What the heck is a kettlebell?

Kettlebells Provide a Great Weight Lifting Workout
Kettlebell workouts are a great way to build strength
By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide
Updated: December 05, 2008


What are Kettlebells?
If you've never heard of kettlebells, you aren't alone. Although this piece of strength training equipment has been around for decades, only recently has it caught the attention of mainstream athletes.
Kettlebells are bowling ball-sized cast iron weights with a single looped handle on top. Kettlebells range in weight from two pounds to over 100 pounds. Common strength training aids in Eastern Europe, kettlebells are taking off in the West thanks to fitness programs like CrossFit. Kettlebells are a favorite item in most CrossFit gyms, along with some other basic training items like weighted medicine balls, pull up bars, jump ropes and lots of free weights.

What's So Great About Kettlebells?
The reason for the boost in kettlebell training it that it gets back to basic training that requires functional, whole body fitness. Kettlebells require an athlete to focus on whole-body conditioning because lifting and controlling a kettlebell forces the entire body, and specifically the core, to contract as a group, building both strength and stability at the same time. Kettlebell workouts engage multiple muscle groups at once. In this way, they are a great option for getting a whole body workout in a short time.
Kettlebell Training Tips
If you want to maximize a kettlebell workout, get personal instruction from a personal trainer or coach (I happen to live with one) who has experience teaching kettlebell exercises. To find a certified kettlebell trainer near you, check out these websites:
•American Kettlebell Club
•Crossfit
•Canada's Agatsu and Kettlebell Training Academy
•International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation (IKFF)
Kettlebell Safety
It's important to start slow and get some training when using kettlebells. When used incorrectly, kettlebells can cause some nasty injuries. Proper use of this cast iron weight requires strength, coordination and lots of practice with a light weight before increasing weight. Each kettlebell exercise involves multiple joints and many muscle groups working together. It takes most athletes time to adjust to these new movement patterns that are often different than traditional weight-lifting moves. To master these movement patterns requires guidance, instruction and patience. After the basics are mastered, increasing the weight provides a strength workout unmatched by machines or even dumbbells.
The biggest mistake beginners make is lifting too heavy a kettlebell before they can control it. This can result in serious injuries to the joints, and especially the neck, back and spine.


Kettlebells Exercises
The first kettlebell exercise most athletes learn is the kettlebell basic swing (pdf). To do this, women will need a kettlebell that weighs around 12 to 25 pounds and men will need a 25- to 35-pound kettlebell. For this exercise, the weight needs to be heavy enough to fully engage the hamstrings (back of the thigh) and gluteus muscles. (Watch a video about the hamstring muscles.)

•Kettlebell Exercises from CrossFit
•Kettlebell Training from Dragon Door
Buying a Kettlebell
Look for a kettlebell with a smooth, comfortable handle made of cast iron.
Compare Prices of Cast Iron Kettlebells

Other Places to Buy Kettlebells:

•Agatsu
•Dragon Door
•Art of Strength
Source:

Dragon Door, Kettlebell Safety 101.