History

Kettlebells are a great way to build muscle and burn fat, and they are becoming increasingly popular in the fitness world. Where did they come from though? Allow they are just beginning to come into the spotlight; Kettlebells have been used by bodybuilders and fitness gurus for hundreds of years. The information below will provide you with the history of the Kettlebell, a unique and effective weight loss tool.

What is a Kettlebell?
A kettlebell is a Russian type of hand weight that is shaped like a big cannonball with a handle. Often made out of pure cast iron, they are available in a wide range of weights and sizes. The lightest one weighs in at only 10 pounds, and they can increase in weight all the way up to 100 pound weights. These unique tools are used in a wide range of strength training exercises, to increase muscle and build endurance. Now that you know what they are, you can begin to learn the history of the kettlebell.

The History
Kettlebells originated in Russia, and the first recorded mention of them was in 1704 within a Russian dictionary. The Russian word for Kettlebells is "girya," and the men who lifted these weights were called "gireviks." Kettlebells gained recognition as a superb weight loss tool when they were featured in the fitness magazine Hercules in 1913. In the recent history of the Kettlebell, they have become increasingly popular within the United States thanks to a man named Pavel Tsatsouline. Tsatsouline is a fitness author who used to be a trainer for not only the United States armed forces but the Soviet Union forces as well. Once the United States noticed that they could not endure as long as their Russian counterparts within competitions, they began incorporating the kettlebell into their training routines. In 1985 a committee for the sport of Kettlebell lifting was created, and the first National Championship for Kettlebells was help in Russia in 1985 with its own set of rules and standards. Today, the Kettlebell is being introduced into the fitness routines of the everyday man, as their benefits have proven them to be one of the most useful tools for building strength.