Judging by the number of hits I got by posting Dr. Wagner’s anti-kettlebell article, it seems there a few Gireviks out there who take umbrage at being denigrated by the good Dr.
Well Jordan Vezina, RKC of Average To Elite Training Systems has a rebuttal here.
As for me, kettlebells are my Holy Grail, and here’s why:
- Accountability. I actually exercise regularly. I don’t have any excuses not to. I can get in a quick, 20 minute swings, goblet squat and get-up workout and still feel like and know that I accomplished something. In fact, it’s almost impossible to walk by a kettlebell and not stop to do some presses with it. If you’ve got kettlebells, you know what I’m talking about.
- Portability and convenience. I have four kids all involved in after school, work or sports-related activities. For instance, two years ago, my schedule only allowed for late afternoon workouts, right during the same time as one of my boy’s football practice. Solution? I brought a pair of kettlebells with me and worked out while he practiced. Try that with your $$$ gym membership.
- Challenge. I can workout for fitness, or I can try to snatch my kettlebell for 10 minutes as in Girevoy Sport, or I can try to raise my strength levels using Pavel’s Return of The Kettlebell. And each of those modalities will be very effective at what they’re designed to do.
- Effectiveness. Since starting this blog, I’ve worked out steadily with kettlebells during that time. I’ve gone from 210 to 192 and have raised my strength levels at the same time. This when I moved from one house to another, changed my work schedule several times, went from one full-time kid to four. Easy? No. Effective? YES!
- Synergy. I still do bodyweight exercises. I still use my free weights. In fact, I’m working on Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program right now. Hell, I even break my 15 gallon keg out now and again for a stroll up and down my driveway as a finisher. Are kettlebells the Holy Grail for elite athletes? Probably not. Are they damn close to the Holy Grail for your average exercise enthusiast or weekend warrior (the rest of us)? Hell yeah.
You can keep your overpriced gym, I already have my Holy Grail. Now begone, before I taunt you again!
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