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DB vs KB

by Scott Andrew Bird | December 14, 2006
Filed in General , kb

There's an interesting discussion on the Dragon Door forums on the merits of dumbbells vs kettlebells. For anyone considering the purchase of their first kettlebell, some of the differences noted were :

kettlebells have their centre of balance off-centre, which offers the stabiliser muscle benefits usually associated with odd-object lifting
performing swings, snatches and cleans feels more natural and fun with kettlebells
From Pavel Tsatouline :
the ability to do many swings safely with a KB. With a large enough DB you would take your knees out with a pronated grip. With a semi-supinated grip your elbow could not handle the volume.
kettlebells afford a more comfortable rack position, increasing ROM in presses and making exercises such as Front Squats a little easier

I'd add the following :

kettlebells have a thick, curved handle; ensuring a great grip workout every session

Not to mention the fact that throwing a large chunk of iron around is just downright fun.

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the team

There are several great writers here, looking at the world of strength training from a number of angles. The regulars :

Scott Bird (@scottbird)
Writer and Fitness enthusiast
Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson (@jeddjohnson)
Grip champion and Strongman
'Unbreakable' Adam T Glass (@adamtglass)
Bending freak and Strongman
Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
Bodybuilder and Writer
Joe Hashey (@jhashey)
Athlete, Teacher and Trainer
Josh Hanagarne (@joshhanagarne)
Kettlebell and grip afficionado
Bill Long (@bill_long1)
SPC and grip fanatic

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training at work

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elsewhere

This is a fantastic book. If you've ever considered learning this incredible strength feat, the Card Tearing eBook (review) is the perfect place to start. Love it.

In addition to the articles on this site are a number I've written elsewhere. Including :

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what to get?

Thanks for dropping by. If you’d like to help support this site (and get in great shape at the same time), here’s a list of strength-training books, DVDs and tools I recommend. Love them.

Dragon Door Kettlebells
These are easily the best kettlebells I've used; and I'd strongly recommend them above all others. Well-made, comfortable to use and ready to take any abuse you send their way. Love them.
RMAX Clubbells
I'm a big fan of leverage training in any form, especially things like the RMAX Clubbells. Beautiful things.
MBG Powerwheel
Although I generally avoid single-purpose tools, I'll happily make an exception for the Powerwheel. Ab training has never been so much fun.
Battling Rope Kit
This is easily my favourite form of conditioning work. Incredibly fun, exhausting and - most importantly - effective.
Precision Nutrition
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's a increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
The Ultimate Sandbag
I love sandbag training, and this is definitely the way to do it right. Beautiful thing.
Gymboss Interval Timer
If you've ever tried to do interval work with a stopwatch, or by counting out the time, grab a Gymboss. The perfect way to time your fat-shedding sessions.

Want more? Swing by the Equipment section on the forums. Some great stuff on there.

What's this?

Scott Bird's a writer, photographer and all-round fitness freak. If it involves people pushing themselves to the limit, it'll be on here.

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