Advice time. I have 15 minutes a day and a set of kettlebells. What are the most essential and useful exercises I can do in that short time period?
Goal: increased mobility and strength
I looked into buying some clubs, after seeing them recommended in one of Thibaudeau’s books, never having actually used them. The ones I liked were surprisingly expensive online, at least during Covid. They look fun to use, but I will have to settle for imperfect substitutes for now. I am sure they are versatile.
I am assuming a set of kettlebells includes one(s) that are relatively light and one(s) that are uncomfortably heavy. There are many excellent exercises that can be done with only bodyweight.
If I just had access to kettlebells, the best exercises would include:
- Kettlebell swings (light to heavy, start light)
- Suitcase carry (start light) or farmers walks
- Goblet squat (light to heavy)
- Turkish Get Ups (light)
- Shoulder exercises (make large or small vertical or horizontal circles, body shaped like the letters T, W or Y, lifts over the head - light)
There must be lots of websites showing these.
I’ve no kettlebell experience but would be cautious with your tendonitis … start very low especially on things like swings.
This is good advice for any weightlifting. Going slow works the muscles and the connective tissues. Having big muscles is unhelpful if the tendons and ligaments are not also strong.
Thanks. When you say light to heavy, do you mean vary the load in different sets during the same session? Or start light in one session and work up to future sessions with a heavier load?
It depends what you can handle. You are always best going too light when starting. Things like Turkish getups and shoulder exercises are tricky and you could not likely do them with heavy weights. Things like carries and goblet squats should start using light weights and over time progress to heavier ones. I alternate light and heavy weights for swings but only after being comfortable with the former.
In context of returning from a slow to resolve elbow tendinitis - any specific modifications?
For example:
I’m also doing a kettlebell clean and press program. After one year I will have gone from 12kg-16kg. I’m not in any hurry.
“But if you don’t have time for both, you get more health benefit from cardio than from lifting weights.”
Brad Schoenfeld is my go to guy for all evidence based exercise information. He is a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in the Bronx, has a PhD in health promotion, an M.S.in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, and is THE exercise scientist others want to work with. He seems unbiased about the cardio vs resistance debate, but has consistently stated if one had to choose one or the other, he would go with resistance training for overall health. Here’s a quote from an article in Time and there’s more info in the short article linked below.
“To me, resistance training is the most important form of training for overall health and wellness,” says Brad Schoenfeld, an assistant professor of exercise science at New York City’s Lehman College.”
One can debate these things, and few do it better than the above exercise physiologist who is among a few scientists I credit with bringing methodology to the meatheads.
But rather than arguing how many angels there are dancing, it is better to do any form of exercise. A little exercise is drastically better than none. Walking counts. A mix of exercise styles is best. People were made to move.
For someone who “doesn’t have time for both” the best exercise choice is very clear: it’s the one they’ll do, consistently, even a little bit of.
The advice I would give is, to find an exercise you enjoy. There is a reason so many treadmills and stationary bikes become clothes hangers.
I guess the best way to start a habit of jogging really is to use zombie apps… who knew?
Guess you shouldn’t skip leg day? Though probably just a general indicator of overall strength, rather than the main thing.
Not the best study nor yet published. It says:
The researchers analyzed the strength of the quadricep muscles – in the fronts of the thighs – of 932 people ages 57 to 74 who had been hospitalized due to heart attack between 2007 and 2020. They found that the incidence rate of subsequent heart failure was higher, at 22.9 per 1,000 person-years, among the patients whose quadriceps measured as having low strength, compared with an incidence rate of 10.2 per 1,000 person-years among those with high quadriceps strength. Person-years are a measurement that represents the number of people in a study multiplied by the years following them.
And…
If you are a mouse, maybe lifting weights burns fat using vesicles containing genetic instructions. On the other hand, I haven’t seen this view expanded over the last two years.
Fascinating stuff.
If you want more in the weeds here’s a good review about communication by way of extracellular vesicles (EVs).
The cross-talk using EVs seems to be bidirectional. See section four for discussion about skeletal muscle derived EVs impact on fat tissue.
And below for other details.
This is very cool stuff!
Thanks for this links. Interesting.
The following isn’t my motivation, but whatever floats your boat, I guess?
A transcript and podcast by Gupta summarizing the value of exercising as a senior.