Kettlebells

[4nursebee]

I am considering getting into kettlebell exercises. There seems to be too much info available online and too many books also. I'd like to get a few of the best books, perhaps learn of other resources about where to start.

What books?
What is your experience?

Thank you.

[JimboMutumbo]

You might want to check out the works of Pavel Tsatsouline. He's a big advocator of KB and one of the OG's with a few books on simple programs.

[ScubaHogg]

This is an easy to follow intro

https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simpl ... author_mpb

[CFM300]

What is your experience?

My experience is that kettlebell exercises are more easily and enjoyably performed with a dumbbell.

[nickb27]

I am considering getting into kettlebell exercises. There seems to be too much info available online and too many books also. I'd like to get a few of the best books, perhaps learn of other resources about where to start.

What books?
What is your experience?

Thank you.

Mark wildman youtube

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RE6CSomDv ... ZWJlbGw%3D

He has numerous videos on building a program and how to do exercises. At some point I believe he started selling programs for a cheap one time fee that may be worth it as opposed to digging through many videos.

[dvvader]

Simple and Sinister by Pavel is a good place to start.

[quantAndHold]

My experience with kettlebells is there’s a lot of bad information online, that has the potential to injure you. Get a few sessions with a personal trainer who can teach you to do the exercises with good form before you just launch out on your own.

[AgentOrange]

Pavel Tsatsouline is the man.

[FellsGuy]

In my experience when you need to get functionally strong fast this is the way. Kettle Bell swings for explosive push pull strength and slow grind Turkish get ups for core foundational strength. Throw in Schwinn air-dyne for aerobic or concept 2 rower.

[ReadyOne]

May I suggest two things:

Resistance bands are an excellent complement

I love these kettlebells on Amazon (Soft Kettlebell with Handle for Weightlifting, Conditioning, Strength and core Training
Visit the BIONIC BODY Store)

I am stronger and more mobile than ever! Go slow. Worry more about completing the workouts slowly and safely. Progress and speed will come through consistency, not through any narrow or specific effort. It is just like investing!

[bikefish]

Steve Cotter IMO is the best resource for kettlebell exercises. He has a dvd collection that will give you more information than you can imagine. He might have stuff posted to youtube as well. Be careful with kettlebells. You need to have your form down with swings, snatches, etc. or you can injure yourself. I am unsure of your goals, present fitness level, and experience with free weights so it is hard to provide any more info.

[tm3]

Couple months ago when seeing my physical therapist I asked what he thought about kettlebell training. He seems to be pretty knowledgeable about strength training and biomechanics. He said that kettlebells are mostly hype, and that "regular" resistance training (dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands) is all one needs.

[JPM]

My brother age 70 and a trim lifelong athlete has begun doing kettle bells with his early 40s son. His son and 3 of his 4 instructors/coaches have had shoulder injuries. A word to the wise.

[LilyFleur]

My brother age 70 and a trim lifelong athlete has begun doing kettle bells with his early 40s son. His son and 3 of his 4 instructors/coaches have had shoulder injuries. A word to the wise.

This. After a shoulder surgery a few decades ago, I asked my physical therapist if he could watch me do my normal weight lifting workout. He did, and gave me one improvement with how to hold the weights during the dumbbell chest press, to avoid injury. You don't know what you don't know.

[sillysaver]

I took a few classes from an RKC instructor many years ago, and it made a lasting impression on me. I recommend looking for a local instructor on strongfirst.com.

Kettlebell Simple & Sinister and Kettlebell Axe by Pavel T. are good reads. There is value to getting feedback IRL on form, though.

[MarkRoulo]

I am considering getting into kettlebell exercises. There seems to be too much info available online and too many books also. I'd like to get a few of the best books, perhaps learn of other resources about where to start.

What books?
What is your experience?

Thank you.

My primary advice is that you consider kettlebell risk/benefit FOR YOUR AGE.

As one ages some exercises become less good because it becomes much easier to injure yourself doing them and recovery takes longer.

This is a general suggestion for exercising, but very much applies to kettlebells.

[BillyK]

Taco Fleur, of Cavemantraining on YouTube has a lot of really good kettlebell training videos. He and previously mentioned Mark Wildman’s videos are two of my favorite kettlebell instructors.

