Danskin Now kettlebell review

My Danskin Now 10 pound kettlebell

As you know from previous posts, I’ve been mixing things up lately, and so far I’m seeing good results. One of my new tools is a 10-lb. kettlebell. I bought the Danskin Now kettlebell, which came in a pretty pearly lavender color. It included and exercise guide (photos & descriptions for 6 exercises) and a DVD. I think the price was $18 and change. I’d been wanting to try kettlebells for a while, so in the store I read the packaging and decided to give it a try. As someone who writes advertising for a living, I tend to read package text with a skeptical eye. But one thing it said was that I’d save time because the kettlebell is a full-body workout, and that obviously appeals to me. I have so much to do each day and I’m always looking for ways to work more efficiently. So into my cart it went.

The first couple times I tried it, I was nursing an injured hamstring. It’s better now (until I aggravate it again), but I had irritated it right at the very top of the muscle, where your hamstring becomes your glutes. OUCH. I started running competitively in 6th grade and after injuring each of my hamstrings repeatedly, I can tell you there’s not much you can do for that injury except baby it and wait it out. So I was a little hesitant on the lunge and row exercise, because every time I’d lunge and stretch my arm upward as I held the kettlebell, it felt like I was damaging that hamstring further.

What I really noticed after that first workout was that my neck and shoulders were sore like never before. I figured this is from straining and vowed to watch my form more closely on the next try. Of course, I was sore in other places, too. I just thought it was odd that I felt it in the back of my neck. For one of the exercises, the body circle, you stand with knees bent, abs tight, and pass the kettlebell around your body in a circle, then switch to the other side after the desired number of reps. I’m pretty sure this exercise was the culprit. I’ve done it a few more times and although it’s better, I notice the next day that my neck is sore.

I love doing the kettlebell swings. My only complaint is that a 10# kettlebell doesn’t seem heavy enough for these. This is a classic kettlebell throw. Stand with knees slightly bent, abs in tight, hold kettlebell in front of you with both hands and swing it up over your head. I think I could easily increase the weight here, but was only going to buy one kettlebell to start with and 10# was the heaviest they had where I was shopping.

One of the most difficult exercises for me was the hip hinge. You start with your weight on the right foot, kettlebell in your right hand, then bend your left knee to 90 degrees and push back, straightening your left leg and allowing the kettlebell to hang toward the floor. It took me a few reps to get my balance and rhythm but after that it was no problem keeping the momentum. Then I switched to my left side and as you probably know, I have a permanent injury to my left ankle and it’s difficult for me to keep my balance on that side. It took me until rep #12 of 15 before I could do two in a row without losing my balance. This frustrates me but I know there’s only so much I can do about it without the expense of surgery and even then, there’s no guarantee it will be fully repaired. So for now, I just have to make the best of it. Honestly, I was impressed that I was able to do two in a row at all on that side without losing my balance – always appreciate the victory, however small it may seem.

In general, I really like the kettlebell for its versatility and I do feel like it’s a good all-over workout. I like to do an ab workout first, then kettlebell, and then get on the treadmill. I think if I had a selection of heavier kettlebells, I’d look at them more as a strength training tool than an overall toning tool, but for now, this is good. I’m still getting my heart rate up, and it keeps me from getting bored. All in all, a good investment.

OK, what about you? Have you tried kettlebells? What’s your favorite way to use them?