► 90 Days Of Kettlebells - bit.ly/90days-of-kettlebells Steve Maxwell mentioned in a recent podcast (which you can find in the link section in the description) that he abandoned kettlebell training. His way of thinking is that he "doesn't see any real reason to use kettlebells at all". He also talks about Pavel Tsatsouline and his surgeries that apparently led to the fact, that Pavel is left with only two exercises that he can do. According to Steve Maxwell, this would be the reason why Pavel is advocating for the use of only two kettlebell exercises. From Steve Maxwell's perspective, a coach (or athlete in that sense) cannot be trusted with the task of programming proper strength & conditioning exercises if he or she has been injured, badly hurt or had surgery in that regard. - Gregory
This fellow Steve Maxwell seems somewhat unhinged. I am 70 and I have found that running injures you, lifting weights hurts you, and lots of things in life hurt you. Maxwell contradicts himself too. Is he saying that anyone with a replaced hip cannot train? That's not what my surgeon told me.
While I no longer see any real reason to chose them over other means, I don't see why a coach who has injuries from training cannot train others using what they've learned.
Dan John had hip replacement surgery due to the long term effects of birth defects in his hips, not due to kettlebell training. Dan John is one of the most versatile lifters out there. Period.
@@ddwfw I agree with you. However, who is really trying to train to be more explosive in the Jerk? I would guess less than .01% of those who train consistently. We often see something that looks cool and want to train to do it. For example the Jerk. Is there be if it’s from doing them? Absolutely, but there are benefits from doing all exercise. I saying, the “average” person just wants to be fit. Training for a specific sport is different.
@@BigDome1 You can get results and keep improving from doing fundamental exercises well. I don’t think people need to be debating and overthinking everything as much as what they do which is my point. If you want to be good at a sport, get strong by doing a handful of fundamental lifts with good form, stretch and keep your conditioning up, and most importantly practice your sport. It’s the same thing you see in anything that people are interested in, people jump on a side of a fence and shit on the other side. It’s not worth getting in arguments about why x is trash and y is better, there is a reason why both are a thing and you are better off just enjoying and focusing on what appeals to you and what works for you.
Are we going to sit here and act like people have never gotten hurt from training with a barbell? There are avenues you can go to argue the use of a kettlebell versus a barbell, but injury is not it. Technique is important with both, and they both have similar risks if you ignore technique.
The hard part about kettlebells which I’m a huge fan of can’t be loaded in the same way that a barbell is, thus you can’t progressively overload for as long
This guy still trains in jiu jitsu at nearly 70 after over 50 years of grappling and decades of competition. He also does sprints but claims that they don’t transfer to other things. If you can sprint and fight at 70, you’re doing something correctly.
Have you seen Steve sprint? He walks like he just got of a horse. He has severe bow legs, I can't imagine that he sprints very well. I took 3 courses with Steve 10 years ago. I respect his knowledge, but he has always been cantankerous. He always talked about specificity and transferability. If you want to be explosive you need to train explosive, in a way that mimics the task. I think he changed his mind, because he has many physical limitations. Hence the super slow and static training. I see an application for it in such a case, but at 56 I continue to train explosive and the KB is a mainstay for me. Since learning KB's 12 years ago, I have not had any lower back issues from my spondylolisthesis. KB training allowed me to regain full function and mobility, no other exercise ever worked for more than a day.
@@And1Mell Sudden cardiac arrest x partial spinal decapitation x metastatic thyroid cancer all at once survivor. Got a pacemaker now with sick sinus syndrome tachy brady, total thyroidectomy with rai treatment and my whole neck fused front and back. 51 years old. Doing kettlebell workouts now and I love it. Was doing Power 90 for 3 months but that started to hurt my pacemaker shoulder side due to the pushups. Those can mess up your shoulders. Some other moves were bad in those workouts so I switched over. I bet I can outrun that guy also BTW. muahahahaaaaaaa
I respect Steve Maxwell but I heard him spouting some stuff about basing your diet on your zodiac/astrological sign, so there's that. Gonna be a good one.
You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain. High level PTs like him have to change their tune to keep people invested in the process.
He is also now advocating super slow reps (like 60 seconds per rep!) I tried one of his current programs. It was the first time in 3 years where I got fatter and weaker on a program. I have nothing against the guy, but I can't make sense of what he is recently recommending
It’s maxwell fault. His fault for treating the KB as a cult, end all b all exercise equipment. And it’s not, it’s just another tool to better ur health. Do what u like, just don’t over do it.
I'm a 57 year old woman just getting fit again after taking a 10 year break. Kettlebells got me super fit and lean really fast 15 years ago and they are doing the same for me now, even in beginning menopause. My strength is building up fast, workout to workout, and the fat is literally also coming off with every workout. I do 2 hardcore workouts/week, the rest of the week is walking. I can't imagine not using kettlebells-everything else is boring and a non-economical use of time and energy. They are super fun and effective. I HOPE I will always be able to do them. NOTHING works as fast and effectively for fat loss, strength and fitness gains than smart KB workouts. At least for this middle aged woman! I'll never stop using them.
