Hey tmcdonald2013, that’s a great post, lots of good info there, thanks for putting it out there.

Here are my thoughts though
1) When comparing increases in VO2 max and increases in cardiovascular endurance between sets of KB swing and actual cardiovascular activity, the KB swing will lose out every time. You’re training more of the anaerobic energy system with the KB’s and much more of the aerobic energy system during extended biking or running. On the flip side, you’ll develop more muscle from the swings, and you have a bit more of the EPOC effect, which will give you a higher caloric burn than estimated in the article.
2) Vertical leap trial, if you’re giving men only a 16kg bell to use, I wouldn’t think there would be much improvement… That’s the kind of weight a good coach could get a beginner using within 2 sessions. To get the kind of stimulus I’m talking about, you’d have to be well versed in the move, and using a heavier bell.
3) Spinal Loading. A traditional crunch puts an estimated 3,350 N of shear force on the low back as well, and as much as I don’t endorse doing crunches or sit ups, You can’t escape that the spine is subjected to forces all day long from tons of different stimuli. I think that learning how to brace the deep core musculature against those forces, are where kettlebells can be extremely effective.

All in all, it’s good to keep in mind that KB’s are not the be all end all of fitness, rather a good tool to keep around, just like barbells, dumbells, TRX’s etc.
I still love them as a training implement, and love KB swings for the insane benefits you can get from just one exercise.
Thanks again for the great question TMac!