Kettlebells: It's Russian for all-round fitness.

The Russians know a thing or two about strength and fitness. It’s no coincidence that Russian athletes have dominated Olympic power and strength events for decades.

Or that the Russian elite forces are recognized as the fittest and strongest in the world. Or that Kostya Tszyu is an all-time great world champion boxer. So what’s their secret? Kostya will tell you that it is dedication, mental toughness … and the Kettlebell.

What is a kettlebell?

It looks like a solid cast iron kettle without a spout. It started life in rural Russia as a counterbalance for weighing grain. Russian peasants picked it up and swung it around for a bit of convenient weight training.

Over time, the Russian military understood its potential and started to use it, then Russian strongmen, weightlifters and wrestlers. American athletes eventually discovered it. Today it is regarded by fitness experts as the ultimate training tool for all-round fitness and physical development.

How does it work?

 

Unlike a conventional dumbbell or barbell, the Kettlebell’s centre of mass is displaced from the handle. This means the weight constantly pulls against your hand and requires not only strength and co-ordination when exercising with it, but also the recruitment of other muscles through your arms, shoulders and trunk.

 

The kettlebell is very user-friendly. You can start off by simply carrying a kettlebell around for a period everyday: lifting it, swinging it, passing it from hand to hand. As your strength and coordination develop you can move on to routines, exercises and heavier weights.

What will it do for me?

Everyone can benefit from a regular kettlebell workout: from those who just want to look and feel good, to elite athletes of all kinds. Primarily a kettlebell workout will develop your all-important body core – back, hips and trunk. You’ll also burn fat at an amazing rate and exercise your cardio-vascular system. Because you use your whole body to control the kettlebell you will also strengthen arms and legs.

You can exercise in your own time and space and get genuine results faster than ever before. The overall result will be increased strength, flexibility, timing, muscle tone and general body conditioning. Elite athletes can use advanced exercises and techniques to target various muscle groups and movement patterns.

Who trains with kettlebells?

Everyday people who demand an efficient and extremely effective fitness program. The growing list includes:

• Strength and conditioning coaches and personal trainers all over the world.
• AFL clubs Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda, Richmond, North Melbourne, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Fremantle & Geelong.
• Rugby League teams.
• Australian Institute of Sport.
• Boxing Champion’s like Kostya Tszyu.
• Body Building and Martial Arts Champions.
• Australian SAS, Army, Navy & Air Force.
• Defence force operations all over the world.
• Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors.
• Celebrities like Sylvester Stallone, Lance Armstrong, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz & Angelina Jolie.

How do I learn to use the kettlebell?

Pavel Tsatsouline, a Russian trainer based in the USA, is a world authority on Kettlebells. Many of his books and videos are available through this site. In addition, many other DVDs, videos and books on Kettlebell training are also available.

For some hands-on instruction from the experts, attend an Iron Edge Workshop or Kettlebells Certification Course. Kettlebell technique can be learned in one or two sessions and one can start intense training during the second and even first week.

Iron Edge now hold monthly weekend workshops in Melbourne and Perth (hopefully more states to follow). These are a three hour classes that are ideal for beginners and those wanting to get the most out of their kettlebell training.

What is the right kettlebell size for me?

Australian Kettlebells come in a variety of sizes: 4kg, 6kg, 8kg, 10kg, 12kg, 14kg, 16kg, 18kg, 20kg, 22kg, 24kg, 28kg, 32kg, 36kg, 40kg, 48kg, 56kg, 64kg & 80kg.

An average man should start with a 16kg kettlebell. It does not sound like a lot but you’ll find it vastly different to other forms of training and when learning the exercises its better to ere on the light side.

Most will outgrow the 16kg for some of the pure strength moves in a matter of weeks and will need a heavier Kettlebell, usually 24kg is the next progression.

But you will always find use for the 16kg for warming up, high rep sets and various joint mobility and stretching exercises. 

If you were to purchase two Kettlebells, in most cases you are better off buying a heavier and a lighter Kettlebell rather than two of the same size. Double drills are excellent but should only be tackled once the single drills have been mastered.

The general guidelines of building a set is to have singles of the 16kg, 24kg & 32kg first (or the 8kg, 12kg and 16kg for women), then move on to matching pairs as you advance in technique and strength.

The 32kg and 40kg Kettlebells are for the advanced kettlebell lifter. Once your competently throwing these sorts of weights around you’ll have reached a very high level of conditioning.

An average woman should start with an 8kg kettlebell whereas a strong woman can go for a 12kg bell. Some women will advance to a 16kg and a few stronger women will go beyond.

 

Australian Kettlebells come in 2kg increments from 4kg to 24kg, 4kg increments from 24-48kg and 8kg jumps from 48-64kg. Iron Edge also stock a massive 80kg kettlebell!

Can't I just do the exercises with dumbbells?

Yes, many Kettlebell exercises, such as presses can indeed be done with dumbbells, but the movement will be less effective. A good analogy would be comparing a free-weight bench press to a machine chest press. You may be able to lift more on the machine, but you still won’t recruit as much muscle as you would doing the corresponding movement with a barbell.

Other exercises, like bent presses and swings, would be more awkward to perform with dumbbells, because of their shape and balance.

