I've been working with weight for years, mostly dumbbells and kettlebells. I have around a decade of kettlebell experience. A year ago I went over to just working out with kettlebells and bodyweight exercises, but mostly KBs. Since I've focused pretty much on just KBs, I've had these results: I've lost 10 kilos, I've become much stronger and fitter, I have no joint pain at all because KBs are kind on joints. I'm in the best shape of my life at 46. I work out 4 times a week under 20 minutes for each workout. I use 16 and 24kg bells. I used to workout 4 times a week (bodybuilding style) for over an hour when I was much younger with much less successful results. I workout with kettlebells not because they are a fad, I use them because they are the quickest way to get functionally strong and improve cardiovascular health. Working out should be about health, not looks or how much you can lift. KBs get you healthy and strong very quickly and efficiently. They give you real life practical strength not gym strength which doesn't mean much day to day.

All I know is that personally nothing has gotten me as yolked as the double kettlebell clean and press has, not years and years of deadlifting, squatting, and bench pressing or even the barbell power clean. So I could care less what these “experts” think because I know for a fact kettlebells work exceptionally well.

Your insights are very accurate in my opinion. People will always take shots at Pavel because he created something that wasn't there, and used a schticky Russian character to build it and redefined the fitness world. People get jealous, I think. You can't talk basketball without Jordan, golf without Tiger, or kettlebells without Pavel. Guys like this turn me off so much because of this type of attitude. As I said before, if you mentioned his name to Pavel he would likely compliment him, not scoff. One of my favorite quotes, "I don't have to prove your way is wrong to know mine is right."

I have tired most exercise tools: dumbbells, barbells, elastic bands, TRX, bodyweight but I always return to the kettlebell as the most bang for your buck workout tool. You get cardio and strength training in one! I am 54 yrs old and I have never been stronger or fitter in my entire life. Go kettlebells!!!

Kettlebells will always be more fun for me. Key to consistency. I'll swing till death.

I have three KBs: 20 lbs to 16 KGs. Puny, I know, but I'm a puny guy - and 81 years old. Getting older, I haven't picked up the two heavier bells in a couple of years. That's my own personal problem. But when comparing KBs and barbell style lifting, these are some of my thoughs: 1) I read of guys tearing one muscle or the other trying for a new PR. I never heard of that with KBs. 2) My entire collection of exercise equipment takes up less than 3 square feet. Just a bar and a full set of plates takes more space than that. Then you add in the racks and benches, and you are talking about 1/2 of the garage or one bedroom (and $1,000 or more). My wife would not allow our valuable space to be used in such a non-productive way. 3) I can do every exercise I'm interested in without a spotter. 4) I can do everything I need to do in about the space of a good-sized clothes closet. 5) I NEVER "go to the gym". That saves a ton of time and money. 6) I tell the guys with bulging biceps that I can deadlift 350 pounds. They look astonished, then I grin and tell them it's 35 pounds 10 times. We both have a good laugh, and all is cool. I know there are more items, but my ancient brain has run its course.

Mark is into lifting for strength alone. He is not interested in agility, mobility or stamina. He is not interested in athleticism, you can see it in his physique. He would not easily be able to swing a kettlebell.

The “problem” with kettlebells, when viewed by powerlifters like Mark, is that the VAST majority of kettlebell visibility (videos, articles, etc) are of people using super light weights for long strings. The same with calisthenics. Garbage P.E. teachers around america have transformed calisthenics to mean jumping jacks and arm circles. However, most people don’t realize that a one-armed push up for a 200 pound person is the equivalent to a 280 pound bench press. Calisthenics can definitely teach strength when properly utilized. Kettlebells, when used hard style, with HEAVY weights (40kg+) can 100% make someone incredibly strong. BUT, they’ll also never be as strong as someone who lifts barbells. Pavel himself recognizes this, saying that kettlebells are an entry point into strength. Beyond that, barbells are needed.

Some great comments here, and some said what I wanted. I'll add this: Rip 100% right about one thing that he implied by joking about it but didn't really say directly- that most kettlebell certs are wildly overpriced. I just looked, and Strongfirst charges almost 1700 USD. That's insane, and I really can't imagine it's worth all that money.

Had to unsubscribe from Rip's channel after that video, KB's have revolutionized my training.

I currently train starting strength and added kb work on my off days.,I use them to keep my body moving and to help work the doms out, I use them to get a good cardio workout with,,I find them to be an awesome tool.

