Looking at doing a 3x week programme with kettlebells and 3x runs a week (interval/fartlek and distance) will this work for gaining some muscle mass, strength and most of all fitness geared at passing adsc and basic training?
If so does anybody know of a good circuit with goals in mind?
Found a few online but most are for people wanting to lose weight i want to gain a bit

I train with them a couple of times a week as part of CrossFit. Great bit of kit, but very easy to injure yourself with if you have poor form. Once you have an idea what you are doing there are various podcasts that have kettlebell circuits on, and should keep you entertained/hanging out.

Originally Posted by ironrations

I train with them a couple of times a week as part of CrossFit. Great bit of kit, but very easy to injure yourself with if you have poor form. Once you have an idea what you are doing there are various podcasts that have kettlebell circuits on, and should keep you entertained/hanging out.

Absolutely spot on. I knacked my back about six months ago with kettlebells due to crap form which, apart from the normal twinges and twangs, is the first time in many years that I've injured myself 'doing weights'. I'll not be doing those again in a hurry.

Kettle bells are over-rated. You're not allowed to use them in the gym I used to go to, unless you were accompanied by a qualified instructor.

There's nothing that you can't achieve using free-weights, or a Smith machine with rope pulls/wrist straps etc.

One of the best overall exercises you can do is with freeweights. Get around 25kg up on a 6ft bar. Cross your arms in front of your chest and hold the bar with both hands on top of the crossed arms. It might take a bit of adjustment to get your balance right. Go into a squat and out again without jerking back up. It's fabulous exercise for the quads and require good use of core muscles to keep balance. Do around 15-20 reps and you'll really feel the lactic burn. It'll also kick start your metabolism and keep it raised for a good 24hrs. Always do this with a spar to help you with the balance at first otherwise you can pull muscles. Once you've mastered the technique and found your natural balance it's a brilliant exercise for when time is limited and you want some big muscle exercise. First time I did it I was in a first floor weight studio and was in agony trying to walk downstairs with my quads pumped to fuck!

Sorry, meant to add: A heavy kettlebell in each hand and arms folded works almost as well.

I have been using kettlebells for years and they are defiantly not over rated there is a lot of good exercises/routines etc on you tube, a bit of advice when buying one always go for competition kettlebells more expensive but certainly worth it.

Here's where i get mine

Competition Russian Kettlebells

The reason im liking the idea of kettlebells is i want to gain strength, bulk a bit and be fit for adsc and basic training.

I wish i could just run and do plyrometrics etc but i just lose weight and at 10 stone and 6"1 I cant afford to lose any.

I like the fact can do heavier and less reps to gain strength and muscle as well as cv benifits on top of my running and being able to do at home instead of gym but they are expensive.

Anywho im just cautious as to wether they will work great for my goals.

I used some as part of a general circuit a week ago, under direction from an instructor, the swinging forward using a flick of the pelvis/hips almost destroyed me, walked like i'd shit myself for 5 days

Can you not just follow a standard get big get toned plan.

Try eating more and do bigger weights, and some decent body weight work press ups pull ups dips You'll soon get stronger. You'll have plenty of time for op maseeve when you get in

Originally Posted by Robp85

The reason im liking the idea of kettlebells is i want to gain strength, bulk a bit and be fit for adsc and basic training.

I wish i could just run and do plyrometrics etc but i just lose weight and at 10 stone and 6"1 I cant afford to lose any.

I like the fact can do heavier and less reps to gain strength and muscle as well as cv benifits on top of my running and being able to do at home instead of gym but they are expensive.

Anywho im just cautious as to wether they will work great for my goals.

If you want to gain strength and bulk up, you'd be better of with heavy compound exercises using Barbells. Not saying Kettlebells won't increase strength and muscle, it's just that Barbells will give faster results and allow you to train with much more weight.

I'm a fan of KBs. I wasn't always as, like other posters, my first experience a few years ago was back pain from poor technique. I now use them a fair amount - mainly in circuits - with the resultant increased definition and CV performance; in fact only last week I was asked whether I do a separate weights programme, which I don't. (Hmm, might have to watch out that I don't start resembling that ghastly Jodie Marsh.)

Proper technique requires an explosive movement rather than controlled lifting, the benefits of which fit better with my personal goals as a runner which is maintaining CV endurance (without too much pavement pounding on my battered pins), core strength and overall muscle tone - legs, hips, core, back, shoulders, arms and grip. As with any excercise it depends on the quantity and quality of what you are doing as to whether you'll bulk up and/or lose/gain weight/muscle. I would rate KBs over free-weights any day, but then I'm a bird with no desire to stand there pumping vast amounts of iron until the veins in my arms look like Madonna's.

A great tool, but ONLY when technique is nailed.