Kettlebells, introduced slowly in the beginning of this decade (myself becoming a part of the “revolution” in 2003), sparked a wave of “functional” and “dynamic” training methods.
While much of the glistening novelty associated with the kettlebell has worn off, it has still proven itself to be a dramatic and important tool in any lifter’s shed, whether your goal is to lose fat, gain muscle, improve your conditioning, or augment powerlifting.
What Is A Kettlebell?
A kettlebell is, as they call it, a “cannonball with handles”. DragonDoor is primarily responsible for the craze, and unlike 2003, they are available in virtually any size, and knock-offs abound exist (I bought my girlfriend a cheap Target-brand kettlebell, endorsed by the reputed Sarah Lurie). A kettlebell is unique for a number of reasons, the two primary reasons being these:
- Offset center of gravity
- Ability to rotate
These attributes don’t look pragmatic on paper. In fact, all (well, not all, but most) kettlebell exercises can be reproduced with a dumbbell. I’ll get that out of the way right now. Dumbbells are cheaper and easier to obtain that kettlebells. HOWEVER, the two attributes stated above are what makes it different:
Offset Center of Gravity
There is a difference between squatting 250 on a barbell, and squatting with a 125 person sitting on your shoulder–center of gravity. A perfectly balanced objected is easier to lift than an off balance one. Because of the body’s bilateral make up, lifts are done more efficiently when everything is evenly balanced. The less “efficient” a movement is, the more work there is that needs to be done to complete the movement. Because the weight of a kettlebell is not “in your hand”, as it would be with a kettlebell or barbell, the weight will almost always be wanting to be somewhere other than where you want it to be. You don’t just have gravity working against you; you now have additional mechanics/levers to worry about. As a result of this, the kettlebell will always been fighting against you. Just a few examples of this.
- In a swing, the kettlebell wants to rotate due to the momentum, and wants to fly out of your hand. A tight grip prevents this.
- In a press, the kettlebell wants to pull your hand backwards. “Punching” with the weight (that is, keeping your forearm in line with the top of your hand) prevents this, and strengths the muscles of the forearm.
- In a snatch, the kettlebell will be rotating at the top of the movement and wants to fall behind you. The muscles of your shoulder girdle and forearm stabilize the weight and increase your strength.
Ability to Rotate
The unique shape allows the kettlebell to rotate in your hands. For most, if not all, of the dynamic/explosive movements, the kettlebell is going to be rotating in your hand. Something that rotates in your hand is much harder to hold onto than a static object; Olympic bars (and weightlifting bars, in particular) are designed with this in mind so that weightlifters don’t have to worry about rotation in the Olympic lifts.
The need for rotation, found only with kettlebells, creates a dynamic training tool that changes throughout the movement you use it for. With cleans, swings, snatches, and any of the quick lifts, the weight is going to be moving, wrenching, twisting, and tearing to get free from your hand–the stabilizer muscles in your forearms have to do MUCH more work to keep it steady. Add to this that most kettlebells also have a handle that’s thicker than a dumbbell or standard Oly bar, and your grip work is multiplied.
Is Russian Kettlebell Training Right For You?
That depends …
- Are you looking for a new, different, even fun way to workout? KB’s are definitely great for variety …
- Are you looking for a budget friendly way to outfit a home gym? A couple of KB’s and a pullup bar go a long way …
- Do you just wanna see what all the fuss is about?
Then you’ll probably enjoy kettlebell training too! So there you have it, that’s a little bit of info on Russian Kettlebells — let me know any questions you have and I’ll do more articles on this!
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