Hi Greg,
I’ve been doing kettle bell workouts about twice a week, sometimes three times a week and usually they are full body workouts. How often is it okay to do these types of workouts? I like to have my leg days at the gym and upper body days also, but I can’t figure out what type of workout schedule to get on to avoid over training the muscles. There are days that I’m very sore from a kettle bell workout… any advice?
Hello Coco, everyone adapts and recovers from exercise at different rates so you will have to listen to your body and rest when needed. Kettlebell training 3x per week and then further weight training will probably be a little more than your body can handle unless the workouts are very light.
Hi Greg,
I’ve been following your kettlebell workouts for a few months, I used to do crossfit so I’m familiar with your workouts. I’ve had to make a change in my fitness program due to painful muscle tension and also low back pain. Your instructional videos are very helpful and I’m always working on improving my form. I would love to get rid of the back pain!! Thank you for the great videos! Always looking forward to your tips and workouts. 🙂
Greg thanks so much for this video. I sometimes get a sharp pin in my knee as I squat and I suspected bad technique: this helps. When I transition to no bands what can I do to prevent the pain? I’m going to share this on my Facebook page
Clear and straight at the point. In the beginnings i used walls and chairs but now i am ok with the form. About how deep you can go i think it might be related to the joints flexibility and also body fat.
Great video Greg, your squats are so low! How about a video on how to get a deeper squat? NB I have no particular issues with correct form just need to get lower
I’m going to try this. I feel like my legs are strong but my form when free squatting is terrible and my knees knock in so this will be a great starting point for me to correct what is wrong! Thank you for posting.
Initially I just put some kind of support under my heels. One or one and a half inch will do. Once comfortable one can do away with this support just like with the band.
Hi Greg,
Love the idea of using a resistance band for squats. Ive been doind my squats be holding on to my pool fence and using it to stabilise me. Using a band is something I think Ill swap to as it will be more of a challenge for my balance. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Greg, great tip. The only comment I would make is that there is no need to squat beyond the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor. It is not good for the knee joints. Loving kettlebells.
Thanks Suz, but I disagree with the your comment about squatting deeper than parallel. If you watch infant development or people in Asia working on the ground the deep Squat is very natural and healthy. The knee joint is designed to bend deeper than 90 degrees, it increases important mobility and pumps vital nutrients into the joint. Unfortunately, too many of us spend our days sitting which restricts and weakens this movement. We should all be improving the strength and depth of our squats for daily life and better mobility as we age.
I absolutely agree, knees, even more illustrative of being designed for more than a 90 degree bend. Those of us who’ve traveled through Asia, of course have been confronted in restrooms by the signatures of their notorious ability to squat hahaha.
What really bring home squatting makes for happy knees is my dairy farmer father-in-law. He happily sat on heels a hundred times a day and never had a knee problem until a year after retirement. Then on, from age 72 he slowly developed knee issues. Sadly we didn’t know about kettlebells, or barbell squats restoring health in those days.
Loosing mobility brought on all kinds of grumpy consequences to everyone’s misfortune. I’m 68 now. Couldn’t go parallel for years until I was introduced to goblet squats in 2012. I’m engaged in barbell squats now and found paused squats with my body weight on my shoulders surprising have taken the last tweaks of pain out of my knees. Seems, like you wrote, squatting underweight swells the cushioning muscles provide in deep squats, aligns knees and increases nutrient flow to the joint.
Apparently we’re never to old to learn. BTW, with heavier weight I’m still challenged to sit back on my heels. I’ll work with your suggestions, thanks so very much with sharing you accumulated experience/wisdom.
Hi Greg,
I’ve been doing kettle bell workouts about twice a week, sometimes three times a week and usually they are full body workouts. How often is it okay to do these types of workouts? I like to have my leg days at the gym and upper body days also, but I can’t figure out what type of workout schedule to get on to avoid over training the muscles. There are days that I’m very sore from a kettle bell workout… any advice?
