I actually went to a NKOTB concert. I was 11. I went with my dad. Poor man.Some things just don’t make sense. Like The New Kids On The Block much-hyped comeback song “Summertime.” I mean the girl in the song is walking the beach in “flip flops, half shirt, short shorts, mini skirt.” Who wears short shorts AND a mini skirt? Was it a skort? If so, why didn’t one of the Joeys just sing “skort”? Granted, skorts are generally for preschoolers who can’t be trusted to keep their panties covered (Hush, Madonna, I said preschoolers) but do singers not actually think about their lyrics before they sing them? Also, NKOTB, I realize you’ve been out of the boy-band loop for a couple of decades but a) half shirts are not cool anymore and b) nobody calls them half shirts anymore. Seriously, every time I listen to that song I get dumber. (Unlike the M.I.A. song “Paper Planes” – that one FREAKED me out the first time I heard it but then I read the backstory and now I just love it more with every gunshot.)
You know what else doesn’t make any sense? My results for the Great Kettlebell Experiment this month. I’ll get to those in a minute though.
What I Liked
1. KBs are very versatile. You can use them to do traditional lifts or you can swing them to get your cardiovascular system involved. At first I couldn’t really see a benefit to using them over the dumbbells but as the month went on, I began to see that they really do offer a different element to your workout. Especially once I figured out proper swinging form.
2. There’s a lot of bang for your buck there. If I were investing in a home gym, these babies would be the first thing I’d buy. I’d get a set of 15’s, 25’s and 50’s. It’s easy to make a tight little weight/cardio circuit with just a few of the KBs.
3. They are easier to grip than a traditional dumbbell. I loved them for doing things like the farmer’s carry and lunges while Gym Buddy Allison adored the windmill.
4. The cool factor. First off, they’re just cute. Like wee purses. That could take a man’s head off. Second, everyone at the gym wanted to see them. I even talked a few non Gym Buddies into trying them! Anne did it and after 5 minutes commented, “Wow, they really shake things up. I would definitely do this again.” Third, they inspire all kinds of cute names. One trainer kept asking me how my “cowbells” were going. “Kettleball” was also a favorite.
What I Didn’t Like
1. The wrist thunk. But Gym Buddy Allison bought me supercool Nike sweatbands which did help some. And working on my form helped with that as well.
2. Steep learning curve. And this isn’t particular to kettlebells but there really is a technique needed and it was hard to catch on from YouTube and the Internet alone, almighty sources of iffy knowledge they are.
My Results
And here’s where it gets weird.
Bodyfat Percentage: +2%
ALL measurements except calves: +1/2 inch (my waist might’ve even gone up a whole inch, hard to tell with the measuring tape.)
Weight: +3 lbs (negating my loss last month)
For how hard I worked, I was very surprised to have gained everywhere. I have a few theories about why this happened. Feel free to chime in if you have any additional insight for me.
1. I was doing it wrong. It really would have been a better experiment if I had been able to take a real KB class and learn from an instructor who could correct my form and set the pace. Alas, this was not an option at my gym.
2. I kept my workout volume high. Remember all that crazy cardio I did in August? Well, I didn’t really drop much of it. I just added the KB routines on top of all the running, kickboxing and dancing. In fact, I made myself minorly crazy in the process (more on that when I announce October’s Great Fitness Experiment).
3. My nutrition has been off. It’s been a tough month emotionally. I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve hit the sugar hard. Plus I had wicked PMS that lasted ten days for a period that only lasted two days. Um, yeah.
Conclusions
Under normal circumstances, these kinds of results would make me inclined to write off KBs as a fad. But I think, honestly, the failure this time around was with me and not the workout. I did enjoy working out with TinkerBell and The Berthas. I would use KBs again. Just maybe with more instruction, less crazy and at a time when my life isn’t exploding.
How did it go for the rest of you? Didn’t try this one? Then what’s your take on the M.I.A. song??
Tune in tomorrow for October’s Great Fitness Experiment.
I cant decide if i like the song! i think its the part where she says “pumping my gas” that throws me off. it doesnt sound right.
Kb are great but i wouldnt ever make it my main way to workout. They are too hefty and bulky. Especially for women, using your body weight as your main source of resistance (lunges with bicep curls) is better for the look women want to achieve.
however, they are great on days where you want to feel like you want to kick ass
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
I think “Tinkerbell and the Berthas” makes a much nicer name for a band than NKOTB 🙂
KBs — the jury is still out, mostly because the jury needs to get off her lazy ass and use them more!