Good work! That’s a lot of hard work. Kettles work amazing, I played professional baseball and it def extended my career. Keeps me ripped instead of big.
So he knows some guys who hurt themselves while using Kettlebells. Guess what: l once treated a patient who broke a vertebra in his lumbar spine while tying his shoes. It didn't make me stop using shoe laces. That's a surprisingly weak argument from a Guy who holds a Masters degree.
@@David-cm4okIf you're still training well at his age, then you can give us your experience. $1000 says you won't be doing your current training by then.
@@derekathomson 1k dollars? I'll be training like a mad cunt till the day I die. I'm 47, been going at it way over 30 years, I'll be doing one handed handstand push ups bro in my 80s. He's a gobshite.
@David: We might strongly disagree with Steve Maxwell, but we still owe him respect. After all, he was one of the founding fathers of the modern Kettlebell Movement. Chances are that we wouldn't have this conversation without him.
I trained with Steve personally at Maxercise from 2001-2003 while I attended college and have followed his writings ever since. I can assure you, Steve only advocates the type of training that works for for him AT THAT POINT IN HIS LIFE. In other words, now that he’s an old man, he advocates the type of training that works for an old man. This is not necessarily what would be best for you and your goals. Btw, during my time at Maxercise, I witnessed Steve narrowly avoid back surgery to correct an injury from doing jackknifes on an ab wheel, ripping his toe damn near off sparring in BJJ while covered in ring worm the entire time. He’s exhibited the same bad judgment that he’s condemning in others making him more a hypocrite than anything else. Oh, and Westside Barbell uses dynamic method, moving fast to be fast, with world class success.
Rob i am currently doing ab wheel for direct abs work, 3 alternate days a week.......so, i am curious why/how steve got injuries from ab wheel roll outs...also, what are your own thoughts about doing them...and what do you think about rkc plank??
@@jedimind5337 Steve was doing jackknife pushups on the ab wheel with his legs straight and his knees off of the ground thus increasing the difficulty. Jackknifes from the knees or RKC planks are a safer alternative. These were Steve's recommendations btw. For the record, I did enjoy my time at Maxercise.
From what I remember, on the Joe Rogan episode Pavel didn't "only recommend" doing two exercises, he just said what exercises he was doing and talked about how swings give so much bang for your buck so-to-speak. It sounds like Maxwell is being disingenuous right off the bat.
Started using kettlebells 6 months ago doing swings and tgu’s . 62 years old I’ve lost 45 pounds so far, from 265 to220lbs. Ive now got the body of a 60 year old!!!
It’s the most versatile, efficient and simplest implement for fat burning and performance, cardio and muscle building ever discovered. I’m 58 been working out with traditional free weight since 15 but after discovering KBs, I ended up completely gravitating over to it. Congratulations on your results. Keep it going!🤝👍
I'm going to paraphrase Dan John, since Mister Maxwell used him as an example Kettlebells aren't dangerous, the way Steve did kettlebells was dangerous
I've seen many examples of media from the Soviet era such as military brochures and wrestling training videos that prominently feature kettlebells. It's not a scam to say that kettlebell training has played a significant part of Soviet and Russian physical culture. Of course they have also extensively used barbells and bodyweight .
Steve Maxwell looks like he's got Dementia or is slowly losing his mind He's the crazy guy that lives in a van and is losing his teeth. I can understand not liking Pavel or having a business disagreement that sours the relationship - but to say the Kettlebells aren't effective and have specific training effects is just silly. Maxwell's been a hardcore Kettlebell nut for decades - but now because he's pissed at Pavel, kettlebells suck too?! OR Maxwell is not trying to sell a 'Bodyweight Only' Fitness Course or Book and wants people to think that Bodyweight training is all one needs.
I learned kettlebells from Steve, about 15 years ago. I tend to completely agree with you that swings and the Turkish get-up are excellent exercises and I’ll continue to use them. (I also continue to use KBs throughout my routine.) However, I think Steve is right re: a change we’ve seen in exercise philosophy and health. If you’re doing the swings (especially) and other explosive movements with weight, there are increased injury risks, especially from people who don’t take the time to get the form right. Part of the shift in thinking is about risk mitigation. Want to stay in the kind of shape Steve has, for as long as he has, then you’ve got to make choices which reduce risk of injury, and take a more conservative approach re: movements. I don’t love the way he framed it, but I get where he’s coming from, and it says a lot about a guy who built his career on KB to shift his views this way.
I was a client of steve maxwell ,definetly learnt some good stuff .BUT steve can be all over the place , he had no issue getting me to do stuff that wasnt safe , I had a shoulder injury and wasnt keen on doing pullups , but just keep telling me to doing it it fine( this why I cut him away ) . it wasnt fine . he all over the shop on diet one year it the gracie diet , the next when hes travelling its just eat subway dont worrie about diet . then he's vegan . Maxwell just comes across as a grumpy old man . I think the constain travel has worn him down . Maxwell change his opinion like his underwear.