I love Rip. Starting Strength did a lot of good for me. But so did kettlebells.

I have found training with Kettlebells the most efficient method of training. I don't have a huge amount of spare time but Kettlebells keep me fit and strong. Plus I enjoy it which is key to my motivation. Tribalism in training is just weird. Do what you enjoy.

I don’t much care what Rippetoe thinks of KBs. Or of anything, honestly. He’s a curmudgeon. If you find something that works, like Gregory says, it doesn’t matter what others think.

Mark has a lot of experience & wisdom when it comes to barbell & especially powerlifting training however but he is clearly stuck on just barbell training which is his source of revenue. The only thing we have to look at to show why tradittional barbell & powerlifting alone will only give you limited benefits especially as you age is to compare Mark at 66 & Coach Dan John at 64/65 & compare the difference in health, strength, mobility & athleticism. When I am.in my mid 60s I would much rather look & do what Dan can then Mark & as far as that goes I couldn't tell you if I've ever seen Mark do a set if any barbell lift especially w any real weight. Lift what you want & don't feel you need to limit yourself, but I think calisthenics & kettlebell training are essential to staying athletic & mobile especially as we age.

Someone needs to make happen the epic rap battle of fitness video between Mark and Pavel.

Kettlebells are a tool for strength. They are what they are. They do what they do. Everything has its limits. Barbells are a tool for strength. They are what they are and have their limits. Barbells are primarily a one plane exercise tool. I don't get the either or mentality.

Tbh I own both starting strength and programming from mark and his knowledge is pretty insane. His instruction is great however, from my observation he is very do what I say not what I do in terms of how lifts. as for him not liking the kettlebell, so what it's a modality. I love em, I love body weight and barbell stuff too. They're just tools.

Please do a video looking into why the “long cycle” is named as such and the lift/event is named “clean and jerk” lol has always befuddled me

I find Ripatoe to be small minded and in general not very intellectually curious about much of anything outside his echo chamber.

While, like you, I have learned a lot from Mark Rippetoe about strength training, and specifically barbell training, I think he likes playing the role of the curmudgeon; it’s sort of become part of his brand. Also, to call kettlebells “useless” and a “gimmick” is ridiculous considering the massive benefiting people, including me, have received in training with them for strength, mobility and conditioning. While I like using multiple tools and modalities, if I had to choose one implement for the the rest of my life it would be the kettlebell.

I do 3 months of kbells and chinup bar only. then 3 months of barbell only, then repeat.

Wow!! Dogmatically entrenched much?? I'd love to see Rippetoe attempt half the strength and flexibility moves that Pavel can do. WTF?? Yea, he's a strong beast -- so what? I like training with barbells, bodyweight -- AND KBELLS. The synergistic effect cannot be disputed.

It wouldn't surprise if he called them "kommubells". Mark has a massive amount of strength training knowledge but not all of us want to squat over 300kg or bench press 3x our body weight.

I’m a truck driver, I drive “Team” meaning I spend the majority of my work week either on my butt or on my back in the sleeper. I use the starting strength style training when I’m home on my 3 days home every week, however that’s not much physical activity. I’ve recently started carrying a pair of kettlebells with me and training even when I’m gone on trips. I’ve fallen in Love with kettlebell training. To me kettlebells harken back to a more primitive time when peoples lives were more labor intensive. Using kettlebells is like voluntary Hard Labor. Kettlebells have helped me get activity where there would otherwise be None! Some might say well what about push ups and squats and Jumping jacks etc. a lot of areas where you can park a semi truck are very unsanitary. Truckers routinely dump their Urine on the asphalt in truck stops, making contact with the ground “Risky Business”. I love the gains I’ve made in my kettlebell training and disagree with Mr. Rippetoe.

It's refreshing how respectful you are to Rippetoe.

My opinion. Rip has our attention. I await the kb video.

Kettlebells are ineffective... If all you ever do are sets of FAAHVE

Kettlebells have a purpose like most things do. They are tools for strength and endurance. Its just some tools are more efficient than others. If you're watching starting strength you're there for one reason, and that's to get STRONGER as quickly and efficiently as possible. So obviously kettlebells are not going to be used. When it comes to strength kettlebells are pretty inefficient, especially when you factor in cost. You're not gonna get a 500lb squat using only kettlebells.

Mark certainly is an expert, but it's interesting. He's really an expert in begginer fitness, it's STARTING Strength not continuing Strength. Basic barbell movement with basic progressive overload, that's about it.

