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Old 11-01-13, 12:56 AM  
marya
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pacific Northwest
Knee-Friendly Kettlebell Workouts?

Over the years I've been reading so many good things about kettlebells, and I'd like to try them, but it seems all the workouts involve squats and lunges. My knees do not like to squat or lunge.

Is it possible to do kettlebells without any (or VERYmodified) squatting and lunging? Any workout suggestions?

Thank you!
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Old 11-01-13, 08:37 AM  
suegy3
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by marya View Post
Over the years I've been reading so many good things about kettlebells, and I'd like to try them, but it seems all the workouts involve squats and lunges. My knees do not like to squat or lunge.

Is it possible to do kettlebells without any (or VERYmodified) squatting and lunging? Any workout suggestions?

Thank you!
I think that most if not all are knee friendly. My knees are crappy and kb's are all that I'm doing. If there are lunges and squats in the workout, just don't go as deep. Also, make sure to use proper form for swings, etc.
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Old 11-01-13, 12:16 PM  
marya
 
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Originally Posted by suegy3 View Post
I think that most if not all are knee friendly. My knees are crappy and kb's are all that I'm doing. If there are lunges and squats in the workout, just don't go as deep. Also, make sure to use proper form for swings, etc.
Oh, thanks for the encouragement, Sue! I wasn't sure whether modified lower body moves would be sufficient to propel the arms, but it sounds like this hasn't been a problem for you.
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Old 11-01-13, 12:45 PM  
beth22
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
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My right knee is really bad and kettlebells don't bother it. In fact, they're used as a rehab tool for many people. Slowly working on below-parallel squats (also known as "a$$-to-grass squats") can really help some people. It's how we squatted as toddlers, and then basically "taught" ourselves to stop at parallel as we aged.

Swings, cleans, snatches, high pulls, getups etc. are all great and work the posterior chain beautifully. I've seen a lot of people suffer from knee problems because of imbalances and weaknesses in their posterior chain, and kettlebells can really strengthen and help those areas (hamstrings, low back, glutes) and end up rehabbing injuries and areas of the body without even trying.

I highly recommend them. But, as always, they're not for everyone. Give it a shot, though! Many kb workouts do have lunges in them, so just avoid those if you run into them and they give you pain.
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Old 11-01-13, 02:28 PM  
KateTT
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Kettlebell workouts don't hurt my knees. I don't have knee problems, but other workouts I have occasionally feel uncomfortable on my knees. And as suegy3 said, if there are squats and lunges, just don't go as deep. It took me a long time to go really deep in my squats and it still does not bother my knees.

Try them!! Kbell workouts can get your HR up like crazy and with no impact! Just modify as needed.
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Old 11-01-13, 05:13 PM  
Eilene
 
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I have bad knees & I have been doing KB's for years! In fact the squats have helped them!
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Old 11-01-13, 05:30 PM  
marya
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Wow, what great testimonials! Glad I asked about this subject, because I'd always considered kettlebells verbotten. Now I feel positively enabled to peruse Amazon's k-bell offerings!
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Old 11-01-13, 07:45 PM  
LAC
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marya View Post
My knees do not like to squat or lunge.
Is it possible to do kettlebells without any (or VERYmodified) squatting and lunging?
Quote:
Originally Posted by marya View Post
I wasn't sure whether modified lower body moves would be sufficient to propel the arms
Perhaps I'm misinterpreting what you mean, and, if so, I apologize for sticking my nose in this conversation ... but, just to clarify, a kettlebell swing does not involve a squat. Tracy Reifkind demonstrates the difference in these youtube videos:

"hinge", not "squat" The Swing

"Back up" the swing...air swings
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Old 11-01-13, 08:58 PM  
lreidgreen
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Perhaps I'm misinterpreting what you mean, and, if so, I apologize for sticking my nose in this conversation ... but, just to clarify, a kettlebell swing does not involve a squat.
That's right, the swing is a hinge movement, not a squat. I initially thought the OP was referencing lunges and squats as exercises in kettlebell workouts.
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