Kettlebells

What They Are and Why You Should Use Them

The kettlebell is an iron or cast-iron weight that looks like a bowling or cannonball and usually has a flat base and a thick U-shaped handle attached. This rather odd-looking object is now frequently featured in numerous fitness magazines and American TV shows.
The original Russian kettlebells normally come in increments of a 1/2 pood – an old Russian weight measurement equivalent to 16kg (36lb) but they now come in a variety of weights allowing exercisers of any ability to use them. The standard weights are 8kg, 16kg, 24kg, 32kg, 40kg and 48kg. There are also smaller and in-between poundages available.

BENEFITS OF KETTLEBELL TRAINING

• It burns fat… real fast!
• It’s a whole-body strengthening and conditioning tool that trains virtually all your muscles simultaneously
• It builds unprecedented functional strength in your grip, hips, back and shoulders
• It develops explosive power and agility
• It increases mental toughness
• It enhances strength endurance
• It tones up your arms and chisels your abs
• It strengthens your core
• It increases flexibility and the mobility of your joints
• It improves coordination
• It makes you tough… real tough!

HISTORY

Kettlebells have been around since the days of the ancient Greeks but kettlebell training as we know it today is of Russian origin and has been used in Eastern Bloc countries for centuries by the military, police, athletes, wrestlers and fitness enthusiasts alike to develop strength, agility, power and endurance.

Although it first appeared in a Russian dictionary in 1704, nobody knows the exact origin of the kettlebell, although theories abound. One such theory is that the kettlebell started life as a weight used by farmers to weigh out quantities of goods on balance scales. Another theory is that the kettlebell was invented by the artillery branch of the military who added a handle to a cannonball in order to develop strength so they could load cannonballs more easily into their cannons.

Kettlebells proved popular with strongmen and wrestlers, such as Eugene Sandow, Georg Hackenschmidt, Arthur Saxon, Louis Cyr and Sig Klein. And in 1913, Ludvig Chaplinsky wrote the following in the Russian magazine ‘Hercules’: ‘Not a single sport develops our muscular strength and bodies like kettlebells.’

It was said that Soviet Special Operations (Spetznaz) attributed much of their strength, agility and stamina to kettlebells. The official armed forces strength- training manual declared that kettlebell drills were ‘one of the most effective means of strength development’ representing ‘a new era in the development of human strength potential.’

 Kettlebells later became Russian’s national pastime and were considered more as a form of entertainment than a real sport. However, in 1974, many Soviet Republics recognised them as ‘an ethnic sport’. In 1985, a committee of kettlebell sport was established that formulated rules, regulations and weight categories and in November 1985 the First National Championship was held in Lipetsk, Russia.

Fifteen years later, in 2000, kettlebells were finally reintroduced into America. At present kettlebells are being used to train US Marines, Special Forces, the FBI and the Secret Service. They are increasingly being used by martial-arts fighters, firefighters, policemen and professional and competitive athletes are also becoming popular in the UK.  As a matter of fact, nowadays, most gyms introduced them into their facilities and their programmes.

INTERESTED IN TRAINING WITH KETTLEBELLS?

What is your experience with Kettlebells? Have you used them before? What movements have you mastered? Variations of swings, both arm, single arms, alternate, cleans, snatches, presses. Or, maybe Turkish Get-ups, or windmills?

I started to use them in very early 2000’s. My first own kettlebells were custom made by some blacksmith in Scottland, or very north of England. They were awesome!!
Over the years, I’ve used 100’s of them, various shapes and types. I have my preferences – I like wide russian style cast iron type for big numbers of swings in the routine.

However, for all the snatches, cleans, the competiton style suit me best. Ideally, I avoid all the plastic stuff, anything filled with some sand, or whatever type of coating. I like simple, traditonal, heavy. Polish kettlebells are especially good to turn your grip in “something else” – but mincing your hands a few times in the process.

 

I started to use them in very early 2000’s. My first own kettlebells were custom made by some blacksmith in Scottland, or very north of England. They were awesome!!
Over the years, I’ve used 100’s of them, various shapes and types. I have my preferences – I like wide russian style cast iron type for big numbers of swings in the routine. However, for all the snatches, cleans, the competiton style suit me best. Ideally, I avoid all the plastic stuff, anything filled with some sand, or whatever type of coating. I like simple, traditonal, heavy. Polish kettlebells are especially good to turn your grip in “something else” – but mincing your hands a few times in the process.