Kettlebell History
The kettlebell is a fitness training weight that looks like a bowling ball, but has a handle attached to its top. The kettlebell is considered a full-body exercising tool that can aid a person's functional fitness, or activities that people do every day. The kettlebell is used worldwide, but one country has benefited from using the kettebell in training for many years.
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Original Use
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A kettlebell first appeared in a Russian dictionary in 1704. This device actually was used as a counter-weight for displays that merchants used to sell their wares in Russian markets.
Tossing It Around
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Eventually, Russians began tossing around the kettlebell and quickly discovered the full-body fitness benefits of doing so. Many of the exercises used today with the kettlebell use the entire body and are derived from historical Russian exercises. The kettlebell quickly became popular in Russia, where during tsarist times, the kettlebell became the country's official conditioning tool. A magazine article in Hercules magazine in 1913 helped kettlebells gain more recognition.
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Military Time
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The kettlebell became a natural fitness tool for the Russian military, so much so that Russian soldiers don't perform push-ups for fitness tests. They do what are called kettlebell snatches. Snatches involve picking up the kettlebell, redirecting the bell in midair and flipping it over while maintaining a strong shoulder position. Many Russian military members competed in Olympic events during the days of the Soviet Union, and they used kettlebell training to dominate throwing events. The U.S. Secret Service has now instituted a similar test.
Trendy Fitness
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Like many fitness regimens that become successful, they usually are co-opted by Hollywood, and the kettlebell is no exception. The Sun, a popular newspaper in London, reported that stars such as actress Jennifer Aniston and former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell have used the kettlebell to stay trim.
Why It Works
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Kettlebells have developed a great reputation because they promote full-body fitness. The exercises performed with a kettlebell don't just work one part of the body. They integrate the entire body and help promote stabilization of the core muscles.
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