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Fitness Weekly Discussion
What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started a new diet or have a new recipe you want to share? Anything else health and wellness related?
Simultaneously relived and angry to learn that the Bowflex kettlebell I picked up is poorly designed and that's why my forearms hurt after two weeks and not because of bad form. The bell's handle/top design means when you hold it aloft with your wrist straight (as you should for good form), a small corner of the top of the bell is the only contact point with your arm. So it jams in and really hurts after a few times. As opposed to a traditional kettlebell, which sits almost the whole weight on your forearm with your wrist straight.
It was cheaper and takes up less space than getting regular kettlebells, but this lack of functionality (I can only do a fraction of traditional kettlebell movements with it) seems to kind of upend that trade off. For now I'm doing Dan Johns' 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge, since the swing is doable just fine, but I think I'll probably end up getting some traditional bells at some point.
I was looking at some images and I'm having trouble imagining exactly the problem you are describing (is the issue the edge/lip where the sides connect to the top?), but have you considered wrapping or padding your arm in some fashion or taping over the edge so as to distribute the weight over a larger surface area/dull the edge/lip?
Pieces of equipment being uncomfortable due to variability in bodies and equipment shapes is nothing new and there's usually some sort of DIY that can be done to fix the problem.
I have taken a photo to help: https://imgur.com/a/gjxcxO7
But you are correct, the edge lip there sits on the forearm in one spot even when doing something simple like cleans. I do have wrist wraps from powerlifting days and tried using them to cushion the blow a bit, but I think my forearms are so banged up that it didn't matter. Maybe after doing the 10,000 swing challenge, they'll actually heal up enough that it won't hurt through the wraps.
Edit, for comparison how a traditional bell sits for a clean: https://imgur.com/a/waUVUUO
Another possibility could be to lay a hand towel over the top but under the handle like this (woo mspaint drawings) so it gets pinned in place by your arm, but also helps to increase surface area.
lol, I appreciate your MS Paint drawing. That's not a bad idea either. Big thing I think is waiting for my arms to heal up a bit (no visible bruising, so I think it won't take too long), so it's good to have multiple ideas ready to go.
That's an odd looking kettlebell.
That sharp edge will hurt your arm no matter what. You could put a towel like @Gaywallet said or wrap a towel around your arm.
I wrapped a hand towel around my forearm in the beginning because when learning to clean i would hit my forearm and the soreness takes too long to go away.
It's an adjustable kettlebell. So, in some ways, it's a pretty cool marvel of engineering. It's six bells in one: 8, 12, 20, 25, 35, 40 pound options. It was much cheaper, and more importantly for me, takes up less space than all those bells. I have a feeling that flexibility was given more concern than anything else. So, if the trade off is basically half of all kettlebell movements are not doable, it's not a very good trade-off. But none of the reviews I read of it mentioned this, kind of bummed out about it.
But for now I'm doing a bunch of swings and that will keep me busy for six weeks or so anyway.
I’m still playing Ring Fit almost every day. I added in lifting 2x a week starting this week (not playing RFA those days). Holy heck, I’m sore, but it feels good to be using the barbell again.
Got in 40k steps last Sunday dancing at an outdoor socially distanced music event... god I missed doing this so much
Well, I've gained back the strength I lost (no gym access due to COVID-19 lockdowns) in weightlifting, and then some.
All my numbers are up 30 - 40% with eight weeks of diligent effort, plus a bunch of heavy lifting at the winery. The exception is leg adduction/abduction at only 10% improvement. That's pretty much expected with one hip replaced and the other pending surgery at some time in the next year.
Running is finally sticking. Ran 60 minutes and 8.7Km yesterday.
Today i did a full body workout with my 24kg kettlebell.