Thursday, November 1, 2012

What Are Kettlebells?

By Greg Diener


Kettlebells, Kettlebells, Kettlebells I keep overhearing the question being asked; "What are Kettlebells"? This question has been asked a lot lately. To answer the question, Kettlebells are all the rage in the fitness world. They have recently become popular in the fitness tool arena. Those that have been heavily involved in the fitness world have probably heard of kettlebells before, but it is just recently that the average consumer has heard of them. Most people don't realize that they are weights, but they just appear different.

Kettle bells are cast-iron weights used for fitness reasons. They sort of look like a strong iron tea kettle, just without the spout. Another way to discuss them is a cannonball with a handle that had been affixed. They were initially used in Russia where they were used as weights for scales in fairs. Since they were mainly used to weigh agricultural equipment and products, kettlebells were mostly used by farmers. Eventually these farmers would turn swinging and carrying these weights into a tournament. Festivals were held to showcase each farmer's prowess. This would continue on for generations until it became more of a fitness tool.

Kettlebells originally were used by farmers in some of the ways we see them being used in exercise today. Farmers did different motions with the weights by lifting, swinging, jerking and cleaning the weights. The Russians saw that you could perform many different moves with the kettlebell. Because the weights gave people excellent coordination, it would not be long until it became a national sport in the country.

It wasn't long before the use of Russian kettlebells stretched to other European nations. It slowly started earning success in different nations and finally reached the strands of America in the early 2000's. Since it has reached the United States, it has proceeded to rise in appeal. More individuals are switching to kettlebells from the more traditional bar bell weights used in the United States. Not only are individuals embracing the kettlebells, but fitness sects, such as CrossFit, have begun to adopt them into their programs.

Kettlebells are so sought after because of their massively productive routines. While they do bring many great results, they do have a high risk of injury. This is because of the motions are very specific and need to be completed with precision. Professional assistance should be sought before initiating a workout program that uses kettlebells so that the risk of injury is prevented as much as possible.




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