If you are going to start training with kettlebells, an adjustable competition sized kettlebell is a great place to start since they will ultimately take up less space and also save you money in the long run over buying individual kettlebells of varying weights as you progress. I have a pair of 32kg Bell of Steel brand kettlebells which can each be adjusted to 41 different weight increments. The advantage of a competition style kettlebell over the standard type which you frequently find sold in most chain stores is that they are the same exact size regardless of weight. A problem with lighter weight standard kettlebells is that they are often too small and difficult to clean into a comfortable rack position without banging your forearm too hard. Then that discourages people from using them in contrast to competition ones that are much easier to rack into a comfortable position regardless of weight. A 16kg competition kettlebell will have the same exact size dimensions as a 32kg one in contrast to a standard type one that will have a significant size difference between the two.

Typically, when you start training with kettlebells, you only use one at a time. The beauty of a kettlebell is that you can switch hands with it as you train. It then enable you to prolong your exercise duration as you switch hands back and forth with the kettlebell as you exercise which is good for building stamina. Plus, it forces your non-weighted body size to compensate since the weight is offset to one side. As you progress, you can include double kettlebell exercises which can be more challenging. However, a lot of people prefer just using one kettlebell at a time since it gives you so many exercise movement options.

[4nursebee]

In my experience when you need to get functionally strong fast this is the way. Kettle Bell swings for explosive push pull strength and slow grind Turkish get ups for core foundational strength. Throw in Schwinn air-dyne for aerobic or concept 2 rower.

Thanks, already have that rower. Am considering finishing off an attic room to house everything. As we are aging exercise is playing a more important role.

[4nursebee]

My experience with kettlebells is there’s a lot of bad information online, that has the potential to injure you. Get a few sessions with a personal trainer who can teach you to do the exercises with good form before you just launch out on your own.

I'm trying. They all seem booked up for a couple weeks. But I plan to start with light weights so not much of a concern.

[4nursebee]

Steve Cotter IMO is the best resource for kettlebell exercises. He has a dvd collection that will give you more information than you can imagine. He might have stuff posted to youtube as well. Be careful with kettlebells. You need to have your form down with swings, snatches, etc. or you can injure yourself. I am unsure of your goals, present fitness level, and experience with free weights so it is hard to provide any more info.

Thanks, we no longer have a DVD player, seems old tech...

[4nursebee]

My brother age 70 and a trim lifelong athlete has begun doing kettle bells with his early 40s son. His son and 3 of his 4 instructors/coaches have had shoulder injuries. A word to the wise.

I've already had two shoulder surgeries and am taking time off from Karate to let an issue heal up. Most ol folks that are highly active with things have had problems. (Karate/KB/jiu jitsu/couch surfing/nursing/etc...)

[4nursebee]

I am considering getting into kettlebell exercises. There seems to be too much info available online and too many books also. I'd like to get a few of the best books, perhaps learn of other resources about where to start.

What books?
What is your experience?

Thank you.

My primary advice is that you consider kettlebell risk/benefit FOR YOUR AGE.

As one ages some exercises become less good because it becomes much easier to injure yourself doing them and recovery takes longer.

This is a general suggestion for exercising, but very much applies to kettlebells.

I'm taking time off from other more physical activities and am looking at KB as a good all around workout. I'm down 40-45# YTD and do not want to backtrack.

[4nursebee]

Taco Fleur, of Cavemantraining on YouTube has a lot of really good kettlebell training videos. He and previously mentioned Mark Wildman’s videos are two of my favorite kettlebell instructors.

If you are going to start training with kettlebells, an adjustable competition sized kettlebell is a great place to start since they will ultimately take up less space and also save you money in the long run over buying individual kettlebells of varying weights as you progress. I have a pair of 32kg Bell of Steel brand kettlebells which can each be adjusted to 41 different weight increments. The advantage of a competition style kettlebell over the standard type which you frequently find sold in most chain stores is that they are the same exact size regardless of weight. A problem with lighter weight standard kettlebells is that they are often too small and difficult to clean into a comfortable rack position without banging your forearm too hard. Then that discourages people from using them in contrast to competition ones that are much easier to rack into a comfortable position regardless of weight. A 16kg competition kettlebell will have the same exact size dimensions as a 32kg one in contrast to a standard type one that will have a significant size difference between the two.

