S. – Have a question about anything I’m doing, email me and I’ll be more then happy to answer it.  ironkettlebellfitness@gmail.com

Before entering into a fitness routine, especially one that incorporates kettlebells, be sure to consult with your physician or medical professional to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a strength and conditioning regimen.  Be sure to learn the proper way to perform each lift and complete each exercises in strict form employing a spotter when applicable.  In other words, if you hurt yourself, it’s your fault.

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