Thank you!!
Regards from Houston, TX
Hello Coco, everyone adapts and recovers from exercise at different rates so you will have to listen to your body and rest when needed. Kettlebell training 3x per week and then further weight training will probably be a little more than your body can handle unless the workouts are very light.
Hi Greg,
I’ve been following your kettlebell workouts for a few months, I used to do crossfit so I’m familiar with your workouts. I’ve had to make a change in my fitness program due to painful muscle tension and also low back pain. Your instructional videos are very helpful and I’m always working on improving my form. I would love to get rid of the back pain!! Thank you for the great videos! Always looking forward to your tips and workouts. 🙂
Regards from Houston, TX
Fantastic helpful comments –
Thanks so much Greg – again – terrific guidance
PS. This doesn’t look like England !!!
This is perfect Thank you
Greg thanks so much for this video. I sometimes get a sharp pin in my knee as I squat and I suspected bad technique: this helps. When I transition to no bands what can I do to prevent the pain? I’m going to share this on my Facebook page
Clear and straight at the point. In the beginnings i used walls and chairs but now i am ok with the form. About how deep you can go i think it might be related to the joints flexibility and also body fat.
Great video Greg, your squats are so low! How about a video on how to get a deeper squat? NB I have no particular issues with correct form just need to get lower
This looks like a different but effective to start a client
I’m going to try this. I feel like my legs are strong but my form when free squatting is terrible and my knees knock in so this will be a great starting point for me to correct what is wrong! Thank you for posting.
Sounds good Mary, to improve your knees knocking you can place a band around your knees and then push outwards with your knees as you squat.
Very Instructive
That’s really good advice. I’m going to try the bands around my knees.
Initially I just put some kind of support under my heels. One or one and a half inch will do. Once comfortable one can do away with this support just like with the band.
Hi Greg,
Love the idea of using a resistance band for squats. Ive been doind my squats be holding on to my pool fence and using it to stabilise me. Using a band is something I think Ill swap to as it will be more of a challenge for my balance. Thanks for sharing!
Yes Emma, I think you will really benefit from the instability that the band offers over holding something solid. Best of luck
Hi Greg, great tip. The only comment I would make is that there is no need to squat beyond the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor. It is not good for the knee joints. Loving kettlebells.
Thanks Suz, but I disagree with the your comment about squatting deeper than parallel. If you watch infant development or people in Asia working on the ground the deep Squat is very natural and healthy. The knee joint is designed to bend deeper than 90 degrees, it increases important mobility and pumps vital nutrients into the joint. Unfortunately, too many of us spend our days sitting which restricts and weakens this movement. We should all be improving the strength and depth of our squats for daily life and better mobility as we age.
Hey Greg,
I absolutely agree, knees, even more illustrative of being designed for more than a 90 degree bend. Those of us who’ve traveled through Asia, of course have been confronted in restrooms by the signatures of their notorious ability to squat hahaha.
What really bring home squatting makes for happy knees is my dairy farmer father-in-law. He happily sat on heels a hundred times a day and never had a knee problem until a year after retirement. Then on, from age 72 he slowly developed knee issues. Sadly we didn’t know about kettlebells, or barbell squats restoring health in those days.
Loosing mobility brought on all kinds of grumpy consequences to everyone’s misfortune. I’m 68 now. Couldn’t go parallel for years until I was introduced to goblet squats in 2012. I’m engaged in barbell squats now and found paused squats with my body weight on my shoulders surprising have taken the last tweaks of pain out of my knees. Seems, like you wrote, squatting underweight swells the cushioning muscles provide in deep squats, aligns knees and increases nutrient flow to the joint.
Apparently we’re never to old to learn. BTW, with heavier weight I’m still challenged to sit back on my heels. I’ll work with your suggestions, thanks so very much with sharing you accumulated experience/wisdom.
Wow! Thank you so much. Had difficulty to get my clients to do the squat correctly. This will help alot.