Typically, when you start training with kettlebells, you only use one at a time. The beauty of a kettlebell is that you can switch hands with it as you train. It then enable you to prolong your exercise duration as you switch hands back and forth with the kettlebell as you exercise which is good for building stamina. Plus, it forces your non-weighted body size to compensate since the weight is offset to one side. As you progress, you can include double kettlebell exercises which can be more challenging. However, a lot of people prefer just using one kettlebell at a time since it gives you so many exercise movement options.

Yeah, my gym has the real small handle KB, tough to put two meaty hands on for double swings. They also store them near the dead roaches...

[YeahBuddy]

It's not my thing, but here's what the experts in my fitness groups have endorsed:

https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Rx-Co ... C2OvsCxuQw

[Sagefemme]

I never understand why people say you can do any of the exercises you would do with a kettlebell with a dumbbell. You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Personally I am a fan of kettlebells. I use them at my gym where they have a variety of weights. I also have one at home I used when COVID shut down my gym. The one at home is 25 pounds. At the gym I use 26 pounds and 35 pounds (approx 11 and 15 kilos). I think it's a good piece of equipment to have at home.

[4nursebee]

It's not my thing, but here's what the experts in my fitness groups have endorsed:

https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Rx-Co ... C2OvsCxuQw

Thanks.

[beardsicles]

Couple months ago when seeing my physical therapist I asked what he thought about kettlebell training. He seems to be pretty knowledgeable about strength training and biomechanics. He said that kettlebells are mostly hype, and that "regular" resistance training (dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands) is all one needs.

Yeah, kettlebells are a perfectly good complement to weight training but are not in themselves sufficient. You need to be doing the heavy, compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench press (and imo overhead press) that is complemented by kettlebells and other forms of assistance work. And honestly, I’d say this is even more true as you age. You’re not going to protect bone density with kettlebells alone.

Love me a good Turkish getup though. If you could only do one exercise for the rest of your life, there’s a good argument for Turkish getups.

[CFM300]

You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Why not?

[Silk McCue]

It’s a completely different grip. Handle vs bar. You can purchase a kettle bell handle that can be used on bars.

Cheers

[CFM300]

It’s a completely different grip. Handle vs bar.

I agree the grip is different. Gripping a dumbbell is generally easier. Regardless, I don't think the grip affects the swing.

Dumbbells are much easier to clean and snatch and perform man-makers and devil's presses.

[ScubaHogg]

You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Why not?

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

[sillysaver]

Yeah, kettlebells are a perfectly good complement to weight training but are not in themselves sufficient. You need to be doing the heavy, compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench press (and imo overhead press) that is complemented by kettlebells and other forms of assistance work. And honestly, I’d say this is even more true as you age. You’re not going to protect bone density with kettlebells alone.

Where is the evidence for this claim?

One can do compound movements to stimulate muscle synthesis with or without external loads (such as with KB's). I think what you're saying is you need the heavy loads that are only possible with machines or barbells in order to provide enough resistance to promote bone density.

The NIH has an article on how general exercise -- including resistance training -- promotes bone density:
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics ... one-health

Excerpt:

Resistance training exercises (weight lifting), which add resistance to movement to make muscles work harder and become stronger. These exercises put stress on bones, so they can make bones stronger as well. Strength-training exercises can involve:
Weight machines.
Free weights.
Resistance bands.
Use of your own body weight (such as pushups or pullups).

Someone needs to tell the jacked calisthenics guys they need to start incorporating barbells otherwise they will become decrepit and frail.

[CFM300]

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

Position the dumbbell parallel to the sagittal plane. Not at problem at all.

[nyclon]

You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Why not?

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

Watch some videos on how to do a db hang clean between the legs.

[ScubaHogg]

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

Position the dumbbell parallel to the sagittal plane. Not at problem at all.

