Are kettlebells just another fad?

Fad: (noun) A fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period of time; a craze. The word girya (Russian for kettlebell) first appeared in the Russian dictionary in 1704. Folklore has it that kettlebells were first used in Russian markets as a counterbalance. At the end of the day these cast iron balls with handles were swung, tossed, pressed, and juggled by the farmers. Measured in poods, these giryas quickly became the people’s choice method of fitness. Kettlebells made their way to the United States in the early 1900s via Russian immigrants. If you take a look at pictures of gyms in Coney Island New York from the 1920s you will see them lined with kettlebells, but without people available to teach proper technique they lost popularity and Americans didn’t have the interest to learn. Kettlebell training is a motor skill that takes time to develop, unlike a dumbbell that can be mastered in five minutes. They have been around for at least 300 years and will continue to be an integral part of strength and conditioning programs for another 300 years. Today kettlebells are used by SWAT teams, Marines, firefighters, fighters, and Secret Service Agents around the world. So are kettlebells a fad? You decide…

Are kettlebells safe?

Yes! To an untrained eye the ballistic movements of kettlebell training may look dangerous; however, kettlebells are actually proven to significantly increase muscular strength and endurance in the hips, glutes, and lower back resulting in an extremely strong and resilient core and posterior chain. Like anything, if used incorrectly and without proper supervision you risk injury. The majority of kettlebell exercises involve the whole body. This means there is less stress being put on a single muscle or joint resulting in less chance of acute or overuse injury. Are kettlebells safe? Yes, very.

Who trains with kettlebells?

Currently celebrities, federal agents, military, police, fire and rescue, and athletes of all sports use kettlebells. Soon, everyone.

What size kettlebell should I start with?

We suggest the average woman start off with a 15lb kettlebell and work up to the 26. Women with a strong fitness background can begin with the 26lb kettlebell and work up to the 35. Men, we suggest you start with the 35lb bell and work up to the 53. If your build is above average and you have a strong fitness background, go right for the 53 and work your way up to the 70. There seems some disagreement when it comes to this topic. Some trainers recommend buying two kettlebells of the same weight before going up a size. Here’s what we recommend and why. If you are trying kettlebell training for the first time, congratulations, we’re excited for you and hope to hear all about your training. Taming that cast iron animal is challenge enough with one kettlebell, now you throw another one in the mix and it’s a whole new beast. This is why we suggest a two-steps-forward, one-step-back approach to training. Fore example, once you have mastered the 35lb, move up to the 53. Once you are good with the 53 move up to the 70. After you’re comfortable with the 70 go back and purchase another 53. If you go straight from the 35 to buying a second 35 you’re not only training with harder exercise selection, but you’re doing it with a combined weight of 70 lbs. We would rather see the progression go 35, 53, 70, 106 (53+53) than 35,70,53,106. You will be much better prepared this way.

Can I train with kettlebells everyday?

Kettlebells are like any other fitness tool. If they are used correctly and are part of a well-planned program, yes they can be used everyday. That said, we don’t recommend you take a 32kg kettlebell and military press it for max reps on a daily basis. Consult a certified strength and conditioning specialist / kettlebell instructor and have them put a safe and effective program together for you.

How is a kettlebell different than a dumbbell or barbell?

Let’s start with the obvious. The kettlebell has a thicker, U-shaped handle which will help you develop freakish grip strength. The U-shape creates an extra lever within the lifter-weight system. With a dumbbell or barbell the center of mass is in the palm of your hand. It is more balanced and easy to control. A kettlebell’s center of mass changes in relation to the last human lever segment holding it. This results in a great amount of rotational inertia or torque. In other words, kettlebells are much more demanding and have real life applicability. However, if your goal is just to get big biceps and pecs, the dumbbell is the route you should go. We look at it this way... Why have a Ferrari with a Volkswagen engine when you could have a Ferrari with a Ferrari engine?

What should I wear while kettlebell training?

Wear loose, comfortable clothing that breathes. As far as footwear goes, if you’re training in your own home or on the beach feel free to go barefoot, just be careful not to drop it on your toes. If you are training with me try to find a flat bottom shoe with lateral support (Nike Zoom or Puma style). Stay away from running shoes, they have no lateral support and way too much heal cushion for kettlebell training.