Now that I've had a kettlebell for a little while, I think I can give an informed review. Kettlebells are absolutely wonderful devices. They are fun, easy to learn, can be used anywhere, and greatly strengthen the lower back, which seems to be a problem with a lot of people, especially as they get older. I have noticed that people who suffer from back pain tend to protect their backs for fear of making it worse, but all that does it make it weak and more susceptible to injury. I've read innumerable stories of people who started using a kettlebell after years of knee pain and/or back pain, and the pain vanished soon after. Obviously this won't work for everyone. Some people's backs are genuinely messed up, and I'm certainly no doctor, or even an exercise physiologist.

Anyway, check out www.dragondoor.com for all your kettlebell needs. If you're a woman and have never really lifted weights, start with the 12kg, men with a 16kg. Unless you are really weak, or naturally strong. But less than 12kg is almost pointless. Even if you've never lifted a heavy weight in your life, you'll quickly work your way up to where 12kg won't be too tough. So anything less just won't last very long as a good tool, and thus is not cost-efficient.

As far as my personal results.... The most visible result I have noticed is that the tops of my forearms have grown enormously. Now I have muscles there that feel like... Well they feel like they will turn in to steel cables after a few more months of this. And my grip has increased tremendously. Pressing overhead has gone from having to tough out each rep, to throwing up sets of 6 no problem, and wishing I had a heavier bell. I could barely do one snatch one each arm when I got it, now I can do at least 10 on each, haven't gone for consecutive reps yet. My hamstrings are definitely harder, my butt is tightening up, and now I can do cool things like one handed rotating swings. I even was able to do my first windmill today. Before I didn't have the shoulder stability. Now I have that, but I gotta work on the flexibility so I can get down lower.

It's fun stuff. You can work out with a loved one in your home and minimal equipment. Just the bells. I still go to the gym, too, and just use the kettlebell as a fun alternative to my main workouts, but you can easily design an entire well-rounded workout using just one kettlebell. Eventually you'll wanna get a second, or heavier ones, but that's down the road once you have realized the benefits.