I suppose that would work

But then again, lots of 2nd best compromises work. But 1st best solutions are still better if available

[ScubaHogg]

You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Why not?

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

Watch some videos on how to do a db hang clean between the legs.

That’s very different from a KB swing. The arms appear to be carrying a lot more of the load and the legs clearly aren’t exploding as much

[CFM300]

I suppose that would work
But then again, lots of 2nd best compromises work. But 1st best solutions are still better if available

It's not a compromise or 2nd best. It's better. Perhaps you should try it before forming an opinion?

[ScubaHogg]

I suppose that would work
But then again, lots of 2nd best compromises work. But 1st best solutions are still better if available

It's not a compromise or 2nd best. It's better. Perhaps you should try it before forming an opinion?

Why do you think it’s better? At a minimum the grip would be more awkward. The DB would tend to want to slide until the hand/wrist were up against the end. The traditional KB seems more ergonomic at a minimum

[CFM300]

Why do you think it’s better? At a minimum the grip would be more awkward. The DB would tend to want to slide until the hand/wrist were up against the end. The traditional KB seems more ergonomic at a minimum

I disagree. The kettlebell handle is less ergonomic and more awkward, not the dumbbell. Again, you should give it a try, rather than attempting to access a priori.

Almost everyone has trouble getting both hands fully gripped on a classic kettlebell. The handle isn't wide enough before curving to get both hands flush and the pinkies don't really fit. I've grabbed six photos from the web, showing this problem, which is common even for people with small hands. (Zoom in on the first photo, observing her left pinky on the right side of the image.)

https://imgur.com/a/two-hand-kettlebell ... em-x199HYZ

In addition, when swinging a heavy kettlebell, there's a rotational force applied to the handle, which makes it difficult for people with smaller hands to maintain a solid grip. (It's also what causes the blisters.)

Neither of those problems occur with a dumbbell. There's plenty of room to get a solid two-hand grip and since the dumbbell is parallel to the arc of the swing, there's no rotational force in the handle.

The problem that you imagine of the dumbbell sliding doesn't occur. You intentionally set your grip so that at least one hand is firmly against the far dumbbell head from the start. That's part of what makes it so secure.

Even In the case of one-arm swings, where people can easily fit one hand flush on a kettlebell handle, there are advantages to using a dumbbell. Cast-iron dumbbell handles are typically narrower than cast-iron kettlebell handles, making a secure grip easier, especially for people with small hands. And again, rotational force in the handle is eliminated. (No blisters on high-rep workouts.)

There are several ways to secure a two-hand grip on a dumbbell for swings. Some people like to interlace their fingers under the handle and then overlap their thumbs on top. I prefer to just grip the dumbbell with one hand flush against the far dumbbell head, and then wrap my other hand around the first. Another option is to grip the dumbbell with one hand flush against the head, then open all but the thumb and index finger, then grip the handle with the second hand, sliding it all the way up inside the first, and then wrapping the three open fingers of the first around the second. Each of those provides a more comfortable, more secure grip with no rotation compared to gripping a kettlebell.

Finally, all of this discussion has been about a just one movement: swings. What about cleans, snatches, man-makers, devil's presses, curls, bench press, Javorek complexes? All of those are more easily and enjoyably performed with dumbbells.

[beardsicles]

Yeah, kettlebells are a perfectly good complement to weight training but are not in themselves sufficient. You need to be doing the heavy, compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench press (and imo overhead press) that is complemented by kettlebells and other forms of assistance work. And honestly, I’d say this is even more true as you age. You’re not going to protect bone density with kettlebells alone.

Where is the evidence for this claim?

One can do compound movements to stimulate muscle synthesis with or without external loads (such as with KB's). I think what you're saying is you need the heavy loads that are only possible with machines or barbells in order to provide enough resistance to promote bone density.

The NIH has an article on how general exercise -- including resistance training -- promotes bone density:
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics ... one-health

Excerpt:

Resistance training exercises (weight lifting), which add resistance to movement to make muscles work harder and become stronger. These exercises put stress on bones, so they can make bones stronger as well. Strength-training exercises can involve:
Weight machines.
Free weights.
Resistance bands.
Use of your own body weight (such as pushups or pullups).

