What is a Kettlebell?

            A kettlebell or girya is a traditional Russian exercise instrument that looks like a bowling bowl or a cannonball with a looped handle on top. It is used to perform exercises that targets the lower back, shoulders and legs, and also increases your grip strength. They are used in exercises that combine strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training. Kettlebells nowadays range in weight from 5 lbs to 175 lbs but the traditional Russian one usually weighs approximately 16 kg.

            Although very popular with Eastern European athletes for decades, kettlebells have only been known in the mainstream recently. This does not diminish the reputation of the equipment though, as most gym buffs love the fun and excitement they feel while using the equipment. Often compared to barbells, advocates agree that kettlebells are more effective than their counterpart in promoting the body’s overall fitness.

            So what attracts people to this equipment? Kettlebells are great for those who want to achieve functional and total body fitness. The kettlebells will require the person using it to focus on whole-body conditioning because of the conditions dictated by the instrument’s workout. Controlling and lifting the instrument requires the entire body, especially the core, to contract, building stability and strength both at the same time. Furthermore, kettlebell ballistic exercises such as the snatch, swing, and the clean and jerk teach the athlete to coordinate his body as one unit. It is said that those movements mimic the daily activities of workers such as farmwork or shoveling or picking up heavy objects.

            Another thing that attracts trainees to this device is its portability. You can place it everywhere, from the closet to under your bed. Also, doing your exercise in your home or outside is so much fun as compared to going to the gym, with its crowded space and lack of available instruments, and not to mention its high membership prices.

            The conditions that the kettlebells require in its training call for a strong core, shoulder or back problems. If you’ve got problems in any of these areas, it is not advisable for you to rush into training. Most beginners commit the biggest mistake by lifting a very heavy kettle bell before they can ever control the device. It is quite important for the beginner to not rush and get some proper training before using the instrument because when improperly used, kettlebells can cause a lot of harm instead of good to your body. To use the kettlebell properly means learning first how to use it with a light kettlebell and thereby build coordination and strength in the process. Then, you can move on to heavier weights. As every kettlebell exercise involves different major muscles and joints of the body at the same time, not utilizing this training properly can cause serious injuries especially on the back, neck and spine.

            There are many different kettlebells exercises that you can find online. You need to be very careful though because to master these exercises you need to have proper instruction, guidance and lots of patience. It is because the movements that are required in these exercises are quite different from the usual training. In my next hub, I promise to post some kettle exercises for you to try.