It sounds like an overtrain to me, careful poppet! Always dangerous when you discover loads of stuff you love and don’t want to drop anything, for me at least. Great that you enjoyed it so much though… I still haven’t dared try simply because we don’t have any classes at our gym either and I’m too scared to start swinging them about willynilly.
Has that MIA song been released in the States then? I always thought it was a load of nonsense, but then her songs always sound like nonsense to me (even though she’s supposed to be a superior political commentator). I like the story about the cabbies from Wiki – that’s SO true in British cities! I live next door to a cabbie and he really does just drive his shiny cab, pray loads and do DIY with his family. Such a nice man. But there’s still an undercurrent of mistrust around here after the July 7 bombings – the bomb factory was about half a mile from here.
TA x
like wee purses 🙂
I wrote a mag article and tried to describe it as a cannonball with an iron handle—-my editor didnt love that so much. wee purses is FAR BETTER.
I love the bells and am with you in that I could get a far better workout IM CERTAIN with a class—-but right now Im content feeling hardcore even if my workout is less than so.
cant wait to see whats revealed tomorrow!
I decided against working out with kettlebells because there isn’t a class around here and I was afraid I would get hurt. It just felt like I was doing it wrong.
MIA song. Just irritates the crap out of me. We usually have the radio on as background noise and all I can hear is the gunshots and cash register.
I’m sorry – I couldn’t stand to listen all the way to the chorus, so didn’t even hear the gunshots and cash register…..
Your kettlebell workout sounds interesting. You piqued my interest with the farmer’s carry. What the heck is that!?
I have seen some people use the KB at my fitness center, but not very many. It’s still the traditional barbells, etc.
You are such a wonderful writer!
I went to NKOTB with my entire family, grandparents included, so Rock Beats Scissors.
PS I vividly remember wearing a white New Kids tee shirt woth Donnie (my fave) on it and a red turtleneck underneath.
Singers never seem to consider the lyrics. That’s what makes it so impressive when you come across someone who has actually thought it all out and carefully chosen the lyrics.
Very interesting conclusions! Perhaps you could retry this experiment in a few months and either get a trainer or else get some books/dvds on kettlebell exercises so that you can get the technique a bit better? It’d be worth another experiment to see if this one was just a fluke or if, in fact, kettlebells aren’t quite so amazing as was previously thought.
The PMSing + sugar cravings? Sorry to hear about that! That sucks. I’ve had major cake cravings lately. But I think that that was a result of eating so much cake for birthday celebrations. It got my tastebuds used to that taste again hehe.
I do want to try kettlebells at some point, though I’m not sure it’ll really fit into my life right now. I already have so much going on. But if I do take the plunge and start personal training, I might pony up for some of them to use with clients.
I had a party earlier this year where my friends hijacked my computer and played Summertime. It pretty much disturbed us all, because it seemed like NKOTB were acting like they were still teenagers, but really they’re 40 or something. Then we watching The Right Stuff and it was rather funny. They had all everything in there, from The Sprinkler to…damn I can’t remember another, but there were a ton like there there…
I’m going to NKOTB with my BFF. She won tickets on the radio. I never listened to them when I was younger, but she’s excited about it.
As for the kettlebells I took a drop-in class for it once and found out I am too much of a pansy for the wrist clunking.
charlotte, sorry to hear that your KB workout was a bust, so to speak. I have not trained using KB yet, mainly b/c the KB’s at my gym are kept locked away like little nuggets of gold – that no one uses, not even the personal trainers… hm!
Anyhow, Thanks for ‘hangin tough’ through it. it’s for our benefit in the end and I appreciate it. any chance an upcoming experiment (yes i am calling your request line) might include some gymnastics moves (e.g. wst-training.blogspot.com or evotraining.blogspot.com)? I have found it really great – have lost about 4% body fat and feel generally great all over (with exception of a back injury). the holds are isometric and plyometric in nature so mostly body weight and it gets a lot of odd looks at the gym. and if you are really ambitious/strange you can even make your own ring/things (http://evotraining.blogspot.com/2008/08/suspension-training_29.html).
I’d be interested in your take.
Generally, I love MIA. This isn’t one of my favorites, though. I don’t think someone should have to repeatedly explain their own lyrics. If they were slightly less incoherent it’d be obvious what the song was about. Maybe. Either way, I still like the song better than most of the crap that gets radio airplay here in the states.