Someone needs to tell the jacked calisthenics guys they need to start incorporating barbells otherwise they will become decrepit and frail.

"To generate the adaptive response of bone (osteogenesis) to mechanical loading, sufficient magnitude, rate, and frequency of loading are necessary. Many animal studies showed that loading must be dynamic not static [83], induce high frequency strains [84,85], and be applied rapidly [86]. If adequate intensity of loading is achieved, relatively few loading repetitions are sufficient to generate an adaptive skeletal response [87]. Because osteocytes are desensitized due to repetitive loading, short bouts with interval for rest are more beneficial than the same number of loads performed all at once [88]. Furthermore, because bone adapts to customary patterns of loading such as one-directional movement, diversification of loading such as multi-directional training is required to stimulate an adaptive skeletal response [89]."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl ... 79907/#B84

"From the revision of the RT protocols, it was possible to observe that RT should be planned with four to five exercises for the trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs, containing two to three sets per exercise, eight to twelve repetitions at 70 to 90% 1 RM, rest ranging from 60 to 120 s between sets, and three sessions per week for 12–52 weeks. "

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9222380/

Results: The review revealed evidence to support the effectiveness of weight training exercises to increase BMD in postmenopausal women. The increases in BMD were site-specific and required high loading with a training intensity of 70% to 90% of 1 RM for 8 to 12 repetitions of 2 to 3 sets performed over one year duration.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18171491/

Maintaining bone density depends on generating sufficient mechanical stress on your bones. To do that, you need to lift heavy. Calisthenics doesn't generate enough mechanical stress on your bones. This isn't bro science, this is well-studied and has been validated. It also just makes sense intuitively.

[GetRichQuick]

I would strongly echo the recommendations to look into Pavel's work or seek out a RKC instructor for help with proper kettlebell form.

If you want to structure a program that combines your kettlebell workouts with walking or your rower, take a look at Dan John's Easy Strength Omnibook. Easy Strength stems from a discussion between Dan and Pavel. You can get a sense of Dan John's content on his podcasts, or watch one of his many YouTube videos.

Good luck!

[Sagefemme]

You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Why not?

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

Indeed. When I swing the heavier of the two kettlebells I use at my gym (35 pounds) to an apex point directly over my head, I am holding on to the handle with all my hand strength, which admittedly is not what it used to be, owing to arthritis. Swinging a heavy object all the way above my head with no handle? Asking for trouble. If you look at a video of American swings with a kettlebell you'll see there's no way to do this heavy with a dumbbell. Or if there is, I'd love to see it!

[nyclon]

You cannot swing a dumbbell the way you swing a kettlebell.

Why not?

I’m trying to picture how many body parts I would hit if I were to attempt a KB swing with a 40# dumbbell

Watch some videos on how to do a db hang clean between the legs.

That’s very different from a KB swing. The arms appear to be carrying a lot more of the load and the legs clearly aren’t exploding as much

Try it out.

[CFM300]

Swinging a heavy object all the way above my head with no handle? Asking for trouble. If you look at a video of American swings with a kettlebell you'll see there's no way to do this heavy with a dumbbell. Or if there is, I'd love to see it!

Dumbbells have handles, and people swing heavy dumbbells overhead, American style, all the time. Dumbbells are much easier to control overhead than kettlebells, and you can swing more weight overhead with a dumbbell. When a kettlebell is swung overhead, it's inverted and very unstable. Read my descriptions above about how to grip a dumbbell for swings. You might consider converting to a dumbbell, at least for overhead swings, so that grip strength isn't your limiting factor.

Some videos, since you said that you wanted to see it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB-fq0HqGK0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVqa41DQahU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoDyNPb212o

[ScubaHogg]

In addition, when swinging a heavy kettlebell, there's a rotational force applied to the handle, which makes it difficult for people with smaller hands to maintain a solid grip. (It's also what causes the blisters.)

I’ll try it just out of curiosity. I’ve got larger hands, which might be why I’ve always found a kettlebell grip pretty comfortable

[ScubaHogg]

Finally, all of this discussion has been about a just one movement: swings. What about cleans, snatches, man-makers, devil's presses, curls, bench press, Javorek complexes? All of those are more easily and enjoyably performed with dumbbells.

