Training with kettlebell sets is a fun and different way to complete your workout routines at the gym. Whether you want to build muscle or burn fat, having kettlebell sets on hand is one of the best ways to prepare for your workout at home, given their ease of transport and use. Their long-term effects are great flexibility and resistance. In addition, thanks to their wide variety of functions (abdominal, bodybuilding, cardio, etc.), they can be used to work all parts of the body.
Because of their rough and easily manufacturable shape, weight sets have been used for centuries both for weighing things on a scale and for fitness. Not surprisingly, they were already in use in ancient Greece. In the archaeological museum of Olympia, you can see a kettlebell weighing no less than 315 lbs in Athens. However, as its name (Russian Weigh) indicates, most of its fame and notoriety were acquired in ancient Russia. In the 17th century, it began to be used as a measure of weight to measure the grain and other goods related to agriculture. Because Russian culture considers strength to be good quality, its use soon transcended the merely agricultural, and festivals and competitions began to be organized at fairs. Citizens performed lifting exercises to demonstrate their physical fitness.
The officialization of its use in sport came about thanks to Dr. Vladislav Kraevksy, considered the founder of “heavy athletics” or heavy lifting. After a documentation trip throughout Europe, he introduced Kettlebell and Olympic barbell exercises to the Russian athletic community. He founded, in 1885, the Russian Weight Training Center, a rustic gymnasium where, three times a week, athletes performed exercises with Russian weights under the doctor’s close supervision.
At the beginning of the 20th century, its expansion outside the Russian borders began with the help of the leading bodybuilders and circus artists, but it was slowed down due to the wars in Europe. However, its popularity in Russia continued to grow, and its use was even standardized in the military forces. In 1974 they were officially declared as the representative sport of Russia, and in 1985 the first national championship of Kettlebells of the Soviet Union was organized in Lipetsk. From there, it was only a matter of the United States getting its gears in motion and popularizing it.
They allow aerobic exercise while enhancing agility and coordination, not to mention strength. However, handling the kettlebell with both hands requires technique, significantly not to hurt yourself, because they can be cumbersome. They can weigh between 35, 52, and 70 lbs.
The advantage of kettlebell sets over traditional dumbbells is that their center of gravity is external to the hand, which allows for ballistic exercises, such as swings and pull-ups. It also makes the weight more difficult to control, but that’s why it’s so effective. It does not exercise specific muscles but allows for a complete functional workout. Kettlebell movements resemble physical activities in the field, such as digging a ditch or felling a tree. They involve the whole body, increase strength and endurance, improve balance and agility, and strengthen the abdominal belt, so crucial for preventing back pain.