Come on guys. This controversy is contrived. You find out what works for YOU, do it correctly and consistently. Get some good coaching if you need it. Had been doing mostly body weight stuff for years and just added kettlebells in the past year or so. Started with lighter bell’s until my technique was locked in then progressed from there. I also run and practice Krav Maga daily. Tried a variety of other training modalities over the years until I found what works best for me. I will keep up what I’m doing until I can’t. I’m 72. Maybe some day it will be slow walking and Tai Chi.
Kettlebells have a cult following, and some people act like they are the end all, be all. The truth is I’ve gotten better results with the barbell and dumbbell. Kettlebells are fun to mix things up every now and then.
Wouldnt say im part of a cult. I just prefer kettlebells. Dont train for kettlebell sport. Just train for fitness. Some prefer barbells. Others dumbbells. It just depends. So does people who onky use barbells make them a cult as well? Apply that to other forms of exercise
@@mishswb4950 Didn’t say everyone was in a cult. Don’t understand why you are crying right now. I said it has a cult following, not that everyone who uses them is in a cult.
@Luke Brown Rip is going off his experience. It's hard to ignore the results you see guys demonstrate on a consistent bases in favor of a thigh master or a new fangled practical training method. There are exceptions. There are gifted athletes and there are shaggy Doos. For most people it just isn't that complicated.
Dont know what happened to Steve. Wish him all the best. Dont know why he is knocking KBells. They helped me with my shoulder and joint aches in Jiu Jitsu a lot.
Interesting to hear this guy's opinion. One of the main reasons I'm just now getting into kettlebells is perceived advantages on longevity, joint health and full body coordination compared to other methods. Now I'm going to be worried I'm doing stuff wrong while I'm using it. I watch videos and form but always going to worry I'm doing some technique wrong. Today was my first day trying swings and presses and it felt okay.
Just take it slow, I've aggrevated my pre existing back injury once doing swings because I approached the set too lazily. Being fully present for ballistic movements is important. When I do things correct my back always feels better after swings
@Cole I've been doing them for a little while now. I stopped for around 3 or 4 days because I had major soreness in my quad and thigh area. But started back again today and yesterday and it feels pretty good now. Idk. I'm sure the odds I actually hurt myself are pretty low with 16kg as a (as far as I know) mostly healthy young guy, but always a little nervous doing exercises with no supervision.
Same here, started with KB because the added benefits. You should follow Mark Wildman's channel. He breaks down every kettlebell basic movement like no one else.
For me I would say swinging a cannonball around for longevity makes no sense. Yoga, chi gong, tai chi, breath work, meditation, hood friends, community, healthy diet, plenty of sleep would go much further to achieving your goal of longevity
I’m 58 and been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over twenty years but lifting weights.since age 15. I only wish KBs had been introduced sooner to this land. Not only have they provided the most efficient, consistent, muscle building workouts for me but have given me optimal cardio for what I do. Combined with pull-ups, the hard style training I do has kept by joints healthy and improved my symmetry. Sorry Steve, you lost me with your argument.
Brett Jones, mentioned by Maxwell here, has responded to these claims about his surgeries, Pavel's elbow condition, and Dan John's hip replacement on a StrongFirst forum thread about this interview. And Dan John has spoken frequently on his podcast about how his hip problems are genetic and common in his family, not training related. According to Jones, Maxwell does not know the facts regarding these trainers' medical histories.
@@nomaanalwi9495 Here is Jones' longer response as part of the thread: www.strongfirst.com/community/threads/latest-podcast-with-steve-maxwell.19652/#post-354474 It's in a member's only section of the forum, so you might have to create an account first. Basically he says that Pavel has a chronic elbow condition on one side, not both as Maxwell claims, caused by a military accident, though I've heard elsewhere it was from an arm wrestling injury but either way not from kettlebell training, and that it does not limit exercise selection to the extent Maxwell says.
Pavel was into arm wrestling about 20 years ago. I remember him asking about the hook grip on the old Dragon Door forum because he could only hold his hands one way in the deadlift due to his elbow injury and it was making his back sore. He was deadlifting pretty heavy at the time.
I've got family members that never played sports or lifted weights and have had more problems and orthopedic surgeries than all the names listed together.
That's awesome you featured the Health Oddity Podcast, that was a really good episode and they actually released a later episode where they discussed a lot of the (often conflicting) information they'd heard from the different guests. Those guys are friends of mine. I also brought up those comments from Steve when I was a guest on the podcast last week. He was basically saying you can be strong enough just using isometrics only, but I thought his linking Dan and others hip/knee replacements and surgeries to kettlebells was likely correlation not causation - like you said, Dan was a track and field athlete who also did a lot of Olympic weightlifting. Ultimately there's a risk to anything you do but it's balancing that risk and reward. 🙂
it is not even remotely logical or intelligent to compare kettlebells and cooking in the same sentence as they are completely different things and only one of them can be considered a necessity.
