Enter the Kettlebell

So what are Kettlebells?

   In days of old, Russian Strongmen were named Bogatir, and were known for their super strength and power. They trained with Kettlebells and the story goes that they used their power against evil. Fairytale or not, the Russians still favour these balls of iron, where Kettlebell lifting has become a national sport, and the major part of military training. It has become synonymous with strength so much so, that the Russian term for strongman is 'Girevik', or 'kettlebell lifter'. Kettlebells have also been tracked way back to the ancient Greeks, where athletes and gladiators used them to train.
   Back in 1913, the Russian magazine 'Hercules' reported: "Not a single sport develops our muscular strength and bodies as well as kettlebell athletics."

Sigmund Klein

 What makes them so good?

   Kettlebells have been referred to as 'The Ultimate Conditioning Tool'. The techniques or 'lifts' can be used to develop and improve: Strength, Power, Endurance, Flexibility, Core Function and Functional abilities, with most of these achievable in the same lift. They target predominantly the muscles of the posterior chain, running from you heels up to the back of your neck. This chain includes some huge muscle groups (glutes, hamstrings, traps etc), which are responsible for big power movements such as sprinting, jumping, kicking and pulling- very relevant to sports and, everyday life really. These muscles tend to be forgotton by the average gym goers, whether its because they can't be seen flexing in the mirror or people are just unaware of good back/leg exercises, which is not our fault. Next time you go to your gym, note how may more machines are targetting the big 'mirror muscles', chest, biceps, quads galore! Always more! Shame.

the swing

 Working such big muscle groups intensifies the workout, developing all-over strength improving metabolism which burns more calories, giving that stripped, cut-up musculature.

   Along with the benefits listed above, improved coordination and balance seem to be the quickest adaptations to kettlebell training. The nature of the lifts (swinging, one-arm/leg, multi-planar), cause the body to be pulled off balance and out of form while performing them, requiring you to resist by locking up big muscle groups to complete the lifts correctly. A great benefit, with these factors added to every rep, just proves why they produce so good results so quickly! And they are definitely not just for guys, they are a great tool for women who want that lean, defined physique without developing muscle mass!

                                           Get Involved!!