The kettlebell, or Girya in Russian, is an old Russian strength and conditioning tool. Although it first appeared in a Russian dictionary in the year 1704, nobody is really origin of the kettlebell, although there are theories. One of the theories is that the kettlebell started life as a farmer’s counter balance, used to measure out quantities of goods on balance scales. As is the nature of people to compete and test their strength against others, the balance weights were then also used in competitions to see who could lift them the most.
The Scots claim it to be from the ancient highland games or curling competitions which date back thousands of years since the Picts who are indigenous to Scotland roamed and lived within its borders. Their kin folk the Celts lay claim along the same lines to the heritage that is the kettlebell. Highland strongman still throw a curling stone type weight over a high bar and practice various techniques with this type of weight.
The design of the kettlebell makes the transition from and into different movements easy. The ideal kettlebell should be a sphere with a flat bottom and a handle wider than a hands width. The handle should be thick enough for you to put that you can put your thumb over the tip of your index finger, a too thick handle may result in grip loss. The handle height is also important, when the bell is racked the belly of the bell should rest on the back of your forearm and not the wrist. To make the transitions smooth the handle width should me neither too wide or narrow. With the growing popularity of kettlebell training manufacturers are now making kettlebells available in a multitude of colours and designs. Competitive kettlebells are more expensive than standard kettlebells as they are hollow so as to retain the same “footprint” regardless of weight as an example an 8kg/18lb bell will have the same dimensions as 12kg/18lb bell.
The thing that makes the kettlebell the great workout tool it is, is the shape and design, the transition between movements are easy and fluid and kettlebells are particularly suited to exercises such as jerks, clean and jerks snatches and swings, which although they can be done with a dumbbell would be more difficult.
The kettlebell allows for complex full body movements that engage the major muscle groups that makes it an extremely effective training aid. Muscles are forced to work together across several plains of motion whilst maintaining balance and control. Kettlebells are great for targeting the five components of fitness, strength, flexibilty, body composition and muscular and cardiovascular endurance. Since both strength and cardiovascular systems are challenged the result is a workout that saves time, burns calories and since kettlebell training is so intensive a workout can be completed in half the time of a traditional workout.
The kettlebell can seem quite intimidating at first, but practicing and perfecting a few of the exercises can soon make your workouts dynamic and enjoyable. Give the kettlebell a try and I’m sure it’ll become and essential part of your routine. Great value kettlebells in the UK are available here.
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