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Kettlebells are often described as a cannonball with a suitcase handle attached. They are basically a weight with an off center handle making them a more realistic form of resistance as opposed to symmetrical dumbbells or machines. This design allows for more range of motion developing flexible strength in major muscle groups while recruiting previously never used stabilizers. The benefits and applications of kettlebells are numerous and well documented but one of the main things to note is that kettlebell training is NOT A FAD. Never losing popularity in American Strongman culture, training with similar implements has been documented throughout time in many cultures. First noted in the Russian dictionary in the 1700’s, kettlebells are a standard for training and testing in the Russian military, as well as the recommended method of training for all Russian citizens. In contemporary America kettlebells have already established themselves as the tool of choice for many martial artists, football players, tactical professional and other extreme contact athletes. Although it would take many literary volumes to list the benefits and uses of kettlebells, they are endeared for their simplicity and brutal effectiveness… at least brutal for the competition. |
Am
I kettlebell material?
Kettlebell training is extreme but not elitist. At the 1995 Russian Championship
the youngest contestant was 16, the oldest 53! And we are talking elite competition
here; the range is even wider if you are training for yourself rather than for
the gold. Dr. Krayevskiy, the father of the kettlebell sport, took up training
at the age of forty-one and twenty years later he was said to look fresher and
healthier than at forty.
Only 8.8% of top Russian gireviks, members of the Russian National Team and regional teams, reported injuries in training or competition (Voropayev, 1997). A remarkably low number, especially if you consider that these are elite athletes who push their bodies over the edge. Many hard men with high mileage have overcome debilitating injuries with kettlebell training (get your doctor's approval). Acrobat Valentin Dikul fell and broke his back at seventeen. Today, in his mid-sixties, he juggles 180-pound balls and breaks powerlifting records!
1 hour Training
= $100*
10, 1 hour sessions package = $750 (save $250)
20, 1 hour sessions package = $1,250 (save$750)
*4 hours of training is the average time required for most trainees to get proficient with basic training skills.
Bells endorsed by the top notch IKFF:
| Kettlebell - 12kg (26.5 lbs) ELITE KB [Green] |
Kettlebell - 24kg (52.9 lbs) ELITE KB [Black] |
Kettlebell - 20kg (44.1 lbs) ELITE KB [Silver] |
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Some people
prefer vinyl coated bells to protect their valuable floors: |
Cast
iron bells from Perform Better:
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Kettlebell
Sport style bells from Perform Better: 
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American made bells great for strength training made by the organization that spearheaded KB training in mainstream America, DragonDoor:
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Some people prefer vinyl coated bells to protect their valuable floors:
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Copyright © 2010 Gregory Landess.
All Rights Reserved
Website created by Kimberly
Lola
