If you have heard about kettlebells for the first time, this is the best place to being learning about them and how to incorporate them in your exercise routine. I will explain in details about kettlebell history, workout exercises, different types and where you to buy kettlebells.
What are Ke
ttlebells?
Kettlebell is also called girya (a Russian term) and can be defined as a cast-iron weight that has a similar shape to a kettle or a cannonball that has a handle. Kettlebells are useful for different kind of exercises with the most common being cardiovascular, flexibility and strength training. Personally, I find kettlebells to be very useful in my daily strength training program. Kettlebells are also used in different sports but the most recent adoption has been for weight loss programs. Kettlebells are useful for weight loss program in women as well as strength training programs.
History of Kettlebells
Kettlebells history dates back to 1700 in Russia where they were primarily used for weighing crops. After using kettlebells for a long time the farmers gradually developed a stronger physique that was a status symbol in festivities. They were then adopted by the Soviet Army in their training programs in the 20th century. In the mid 19th century they were introduced in sports in both Russia and Europe. Kettlebells have since been adopted for the mainstream training programs since they produce great results better than the ordinary dumbbells. Today, you are usually useful for a number of training programs that include the following
- Kettlebell weight loss workouts
- Kettlebell strength and endurance workouts
- Kettlebell flexibility training programs
Different Types of Kettlebells
Kettlebells are differentiated by their weight, appearance and material used to make them. First and foremost, nearly all kettlebells you will come across will have the same shape. They have a mass that has an extended handle that makes it easier to use them for swinging exercises to strengthen the arms.
They are however categorized as either adjustable kettlebells or non adjustable kettlebells. The adjustable kettlebell come with a mechanism to adjust the handle which makes them suitable for a variety of core strength training workouts. The name kettlebell comes from the close semblance to the ordinary kitchen kettle.
Adjustable kettlebells may give you a better training experience since you can adjust them to suit to your strength training needs. Kettlebells also come in different materials but most that you will come across are made from cast-iron.
Kettlebell Sizes and Prices
Kettlebells sizes vary depending on the weight, when shopping for kettlebells you will come across the following sizes;
- 4 Kilogram kettlebell
- 8 Kilogram kettlebell
- 12 Kilogram kettlebell
- 24 Kilogram kettlebell
- 32 Kilogram kettlebell
These are some of the most common kettlebell weight sizes. When buying these weights you may also consider either buying adjustable type or buying kettlebells sets or both.
Where to Buy Kettlebells
The prices of these weights may vary depending on the sizes and the place you choose to buy from. You can always take advantage of different Discounts offered by Amazon on Kettlebells or look for used kettlebell to get you started. You can purchase used ones from ebay like I did for the first set but Amazon offers nearly the same price for a new set of Kettlebells. I also wrote a post on where to buy kettlebells : 5 of the Best Places
Personal Experience
For the last 2 years since I was hooked on kettlebells training program in the summer of 2012. I have been using them for my core strength training. Combined with a good kettlebell DVD they can be very effective. Please share your experience on the comments section below.