I mean, why in the world would I attempt bench presses, etc., with a kettlebell?

[CFM300]

Finally, all of this discussion has been about a just one movement: swings. What about cleans, snatches, man-makers, devil's presses, curls, bench press, Javorek complexes? All of those are more easily and enjoyably performed with dumbbells.

I mean, why in the world would I attempt bench presses, etc., with a kettlebell?

That's exactly my point. You wouldn't. But you could, easily, with dumbbells. Dumbbells are more versatile.

[ScubaHogg]

Finally, all of this discussion has been about a just one movement: swings. What about cleans, snatches, man-makers, devil's presses, curls, bench press, Javorek complexes? All of those are more easily and enjoyably performed with dumbbells.

I mean, why in the world would I attempt bench presses, etc., with a kettlebell?

That's exactly my point. You wouldn't. But you could, easily, with dumbbells. Dumbbells are more versatile.

Of course they are more versatile

[bikefish]

OP,

Steve Cotter has stuff on the web. Your reference to dvds being old tech? Kettlebells are old tech

[tm3]

Yeah, kettlebells are a perfectly good complement to weight training but are not in themselves sufficient. You need to be doing the heavy, compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench press (and imo overhead press) that is complemented by kettlebells and other forms of assistance work. And honestly, I’d say this is even more true as you age. You’re not going to protect bone density with kettlebells alone.

Where is the evidence for this claim?

One can do compound movements to stimulate muscle synthesis with or without external loads (such as with KB's). I think what you're saying is you need the heavy loads that are only possible with machines or barbells in order to provide enough resistance to promote bone density.

The NIH has an article on how general exercise -- including resistance training -- promotes bone density:
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics ... one-health

Excerpt:

Resistance training exercises (weight lifting), which add resistance to movement to make muscles work harder and become stronger. These exercises put stress on bones, so they can make bones stronger as well. Strength-training exercises can involve:
Weight machines.
Free weights.
Resistance bands.
Use of your own body weight (such as pushups or pullups).

Someone needs to tell the jacked calisthenics guys they need to start incorporating barbells otherwise they will become decrepit and frail.

"To generate the adaptive response of bone (osteogenesis) to mechanical loading, sufficient magnitude, rate, and frequency of loading are necessary. Many animal studies showed that loading must be dynamic not static [83], induce high frequency strains [84,85], and be applied rapidly [86]. If adequate intensity of loading is achieved, relatively few loading repetitions are sufficient to generate an adaptive skeletal response [87]. Because osteocytes are desensitized due to repetitive loading, short bouts with interval for rest are more beneficial than the same number of loads performed all at once [88]. Furthermore, because bone adapts to customary patterns of loading such as one-directional movement, diversification of loading such as multi-directional training is required to stimulate an adaptive skeletal response [89]."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl ... 79907/#B84

"From the revision of the RT protocols, it was possible to observe that RT should be planned with four to five exercises for the trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs, containing two to three sets per exercise, eight to twelve repetitions at 70 to 90% 1 RM, rest ranging from 60 to 120 s between sets, and three sessions per week for 12–52 weeks. "

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9222380/

Results: The review revealed evidence to support the effectiveness of weight training exercises to increase BMD in postmenopausal women. The increases in BMD were site-specific and required high loading with a training intensity of 70% to 90% of 1 RM for 8 to 12 repetitions of 2 to 3 sets performed over one year duration.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18171491/

Maintaining bone density depends on generating sufficient mechanical stress on your bones. To do that, you need to lift heavy. Calisthenics doesn't generate enough mechanical stress on your bones. This isn't bro science, this is well-studied and has been validated. It also just makes sense intuitively.

I'll also toss into the mix that my PT said that older folks (he didn't give an age but he was referring to me!) have to have higher frequency of workouts and have to use heavier weights to achieve meaningful results than do younger folks. He said that a 30 year old for example can get significant results from one weight training session a week but a 60 year old cannot. I've also read that oldsters need much more protein intake, some saying as much as a gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

I just ran out of chips so let me find another bag and head back to the couch ......