Yes, that's Lance Armstrong training with Kettlebells!
The kettlebell or girya is a traditional Russian cast iron weight that looks like a shot put or cannonball with a handle.
Kettlebells were used by legendary old-time strongmen in Russia, Europe and in the US in the 1800's up until just after the turn of the century. Soon after
the 20th century, kettlebells largely disappeared in the US, but stayed popular in Russia.
So popular were kettlebells in Tsarist Russia that any strongman or weightlifter was referred to as a girevik, or ‘a kettlebell man.’
“Not a single sport develops our muscular strength and bodies as well as kettlebell athletics,”
wrote Ludvig Chaplinskiy in Russian magazine Hercules in 1913.
How are Kettlebells used for fitness?
Kettlebell workouts are intended to burn body fat, increase strength, build endurance, and teach agility and balance by
challenging both the muscular and cardiovascular systems with dynamic, total-body movements.
Kettlebell training requires the involvement of all major muscle groups at once which provides a fantastic full body workout.
Are Kettlebells dangerous? Am I too old to use kettlebells?
Kettelbell training is very safe when you are supervised by a trained instructor. We strongly recommend you learn kettlebell training
in one of our kettlebell classes. Even in top level kettlebell competition, the
injury rate is miniscule compared to injuries in sports. In our practice we use
kettlebells for injury rehabilitation and injury prevention. We have high school athletes training
with kettlebells as well as senior Olympians. Our oldest kettlebell man is 74 and he swings the 53 lb. kettlebell!
Are Kettlebells really effective for weight loss AND weight gain?
According to Voropayev (1997) who studied top Russian gireviks, 21.2% increased their bodyweight since taking up kettlebell training and
21.2% (the exact same percentage, not a typo), mostly heavyweights, decreased it.
The Russian kettlebell is a powerful tool for fixing your body composition, whichever way it needs fixing.
What size Kettlebell is appropriate for me?
At Capital Sports Injury Center we use kettlebells in wide range of sizes - from 4kg to 40kg. We STRONGLY recommend that you come in and let us show you how to use a kettlebell before trying one on your own. I just spoke to a colleague of mine who had just completed his first kettlebell class. He had difficulty doing a Turkish Get Up (TGU) with NO WEIGHT! An empty hand!
The first time you attempt any kettlebell movement, you should use a weight you are sure you can handle. In our facility even a strong man may start with a 8kg kettlebell. That being said, within one session he may progress to a 16kg kettlebell. For the ladies, a 4kg or 6kg is an appropriate starting weight.
Once you gain some experience and find your comfortable training weight, then purchasing a kettlebell will be easy. Most women can start with an 8kg kettlebell (for overhead movements like presses, TGUs, and snatches)and a 12kg or 16kg for swings. Most men should buy a 12kg to warm-up and for overhead movements and a 16kg for swings. If you rapidly progress to heavier kettlebells - good technique is the key - then good for you!
Voropayev (1983) observed two groups of subjects over a period of a few years and tested them with a standard battery of armed forces
PT tests: pullups, a standing broad jump, a 100m sprint, and a 1k run. The control group followed a typical university physical
education program that emphasized the above. The experimental group just lifted kettlebells. In spite of the lack of practice on
the tested exercises, the kettlebell group showed better scores in every one of them!
Researchers at the Lesgaft Physical Culture Institute in Leningrad (Vinogradov & Lukyanov, 1986) found a very high correlation between
the results posted in a kettlebell lifting competition and a great range of dissimilar tests: strength, measured with the three powerlifts
and grip strength; strength endurance, measured with pullups and parallel bar dips; general endurance, determined by a 1000 meter run; and
work capacity and balance, measured with special tests!
Shevtsova (1993) discovered that kettlebell training lowers the heart rate and the blood pressure. Gomonov (1998)
concluded that “Exercises with kettlebells enable one to quickly build strength, endurance, achieve a balanced development
of all muscle groups, fix particular deficiencies of build, and they also promote health.” Most methods that claim
‘all around fitness’ deliver no more than compromises. Accept no compromises – choose the Russian kettlebell!
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Join the many kettlebell training clients from Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, and Washington, D.C.
who have had success with our personal training programs.
MARYLAND KETTLEBELLS
THIS IS THE VIDEO YOU MUST HAVE WHEN YOU START TO TRAIN WITH KETTLEBELLS!