The kb is a perfect tool. All other gym equipment makes you think you need more equipment to get the results your looking for. Not with simple kb training.I am 42 years old, 5 foot 8 and 12 stone. I use a 20kg and a 16kg kb. For my sessions over the week I do a dan Jon armaur building and humain burpee then the other days a simple simple and sinister. I feel great, and can run rings around my of my mates who may look better but just have not got the training I have. Kb rule
@@getstrongby4038 your right. If I chose I will go to the local gym to go for the big lifts. Now lock down is over I can. However I just love the conditiing side of my work out. As long as I can play sports with my son I'm happy. Ps I also have two heavy clubs.
@@getstrongby4038 how strong is "all that strong"? You don't need to be a bodybuilder to be 'strong' enough for the rigors of daily life so please stop propogating that insecure alpha male BS.
Explosive exercises absolutely increase speed and power in performance. It has been shown that in boxing when heavy slow strength training is done to increase strength it can cause a loss in punching speed but when you add the same strength exercise with less weight and faster speeds it counteracts the loss of speed. When the two are combined in a boxing program, slow maximal strength training and faster explosive training, there is an increase in punching power with no loss of speed.
I hope that this video opened peoples eyes when it comes to Pavel. I honestly feel he is nothing more than an opportunist. He is not passionate about fitness. I created kettlebell flows and my program Kettlejitsu, because i did not like the "hard style" that Pavel taught. #1. he doesnt teach his followers how to warm up properly. In my opinion, that is the number 1 reason why people injure themselves. #2. they emphasize using way too much weight. This compromises your form and leads to injury as well. The fact is that you can injure yourself with any type of modality. Safety comes from warming up thoroughly and not going super heavy. Also, there is no reason to do max weight on any KB exercise. Pavel also over emphasizes the snatch. This is the number one most over utilized KB exercise ever. Stretching, massages and adjustments are also key to staying injury free. Id love to be on your podcast. Great video!
Complaining about kettlebells is like Complaining about amy other lift. Deadlift os dangerous. Squats are dangerous. Jeffersom curls are dangerous. Bicept curls cam be dangerous...
I am not familiar with Steve Maxwell. However, I am an old guy at 65 and do thousands of kbell swings a month, probably a thousand kbell snatches a month, gobs of swing n' cleans and a boatload of TGUs. I have no problem with my elbows or any other part of my anatomy. I do have a bulging L4 and arthritic L5 and kbell training has given me the core strength and spinal stability to reduce the amount of pain that I live with. Verdict? Maxwell is an angry old guy with an agenda for dubious reasons. Swing on brothers and sisters.
Actually, Steve is right about kettlebell is not popular in Russia. In Soviet Union kettlebell was extremely common because of its simplicity and affordabillity. You could find kettlebell in every home then. But when SU falled apart we started copying western culture and which caused growth of bodybuilding and powerlifting popularity and kettlebell became a thing for enthuziasts and professional gireviks. So truth is somewhere in the middle. I love your videos by the way.
You hit the nail on the head with regard to HOW one trains ie. sensibly, patiently and with the right coaching... Where I come from there is a saying: "A bad workman always blames his tools". Thanks for another nicely done critique.👍💪
I've taken a camp with Steve. While his knowledge is extremely impressive, he is dogmatic and really has no interest entertaining what is contrary to his opinion. He mostly just shit talked Pavel and Dan John all week. Fact... he still sells kettlebell instructionals on his website. That is hypocrisy at its finest.
Pavel; was just about the hype!, nothing more. A salesman with a Russian accent, not someone worth listening to. His self promotion and BS is obvious on the joe rogan podcast.
Many sport martial artists, who make a life long pursuit of trophies, end up with hip or shoulder or knee replacements or surgeries..not all, yet there are a lot i personally know...a local Aerobics instructor worked too many classes for to many years, and had a hip replacement...joints being over worked is real...i have been doing 2sets 2reps of heavy weight a day...switch what i do everyday.. doing it for years, and i feel great, everything feels strong
I’ve attended a class of Maxwell’s as well as watched a lot of his videos and interviews. Basically, his training concept is short sessions with isometric or really slow repetitions, for maximizing Time Under Tension and minimizing risk of injury. As a physio and former S&C coach, I’d say he’s really onto something. It doesn’t look fancy or exotic the least, but it does the trick.
I mean it depends entirely on what trick you're trying to do. There are certainly advantages to doing time under tension, the problem is when you're ONLY doing time under tension. When that's all you're doing then you get good at that thing, but you begin to adapt to those sort of movements in such a way that they don't necessarily transfer. A variety of different types of training IME produces the best results. Some time under tension and slow reps, forced negatives, that sort of thing can do wonders for improving your ability to handle heavy loads and work under them. But you can't ignore the value of speed work, or explosiveness training, and you can't under value the work of training to move rapidly or do movements that are unusual or require stabilization.
Every strength coach I've known, who was also an athlete/competitor, has had some significant injuries that limit them. Steve Maxwell is a mobility specialist and most of those guys are purists for joint health with a preference for their workout approach.