Kettlebells? Despite the apparent failure of your experiment, you’ve piqued my curiosity. I think, this month, your experiment was marred by uncontrolled variables. Besides, didn’t you expect some muscle gain? Have you noticed any difference in your 1RM weight? I know I personally don’t perform single reps right at the limit, so that may not be a useful metric.
TA – I had no idea you were so close to the July 7th bombing site! How scary. I imagine it is a very sensitive issue, then.
Prof – I would LOVE to do a gymnastics-inspired workout. You weren’t around these parts when I did The Monkey Bar Gym experiment but they had a lot of gymnastics moves in there. Crossfit too utilizes the rings and parallel bars. Thanks for the suggestino!
deprogram – I agree about the experiment being contaminated. I’d be open to trying it again if I could get some real training in it. I haven’t done my 1RMs in a while so that’s a good idea to check them again.
I did do the KB workout—well, ok. sort of. I used my dumbbell as a KB–just as suggested in that Fitness mag. Not as hard core as you all and I definitely didn’t get the full KB, wrist thumping effect. However, I did really enjoy the little shake up and have noticed some positive results. I think I need to invest in at least some new weights though….cause I’m pretty much doing the whole thing with the tinkerbells. I do think starting out with a lower weight/dumbbells though may be a good way to get the form down if you don’t have a gym instructor around.
Hi Charlotte,
I’ve been getting into kettlebells lately and wanted to add to this discussion. They’ve definitely added an element of fun to my training, as well as for my clients. And yes, get some good instruction. I worked with someone two weeks ago and they fixed a ton of things with my form.
I suspect that you might’ve overtrained jest a wee bit. Before I step on your toes and tell you that I think you’re doing some things wrong, I’d like to say a couple of things. One: As a former swimmer I had a well nigh compulsive relationship with cardio for years, and I did the same thing you did-training too long and never either going for qualitiy (IE sprints and heavier weights) or allowing for recovery. I ended up really tired, stressed, and unhappy with the results I was getting.
The other thing is that I think its awesome that you’re sharing your journey, and going through all these different methods.
Hang Tough!
Charlie
*emerging from diapers and breast feeding*
How fugly is the picture of the NKOTB!!!
Anyways, yes I am disappointed in the results you got. In the light of the other things going on in your life though, the results might be off. After having used KB, I think there is something about them that makes them great fitness tools.
Those + numbers are weird. Maybe you’re just mode solid now (not in a bad way). I’m TOTALLY taking a kettlebell class this winter!
And I never noticed that stupid line in that stupid song (mini skirt AND short shorts). You’re good!!
RE: your comment = I don’t know what my mile PR is. I can average 5:41 over a few 1 mile intervals, but the first 1 is pretty easy. I wonder if I could get sub 5. I dunno…
Noticed your blog from Mark’s Daily Apple. Kettlebells are a tool and if they are used like a traditional cardio, there is a good chance that fat % and weight will go up.
Not sure what you specific workouts were, but I would recommend keeping the work in the alactic state. You can still do volume, but alactic stresses your fast twitch muscles and compliments your current aerobic work as opposed to increasing it.
I would recommend no sets over three reps for anything. Exercises include swings, Single Leg Deadlifts, presses, and squats. Great progress can be made with an instructor. Snatches are much better than swings, but usually require some instruction.
There is a bit steep leaning curve. In my first year I also gave them up about 10 times. Four years later, I have seen great results.
Phillip – thanks for taking the time to help me out! I think you are right. I need more training on the ‘bells to be able to use them to their maximum effectiveness. I’m still a little leery of Mark’s point of view on cardio. I know it works for him but me? Not so much.
Hi Nice Blog The bodily system consisting of the heart, blood vessels, and blood that circulates blood throughout the body, delivers nutrients and other essential materials to cells, and removes waste products. Also called cardiovascular system information.
First of all, high volume KB training will not add inches to your waist. Your diet will.
Second… The dumbest thing you could do is go from zero to 60mph with KB’s by watching some fool on the internet swing them on youtube.
Third and final… You training 20-25 hours a week and eating a fat loss diet is going to ruin your metabolic system. You are setting the foundation for a hormonal imbalance that will leave you looking worse then you did before. You can’t out train your diet darling.
Big Gulps
Big Gulps, sweetie,
I’ve done many stupid things for this website. Read around a bit and you’ll see. That’s what I do: I try out different things to see what works and what doesn’t. As far as my diet goes, I’ve tried practically every methodology out there but do share yours – if I haven’t already given it a go, I’m always game for something new!