Where Can A "Newbie" To Kettlebells Find Some Of The Best Kettlebell Workouts and Kettlebell Exercises Available.Being completely new to kettlebell workouts I needed to find some reliable sources for what kind of kettlebell exercises to incorporate into my workouts. I uncovered two outstanding sources. The first one that seemed to be every where I turned around was at www.dragondoor.com. The second was at
www.MikeMahler.com. I will start off by saying that I thought that both videos were really good beginner training and you really cannot go wrong by choosing either one. Hopefully I can shed some light on what to expect from each one so that you can choose the one that fits your situation the best. Enter The Kettlebell @ www.dragondoor.com The "Enter The Kettlebell" DVD is one of the all time classics when it comes to beginner kettlebell training. Pavel Tsatsouline is a legend and a terrific instructor. He is also a former Soviet Special Forces instructor. The attention to detail is phenomenal. Pavel not only goes through all the basic kettlebell exercises but he pays attention and demonstrates all the little nuances of perfecting your kettlebell technique. He demonstrates different aides to help you get a feel for what a particular movement should feel and look like for your kettlebell workouts. This attention to detail and the clarity of the demonstrations cannot be found elsewhere. He actually takes the time in this approx. 48 minute DVD to show you without kettlebells how to practice the technique. For example he shows how to perfect your technique facing a wall for the sumo dead lift squat. Also he discussed proper breathing techniques to protect your back from strain while performing your kettlebell workouts. He also reviews the proper kind of footwear that should be used for kettlebell training. You are not bombarded with 101 kettlebell workouts and techniques in this video. Everything is broken down to just the essentials. Even though though he only covers the essentials it covers enough to whip any beginner into shape. There are more advanced videos available on the website such as "Return Of The Kettlebell". My recommendation would be to perfect the basic kettlebell workouts covered in "Enter The Kettlebell" first before moving on to another training routine. The video and audio quality is top notch and there is more than one camera angle used.
First off I'll make a comment in general about when you visit the website www.dragondoor.com. The most annoying thing at the website is the fact that a pop up window asking you to join their e-mail newsletter & free Super Strong Abs course opens up on every single bloody page. This is unbelievably annoying because even after you have opted into the newsletter it continues to rear it's ugly head again and again! Also most of the website reads like a big long sales pitch with complete overkill on third party endorsements and long reams of testimonials on the sales pages. I can accept all of the above because their forum and articles are absolutely priceless. You can find the answer to just about any kettlebell question here. My next bone to pick is that Pavel remains shirtless with his oiled up hairy chest and stomach for the entire video. A minor and kind of funny issue ..... but maybe I'm just jealous that he's is such great shape and I'm not! Having him shirtless does accentuate the muscle involvement and movement in the kettlebell exercises he demonstrates. So I am guessing that this is the reason why he is filmed in that manner. I only ordered the DVD so I am unsure if ordering the "Enter The Kettlebell" book solves the next problem. The video is great at showing techniques to use in kettlebell workouts but somehow giving you a guideline or base workout sequence to follow is not even included. My guess is that maybe most people visit the forum and articles after learning the techniques to find out how to structure effective kettlebell workouts. My last complaint is that there is no electronic version for the video, you only have the option of ordering a DVD. Being able to avoid shipping costs, duties and taxes if it is being shipped across an international border is a real bonus! It sure beats having to wait for a physical DVD to arrive by courier. Overall "Enter The Kettlebell" is great for a beginner to explore the proper exercises to use in a kettlebell workout. But it is not a single purchase solution since you will also have to research and put together a workout plan. 
Mike Mahler
www.MikeMahler.com
This is my top pick for a beginner and even advanced kettlebell workouts. If you are into kettlebells then MikeMahler.com is most likely already entered as a favourite in your web browser. His Aggressive Strength Beginner Kettlebell Workshop DVD is the perfect beginner video series. You are basically a fly on the wall for a workshop that he is giving for a bunch of beginner kettlebell students. Mike Mahler has an awesome track record of teaching kettlebell workshops to thousands of people. He is a strength coach who has penned articles for magazines such as Men's Fitness and Ironman Magazine. Mike's personality really comes through in the video, especially his sense of humour. His attention to the details is superb. He is clearly a very seasoned kettlebell educator. There are three sources that I found for Mike Mahler's Aggressive Strength kettlebell workout videos. You can purchase the DVD's directly from his website and if you purchase the Beginner Workshop DVD here he also throws in a good e-book. The second place you can purchase the DVD's at Lifeline USA , which is where I bought my kettlebells from. The third and my favourite place you can purchase just the digital version instantly with no waiting for shipping since the videos can be downloaded instantly. This is available through iamplify.com. No waiting for delivery, no cross border duties and the best thing is you can download the kettlebell workout video directly to you digital device like an iPod. Then you can watch the video wherever you are. The nice thing about this is that if you are lacking some motivation you can bring the video on your iPod to a park or other nice area with a scenic view. Then unpack your one or two kettlebells and start swinging away! Kettlebells are probably the best portable gym you will ever find! For the more athletic person Mike Mahler also has an advanced kettlebell workout DVD for "Size & Strength" and one for "Speed & Explosiveness". The Speed and Explosiveness one is ideal for combat sports such as MMA fighters. For those who are looking for weight loss he has one for "Fat Loss and Mental Toughness".
What I Didn't Like About The Aggressive Strength Beginner Kettlebell Workshop DVD With absolutely no B.S. I had a very hard time finding something that I did not like about Mike Mahler's kettlebell workout videos. The only thing was that the digital download was only available at www.iamplify.com and by purchasing it there you did not get the free e-book offerred by purchasing directly from his website.
Conclusion I liked both but heavily favour Mike Mahler's kettlebell workout videos, and would deem them as being my top pick. Mike's website has lots of good articles and even some sample workouts. I personally prefer the digital download version of the video available at iamplify.com. Back To Self Defense Conditioning From Kettlebell Workouts
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