Steve Maxwell has great inputs in this video; yet I disagree with his approach to kettlebells. Let me know what you think once the video releases! - Gregory
@@lebe-stark So here's my background... I am a nutrition guy... that is my forte. However, I have been training in some capacity since I was in 8th grade to include power and olympic lifting, Crossfit, and now kettlebells. In short, several years ago, I got really sick (long story) and when I returned to fitness I was forced to start from ground zero. Guess where that left me? With kettlebells! Getting my mobility back, flexibility in certain positions, being able to do metabolic conditioning, I started all this and more using kettlebells. In fact, they are significantly more safe than Oly lifting and powerlifting. I think that Oly and power lifting CAN cause significantly more injuries than a kettlebell ever can unless you're an idiot and don't pack your shoulder on a TGU and use the bell as a hammer on your thumb (I have seen this). In fact, I would put a rookie on KBs before a bar because learning to clean with a KB is much easier than cleaning or snatching with a barbell. It took me years to master cleans with a bar and a fraction of the time to do so with kettlebells. Proper diet, recovery, etc., will allow for a great experience with KBs and they are something you can do forever. Now that I am almost 40, I do far less volume, far more eating, sleeping, less bar (even though I still use this) and way more KBs! P.S. Maxwell needs to fix his teeth! On one last note... studies are tricky. Nutrition studies are hard but physical training studies are even worse. I prefer anecdotal data over "studies" on training.
@@docback63 for sure! I think KBs are the best way to bullet proof joints and gain in areas you never could. Don't get me wrong, I love barbells but you're limited with them. you can also train all planes of movement with KBs... something you cannot do with bar and is why people get injured because they are frontal plane dominant.
It’s interesting logic. He trains jiujitsu where almost all jiujitsu players who have become instructors have had injury. So we discount black belt jiujitsu instructors knowledge and teachings because they have been injured?
The promise of BJJ is not that it is healthy, it is that you will learn how to protect yourself in unarmed combat up to a point and after a few years it is mostly that you enjoy the sport. I’m not saying this to agree with Maxwell but I don’t think the analogy holds.
@artsuave I sort of see your point however I feel here Steve was really coming after those instructors or practitioners (pavel) who injured themselves as a result of their discipline and therefore disregard their knowledge. It just seems like an illogical, hyperbolic and extreme statement…..he does walk back later when comparing the efficiency between certain disciplines. I have a ton of respect for Steve. I’ve been to two of his bjj seminars but I can’t wrap my head around his logic here.
Swing and TGU are the 2 exercise that Pavel packaged in Simple and Sinister. But as far as I remember Pavel mentioned he was doing swings and dips on JRE. This would not really support the messed up elbow theory.
He explains his preference for those two exercises in his book "The Quick and the Dead" which is a different program than "Simple and Sinister" ---both excellent programs with different goals in mind
I am 49 years old and I do not belong to a gym . My home city was destroyed by hurricanes so I had no access to any type of facility for over a year. In the last year I have used no equipment other than a 88 pound and 106 pound kettlebell. Just this morning I decided to test myself with a two mile run. It took me only 18 minutes and I was not exhausted at the end. Kettlebells work , I do not know what this guy's problem is.
@@RKCjsstevens Pavel actually knocks other training systems in his book very harshly. Which is always a thing that irritated me. There is a way to promote your own system without putting everything else down^^
@@simonhinkel4086 that’s odd, I’ve found the exact opposite: going out of his way to explain how and why he’d do things rather than detract from others. Can you point to the book and page where he’s done what you accuse him of?
@Ricardo Triviani I know otherwise. Many accomplished athletes have come to him for instruction including Donnie Thompson, Dan Inosanto, All manner of military and special forces, and on abs on. The problem here is that he is not a trainer, he’s more involved in teaching coaches, research, and writing. Your complaint is like saying a general is a fraud when has not trained any privates.
There is a reason why people who are the best or where the best get injured in my opinion, and that is that they go harder than anyone else and probably end up using heavy ass weights and eventually get injured, the odds are you will get injured if you do it day in and day out. But for a regular person kettlebells are great I love using them and love how efficient they are at kicking my heart rate through the roof, even with a 16kg bell.
I love Steve and he’s been a stellar influence over the years but we all have our issues / dark side and I have seen him attack many other trainers and styles of training as they don’t align with his current thoughts. This is a real shame because he’s a high achiever and influences a lot of fitness decisions from many people. You’d think by 70 you might learn tact but oh well! Pavel is amazing but he’s also dogmatic. Love them both, warts and all. Amazing teachers.
I think this is just one man’s opinion. Ultimately, if you are working with a good coach and listening to your body, your risk of injury should be very low.
I completely disagree with Steve Maxwell’s assessment of kettlebell training. After training seriously for 40 years, the Simple and Sinister system suits me perfectly. To each his own, but at 58 YOA, I’ve never felt better. Onward and upward. 🗡🛡
It's a bit different, because in BJJ you have way less control over your body. Having said that, I kept getting injured during BJJ. My big toe and my lumbar.
@@lebe-stark I stopped doing BJJ. I didn't stop due to the injuries, but because I got too obsessed with the sport and lost enthusiasm after. My BJJ related injuries cleared up after that, though I guess I would have gotten fewer injuries had I improved my technique and training intensity.
Dan John had congenital hip malformation. He said on his podcast that he was destined for those hip replacement. But I like how Steve raises awareness for exercise safety.