Using kettlebells as door stops is a great idea. In the English world there is a term: "Ball and Chain". Originally, people were hobbled by using a heavy iron ball attached to a chain which was then shackled to a prisoners ankle. A kettle bell would make the process much easyer. Not sure on how to make this a kettlebell exercise. Thanks for your presentations.

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter. Because everyone has their own belief system, religion etc. You do you and don't worry about the other guy. For the record I used to do kettlebell swings now I just use them for Farmers Carries.

I believe Rip's point can be seen with a thought experiment. Imagine you and your genetic clone starting out as exercise beginners. Your clone starts kettlebell training. You start barbell training, and get your DL to 500, squat to 400, bench press to 300, power clean to 280, overhead press to 250, and weighted pull-ups to 150. _Then_ you start the same kettlebell training program that your clone has been advancing this whole time. After a year of you kettlebell training, who is going to be stronger overall? And who is going to be stronger at kettlebells? Rip's book might have been better titled _Start With Strength._ He has said countless time that whatever your genetic endowment, age, or goals in life, everything is better if you get strong AF first. And barbells, with the ability to go up to stupendous weights, and to progressively overload in 1/4# increments, is the superior tool for that job.

Rip don’t care either😀 I believe he considers them with the rest of what he considered auxiliary exercises. Second tier to barbell which he sells.

Rip has no respect for people that aren’t into him

HIP DRAHVE! FAHVE SETS OF FAHVE!

I'm not taking training advice from someone, who according to himself (!) needs like an hour to warm up in order to be able to do some basic exercise - thank you very much. I'm interested in learning from those whose methods have helped them preserve a degree of freedom of movement and pain-free living into advanced age. People like Paul Chek or Ido Portal (though time has yet to tell how he will be doing 10-20 years from now (my money is on: excellent)) are much smarter in the way they treat their bodies, compared to a narrow-minded one trick pony like Rip.

Kettlebell tribal wars just never really end: Pavel vs Cotter, Maxwell, Martone. Allegedly with Fedorenko.

Hello Lebe. I have no dog in the fight - just a desire for objective information. I know Poliquin didn’t like them - Dan John does - but is there a study/meta analysis of injury/back shearing forces etc that can be sourced related to KBs please? I understand all weight training modality carries risk - I just like to speak from a place of authority rather than a strong opinion or anecdote versus another… thank you for your objectivity

They shoot in portrait instead of landscape; they are literally standing the phone up on the bell and leaning it against the handle 😂

It’s quite simple really what are your goals. What are you looking at achieving. I’ve personally have been using kettlebells for years. I personally want an all round fitness strength flexibility mobility endurance. Can take anywhere. I’m 54 years old and fitter than most of the people I know. So kettlebells must be working some how. There is no doubt if I was training for when I was playing rugby 🏉 I would use barbells because I would want specific strength in my legs 🦵 or back and chest. I’ve been training since I was 14 years old now as I said 54. So 40 years. one tool I will always use is kettlebells. Why because they are an all round tool. I’ve personally got more people using kettlebells because they work for people who want all round fitness. They don’t want to be bodybuilders. They don’t want to be sports specific. If this gentleman thinks kettlebells are useless that is fine. Perhaps flexibility in his thoughts are what he needs. 😂

This conversation seems so confused. Kettlebells seem like a perfectly good object for displaying strength, but there is very little (no?) theory about how kettlebells would be preferable to barbells for actually *building* strength. Kettlebells are fun -- you get a lot out of the swing, you can impress your friends with the strength you have already built elsewhere with how you can manipulate the heavy ones, but has anyone EVER gone from skinny to strong on a purely kettlebell program? I guess they are a bit like awkwardly weighted calisthenics -- they can look cool, they can demonstrate how strong you are -- they are a very blunt instrument - and likely extremely ineffective -- for making you *stronger* (for those that claim they cause you to lose weight -- I take it that that is because they somehow impact your appetite? Long walks, calisthenics, jogging can do that too -- they are in that category of stuff, I guess.)

can't take rippletits serious, the guy is insanely dogmatic and narrow minded and just not very knowledgeable on anything besides basic barbell work, hip draaaahve and sets of faaaahve. he perfectly embodies the stereotype of the classic boomer that hates anything he doesn't understand

Mark should try Kettlebell swing!