I’ve been bodybuilding for years. Kettlebell training done properly and body weight/ burpees brought me to the next level. I’m 54 and do 100 of each a day: double pump burpees, 70 lb kB swings, pull ups, dips. . Beast mode
Saying "I wouldn't take advice from a guy with joint replacement surgeries" is like me saying "I wouldn't take advice from a guy that won't fix his tooth". Do I blame my shoulder pain on kettlebells? Maybe. Or maybe I consider I was a pitcher playing year round baseball all through my teens and now do BJJ as well. Life is cumulative when it comes to the mechanical systems in our body.
Still watching it, but one thing, yes, Dan John has had both hips replaced, and he's very open about it. It's because of a genetic hip deformity called pistol hip, which, as he tells it, means he was always, from birth, going to have to under go surgery at some point in his life. I like to subscribe from the maxim of learning from others mistakes. Dan John has a number of opinions on certain exercises based on his personal experience, to paraphrase him "Surgery is God's way of telling you you did something wrong".
In my experience the problem isn't with kettlebells, but with the "hip snapping" that was advocated by certain trainers. In my opinion it was a poor choice of language to describe the movement that people took literally and literally "snapped" their hips or knee joints. The maximum tension aspect advocated by Pavel was not good in all circumstances especially ones that require joint rotation like the swing. Too much tension while doing swings can lead to elbow tendinitis similar to what happens with golfers and tennis players. When it comes to KB sport it's one of the safest sports I've been involved in for amateurs. Only at the Pro level when physical boundries are being pushed to their maximum have I seen injuries and they tend to be overuse injuries. Just my insight as owner of Seattle Kettlebell Club and Pro Kettlebell
Swings also place a ton of tension on the tendons in the hands and wrist. I went to heavy with single hand swings and couldn't use my hand the next day. It takes a long time of consistent uae to build that strength.
Tried the kettlebells. Didn't like them. My technique was ok but I still got some back pain and some elbow problems. Kind of didn't give me any useful strength for my tennis game. Went back to running, bodyweight and elastic bands training and all is ok again. Just my experience. I am sure for some guys they work wonders.
Steve says Pavel can’t do anything else because his elbows are all f**** up, but pavels main exercises consists of dips which require strong elbow joints….this guys gone crazy
Humans can roll, crawl, reach, push, pull, squat, hinge, twist, and walk/run. Train these movements safely with any implement you have access to, and you’ll be alright.
Steve Maxwell looks like a homeless guy who broke into someone’s bathroom in this video; a bookcase and an expensive microphone will improve your presentation nicely 😁
I don't know Maxwell, but I know a few people who were in that early Sr. RKC group who left. I think there's more to the story here. I knew that Steve moved away from kettlebell training a few years ago when he decided to sell everything and become a digital nomad. Good for him. I don't see why people are so sensitive about kettlebell training. I know Master SFG/RKC people. I know IKFF people. I almost did another cert under Federenko. After all that, I decided that I just want to do calisthenics. Sometimes I still use the bells. Up to me. Train how you want to train. If someone says they don't like it? Up to them. But some of the sensitive responses here are exactly why I stay away from the kettlebell community.
Thanks for sharing! Whenever you put a group of alphas together, there's a high chance that disagreements may happen and unfortunately may lead to break-ups. I've had some disagreements with my mentor as well. I don't think the comments in this section are all that bad. There is a fair and firm support for Pavel Tsatsouline because he was pivotal in putting kettlebells on the map in the west. - Gregory
I’ve been training with kettlebells exclusively for 15 years with ZERO injuries from using kettlebells. His arguments are based on correlation and not causation. Pavel’s elbow injuries are a result of arm wrestling (to my knowledge) and not using kettlebells. Dan John and Brett Jones’ injures are based on their past sports, not kettlebells. I could go on and on. thanks for sharing.
9:28 "he also mentions he does BJJ which can be dangerous as well" Correct, Steve mentions this and points out the danger and that BJJ is a recreational activity and is not for exercise since there are far less dangerous ways to get in exercise(which is his entire point about kettlebells). His point is simple......figure out if what you are engaging in classified as exercise or recreational. Then ask yourself why are you doing that activity. His point is you should not be doing a recreational activity strictly for exercise purpose. In other-words running marathons just for exercise would be pretty stupid. Now if you enjoy running and understand the potential long term impact on the body have at it. Same thing with kettlebells....its a strength sport(recreational) that requires a lot of skill to properly execute. His point is the risks associated with kettlebells for just exercise is not worth it because of the risks associated with doing it with form and various parameters around weight loading....etc. If you enjoy kettlebells from a recreational activity standpoint and understand risks then have at it. He mentions his daughter is an avid crossfitter who he's warned her on some questionable workouts that could have some impacts later on. She doesn't care and thats her choice since she enjoys the activity just like Steve enjoys BJJ(which I hear is the reason he is missing a tooth in the last year).
Thanks for sharing! I do see your points and I like the way how you break Steve’s argument down. As many commentators have pointed out, every form of activity that offers great benefits, also offers a certain level of risk. This level of risk can be mitigated with a certain level of effort and the risk to benefit ratio of kettlebells is way lower than engaging in a Marathon for example. The distinction between recreational and exercise does not add up in certain cases. Some people pursue sports as a recreational activity. Trying to draw a distinctive line in this case doesn‘t make sense. No matter how I turn it, Steve‘s argument does not have merit and him bringing up injuries from well known kettlebell reformists is weak as well. It has been repeatedly debunked by those people he mentions, that kettlebells did not contribute to their injuries. - Gregory
I have had an issue with a damaged intervertebral disc. Caused me terrible pains. Had to stop running because of this. Then when the covid lockdowns started, i started with kettlebell training. Two times a week started at low weight. Now, 3/4 years on, 16kgs is a standard weight, building up to 20/24 kgs. And this without even working "hard" for it. Yeah, you have to train, but its all fun and satisfying.. And the best thing, i can't remember having any backproblems anymore. Simple said, if the guy has issues with his formal partner... keep it to yourselfs and don't throw mud. Kettlebells work.. 👊🏻👊🏻
I agree with most of what Steve is saying. The average exerciser is better off using machines, bands, and dumbbells. Kettlebell swings hammer your hip joints with hyperextension.
But that movement for the shoes was probably caused by the throwing around of heavy weights and the reach for the shoes was just the straw that broke the camel's back.
@@derekathomson could be. Also could be from years of improper movement, tight hip flexors and inactive glutes from sitting. Everyone has a different body and goes through different experiences. Like diet, different things can tip us over the edge.
People get injured in any sport ! I did judo for 30 years had 8 surgeries on my body knees lower back elbows list goes on! One has to train safe & smart ! Kettle bells for me @ 50 years old!
I met Pavel and Steve in the old days and that whole Dragon Door crew had deep issues. It wasn't just Pavel, it was a lot of guilty parties. I've also been to Russia and there are some Spetsnaz Units that use them some dont. I've seen both type of soldiers in action and I can tell you the troopers who use kettlebells are the ones I would hate to go to war against the most. Maxwell has others motives for bashing Kbells and Pavel. Pavel isnt perfect but Maxwell aint innocent. Keep lifting kettlebells boys and Fk anybody who says you shouldn't
Years ago, I bought a Maxwell training book. It contained some of (what is supposed to be) his training regimens. Looking at the workouts, Each workout had between 10-12 different exercises in it. Each exercise required 2-3 minutes of constant work with about 30 seconds or less of rest, or about 20 reps and 15 seconds of rest. Many of the exercises were both rotation and flexion together (as far as I know we should be very careful about how much volume we do in these kinds of movements and some should just never bend and rotate at the same time at all). Truth is, Maxwell can dislike kettlebells and distrust Pavel all he wants but the injuries he saw and the ones he’s had are due to his own bad choices with the kettlebell. Remember, the kettlebell is just a tool. It’s your own fault if it slips out of you hand and falls on your foot.
Dang man, when I first got into KB training, maxwell was one of the main dudes I was watching. Steve Cotter, and Pavel were some others. I love KB training, and won’t stop. You could break your ankle walking down the damn steps. Nothing is a blanket answer that’ll be good for everyone. I and a Guinness Wolrd Record for most weight lifted in 1 hour by C&P. I’m gonna go for the 2 hand swing record soon. Kettle Bells for life!!
It really sounds like Mr.Maxwell does not understand kettlebells and has been putting his body through crap technique and form and wont take accountability therefore IT MUST BE THE EQUIPMENT
Glad to see this was a balanced presentation and not a hit piece on Pavel. KBs are just a tool. Bar bells are a tool. I've injured my back on two occasions using barbells; once performing a Dead Lift and the other time was performing a bent over row. I've recovered. Lessons were learned. Just have to be careful, no matter what modality you use to get strong. As a former rock and ice climber, I'm no stranger to overuse injuries from training.
So he got injured and now he’s afraid of them. When I first started, with KBs, I had little training and subsequently injured my back. My kettlebell sat in a closet for about 3 years because I was afraid of it. I eventually learned proper form and as of today, I do front squats and cleans/presses with double 24kg without issue. Steve obviously didn’t have bad form but maybe the mistake made was not accounting for age. I’m in my 50s and recognize that I will have to adjust my mode of exercise as I age.
Ha. I knew Steve in the late 80s/90s. Worked at Society Hill Club and Maxercise during that era. He’s been through many phases and is always dogmatic to a fault. Still a real innovator and always interesting.
Yup , bitterness is worse than anything it destroys people especially when they're older Kettlebells are the best I love them don't use too heavy weight and do a good stretching and mobility And if you are worried about your joints just train with bodyweight , push ups pull ups ect.
That’s speculation, how do you not know it’s from people he’s exposing who are hiding the truth from the public. Fitness gurus have a long history of being dishonest.