Love Rip' Love KBs and it was Pavel's early online presence that made me get one. I also loved Crossfire early days but hate it now 🤷‍♂️ I'm getting back to half decent condition after a c7/t1 herniation in August '21. I'd say 70% of my training is KB based. Tempted to try the Lvl1 IKFF before Christmas. KBs are all about utility. You can forge a strong, healthy body AND ramp your VO2 max up with little equipment and limited space.

Lots of static weight resistance athletes hate kettlebells but when they have injuries galore from balls out lifting they may find the combination of momentum and resistance to be therapeutic for their joints. At the end of the day, each to their own.

I think people are missing his point. He’s a strength coach so I think he’s saying there are useless when it comes to getting strong. An as a personal trainer myself he’s talking sense. There’s no tool that can get you as strong as a barbell cause there’s no tool you can match weight with a barbell weight. To get you ripped, fit an good at functional movement the kettlebell is a great tool do

Marks program is allright if you want what he teaches. He has good sense of humor and he is actually pretty good at rehab training for older people. But he is also extremely narrow sighted and railroaded. Just don't confront him this and just ignore him. In fact he is so narrow sighted that his own way of executing his own program, kind of defeats itself. Cause he says his program is good for longevity, yet he keeps on emphasing increasing the weight at all costs indefinitely. There has to be a point were you stop increasing weight and really doing everything to increase the pounds. It kind of defeats the purpose

Kettlebells are without a doubt one of the most versatile pieces of equipment. I don't know why ANYONE would ever have an issue with them.

Very diplomatic!

If you want to stay fit, sure kettle bells will do that. You just can get as strong because they are hard to use to overload with. I mean its hard to squat heavy, press and deadlift with them.

Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Oh well, more for us! :P

I think Mark's marketing strategy is brilliant , he's got everyone who uses KB to watch his video and get him on the front page again. He's just full of S..t.

Barbells for strength and muscle building goals, kettlebell for health and fitness goals.

Just another time Rippetoe sticks his foot in his mouth... Offering an opinion on something he stays away from for whatever reason. So sad to see an expert of his caliber narrow his focus so much. Sadly, it's not the first time (like the one time he told US Army Ranger combat veteran about how 'nobody wants a skinny guy in the field who can run'... yeah... There is reason military units love kettlebells, crossfit, and still rack up impressive power lifting numbers and marathon times simultaneously). Hurt's my brain sometimes to see this kind of tribalism in the fitness world.

Kettlebells are a terrible waste of time. Compound barbell lifts are way more effective. Wanna be a better kettlebeller? Than do the barbell compound lifts

respect Mark but strength vs functional(athletic) strength is what most people need ,there is no chance that you convince me or other athletes that you can not build strength without barbell, just look athletes like boxers, recently watching Usik learning ol.lift for rematch with Joshua,,Joshua has more strength according to heavy lifts and looks like bodybuilder,,Usik has functional strength and won with easy,,,strength also like Dan John says coming from different means, exmpl. heavy carries, farmer walks etc, gymnastics doing most of excersize with bodyweight,wrestlers, sprinters,shot putters which are al doing some balistic movement with kettlebells,med balls, witch in nature is purely what sport is about. It is easy to get caught in trap like barbell is the king if you don't understand other means and tools for developing functional strength. Usain Bolt is producing 5 time bodyweight force during sprints but he looks very bad during heavy lifts and he is super strong and more important healthy, probably guys like Mark will say he is not strong because he can not lift 400 kg ,,which is funny statement for sport and healthy community 👍👍

It's all just a tool. There's no such thing as best.

I don't think Rip will do a kettlebell video he is just taking the piss as he doesn't believe in it or see any benefit to it & they have no place in his program I do his program but I do not see him as a guru and do it according to my abilities I'm not american so I do not relate or agree with some of his cultural stances I agree with the benefits of his program and it is good because it is functional & you do the minimum effective dose & you get stronger mentally and physically I don't know what the statistics show on risk of injury with kettlebells

Kettlebell make me start strength training. They are the best tools to have at home. But if you really want to become strong you have to use a barbell. But i think Kettlebells are still worth it. Pressing 32kg is still better than just doing pushups. Doing Goblet Squats ist still better than doing bodyweight squats. A few siwngs and snatches do have their benefit also. But you can't have the goal to get strong only using kettlebells. This is impossible. I own Kettlebells for 8 - 40kg and even have some pairs. I love them. Besides a pullup bar its the best equipment to have at home.

He's selling a BARBELL training program,, of course he's going to sh-t on anything else. Why do you CARE about what Rippetoe says about ANYTHING lol

Texas lobster says do your fahves

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