To be fair, from Steve's demeanor I got the impression that he has somewhat of an axe to grind with Pavel. This might come from a place of disdain, an early fallout or envy. I'm not attributing these aspects to Steve because I don't know his heart. Sometimes, impressions of other people can also be deceiving. It's still interesting to find this comment because this thought crossed my mind as well. Thanks for sharing! - Gregory
As someone who has used kettlebells to get and stay fit, let me say that Steve is not looking at things correctly. You can have a major knee replacement or hip replacement for reasons that have nothing to do with a kettlebell. For example, I had a very bad car accident before I started working with kettlebells. I almost died and I had to learn how to walk again. As a result, my knees were never 100% after that, but I started working out with the kettlebell after my accident. I am a woman and very strong, but my knees are still not great and, at some point, I may need a knee replacement. Now someone who doesn't know about my accident, might look at me and think my knees are bad because of my kettlebell work, but they would be wrong. My point is that you don't know what happened in a person's life to cause them to need any joint replaced. Pavel and has helped me and a lot of other people get fit and stay fit. If Steve doesn't want to use kettlebell's anymore, that's fine, but don't make this about kettlebells. They work and they are effective. PERIOD!
Steve Maxwell seems to have lost his mind - in the last 10-15 years, his life has fallen apart, he's lost his Dojo, Divorced his wife and for years, was living out of a van. Now, Steve is trying to sell his 'minimalist' approach to fitness - bodyweight exercises. So, it shouldn't be surprising that he's downplaying Kettlebells as fitness tools. Also, if Kettlebells aren't a significant part of Russian Athletes training, why are there all these pictures of famous Russian Champion Athletes using Kettlebells or pics of Kettlebells in all Russian Training Camps/Gym and lots of Soviet-era Athlete Training Videos featuring Kettlebells? As far as Pavel Tsatsouline being a 'Liar' or 'Dishonest' - I don't remember Pavel ever claiming to be anything more that an Educator or Popularizer of Kettlebell and Strength Training. Pavel always give credit to the originators of the Strength and Training Concepts that he's explaining.
B.S. -- Boxers train speed because you simply must train as you fight. That is an U.S. Army expression because simply put, you must train what you want to grow. There is NO OTHER WAY and this is true for EVERYTHING you want to cultivate. Welcome to the human existence. As for injuries, there are not ANY...NOT ONE SINGLE HUMAN...who participates long-term in extreme sports/high-level exercise practices who have NOT suffered injury -- so harboring fear over an injury is mental weakness. Should we stop walking and running because of the very real risk of repetitive motion injuries? That would be foolish...as is this guys take exercises that puts him at risk. This video is best to target other old people who have lost their courage in life.
Don’t know this Steve guy, and now I never will. I mean, of course, there have always been fit and healthy people who don’t use kettle bells. I just hate all this sensationalism. “Hey, guess what, everything you thought you knew is wrong!” ….yeah, yeah, okay guy, you’ve found something that works for you, great. But what I can tell u is that I ONLY use kettle bells, I’m injury free, I can do multiple reps of single-arm military press with a 55lbs bell, and can also bang out at sub 23 min 5k without ever doing any running for my training. Like, I’m no pro athlete, but I only put in a total of 2.5hrs of training per week. Simply nothing I’ve ever experimented with gives you the bang for ur buck like kettle bells do.
I'm a personal trainer and a huge kettlebell fan. I also like Steve Maxwell but I disagree with him. I think kettlebells retrain your body to use hip extension and anti-flexion of the spine. And enabled me to work around a bulging disk and mitigate its impact. I think kettlebells of course are not the only thing you need, but pretty close with the addition of afew other things. I think the injuries in kettlebells come from doing too many reps or too much weight. I think using them with alittle bit lighter weight with good form, doing Keith Webbers program...Is the best Training modality I've ever done. You need one weight, 10min of time, the space the size of a yoga matt, and you can get a full body workout with conditioning. All training methods come with some risk. I jacked my self up doing pull-ups. I think kettlebells are one the best Training tools you can get.
Maxwell is clown. Watched many of his videos. Conclusion: pure hypocrite. He was cited in Pavel's book with KB in hand, said only good words about Pavel, and now he says there is no reason to use it :DD and it is not just about Pavel, but literally about everything - critize gymnastics, lifting etc.
Kettlebells are really good for compound movements or unique lifts where you just can't use dumbells or barbells, don't have access to a specialized machine, etc. I agree with him about being careful with fast or explosive movements. Proper form and not overworking your body is key. I don't like all those huge, fast swings for exercises.
If his elbows are shot and he can't do any other exercises, why would he be advocating dips? That statement just doesn't make sense. Also, if we go by injury we would eliminate squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Based on looking at power lifters. We would never pick up a barbell again if we eliminated exercises based on coaches getting injured.
I think maxwell is overrated. I use a mixture of kb’s and dumbbells. To say he abandoned all kb’s completely, he just stroking his ego of look at what I know mentality. I use them and the running joke in comments, I am 62 now. Started 4 months before my birthday and I’m in some of the best shape of my life. Sorry but it fires me up. But everyone has to find the groove that works for you. Do what works for you. Not some “fitness gurus” telling you what’s best for you.
Train to your ability. Get expert instruction and stay within your abilities. Kettlebells, Olympic lifting, power lifting and all manner of working with weighted objects or bodyweight require the practice of technique. Practice the skill