Exercises like around-the-body passes, would not be possible at all due to the dumbbell’s design. With snatches and cleans, the flipping action of the Kettlebell provides excellent feedback and closure for each rep, and it’s satisfying to hit the groove just right. Dumbbell snatches are no more than a swing, and dumbbell cleans merely resemble cheat curls.

Besides providing more versatility in exercise selection than a dumbbell, the unique design of the Kettlebell means an offset centre of gravity. For example, when you press it overhead, the mass remains outside the axis of the forearm, as opposed to being centred within the hand - as with a dumbbell. You must work throughout the movement, even at the top of the lift, to control the resultant lever arm.

Trunk and shoulder stabilizers are forced to contract harder and in greater numbers to control the ‘awkward’ weight. The range of motion is also increased in the military press- it does not restrict your shoulder on the bottom and it stretches it at the top.

Because machines actually discourage the use of stabilizing muscles and three-dimensional motion, informed lifters have realised that they shouldn’t rely on them.

Barbells and dumbbells recruit and build more muscle by adding an element of instability, or degrees of freedom. Kettlebells take things up another notch since you’re constantly wrestling them for control, but in the process you receive even greater neuromuscular stimulation.

I heard that Kettlebells were used in the past only because they were easier and cheaper to build than dumbbells. Why should I use a primitive tool if I have access to better equipment?

There’s no denying that the Kettlebell is a simple tool; that is its inherent strength and appeal. It is what you make of it that matters. In the hands of a novice lacking proper instruction, it may appear to be just a funny-looking awkward weight. As part of a structured training regimen it is unsurpassed as a training tool.

The first Kettlebell wasn’t designed to be an exercise device. Its roots lie in agriculture and trade, having been originally used as a counterweight for measuring grain. According to lore, farmers and dockworkers tossed them around and their strength was admired. Eventually, it became an organized form of exercise.

The same, however, can be said for the first dumbbell. In the 18th century, steel rods were placed between pairs of church bells for a challenge lift. When the clappers were removed, the bells became silent, or dumb — thus the origin of the word dumbbell.

Even though the first Kettlebells and dumbbells weren’t actually designed for exercise, their modern incarnations have countless conditioning benefits and continue to provide ancient solutions to questions that hadn’t yet been asked.

I already own my first Kettlebell. What should I buy next – another Kettlebell of the same size or a bigger bell?

When building a set of Kettlebells the usual guidelines for adult men is to purchase singles of the 16kg, 24kg and 32kg bells first. Once you have a single set, work on getting doubles starting with another 16kg bell. Most double drills are done with Kettlebells of the same size. Two Kettlebells will add variety and intensity to your routine. But make sure you master the single arm drills first!

For most women, the guidelines are the same but with lighter bells - collect one each of 8kg, 12kg and 16kg bells, then start working on duplicates.

The physical and psychological benefits of using heavier bells make a lighter bell feel like a toy, even if you do only a couple of reps with the heavier one.

How long will it take to see results?

Kettlebell training forces the body to work harder – meaning rapid results! Controlling the offset centre of mass recruits numerous muscles, including the very important deep stabilizing ones.

You find it impossible to neglect a body part especially when doing exercises like the clean and jerk. These full body exercises mean you can train your whole body a lot faster and as ‘a unit’.

This sort of training is far superior to isolation exercises commonly seen in gyms. Like any form of effective training though, consistency is the key!

Are Kettlebells just another fad?

Kettlebells are nothing new, and they’re not flashy. They previously took a back seat to dumbbells, barbells, and machines as people yearned for the quick fix and the easiest path to fitness.

Kettlebell training is a little more difficult and that turns many people off. But the fact that they have resurfaced signifies a turning point in the fitness industry, as a small group of the well-informed yearn to ‘get back to basics,’ and are willing to do the hard work required. Kettlebells are here to stay.

What's the difference between Pro Grade and Classic kettlebells?

The Pro Grade kettlebells are our premium kettlebell product. Made from steel, the Pro Grade bell has been designed by the top Russian lifters and coaches for comfort and performance for serious kettlebell lifters. With a uniform size throughout, you do not need to change your technique when shifting between different weights.

The Pro Grade handle is smaller in circumference, placing less fatigue on the grip during high rep snatch workouts. The Pro Grade kettlebell is indestructible and is ideal for anyone looking for the very best in kettlebell training, especially those who train with high rep sets as in the Girevoy Sport.

For even more details check out this blog post.

How do I learn correct kettlebell lifting technique?

Like most new skills, proper kettlebell technique gives you better value for money. Although kettlebell lifting is not overly difficult, it does require some guidance to ensure safety and to make sure you get the most from your workouts. Iron Edge lead the way with education on kettlebell training by providing four ways to learn the intricacies of the sport.

• Workshops
• Certification Courses
• DVD's and Books
• Personal training from a qualified AKI

Aren't kettlebells a bit hardcore for me?

It's true that some hardcore and super strong athletes use kettlebells. This doesn't mean that they're only for those people. Kettlebell training can be adopted for men and women of all ages and fitness levels. If you want to reach your fitness goals, lose weight and improve your appearance, nothing will help you more than regular kettlebell training.

Isn't walking and aerobics more effective for weight loss?

Walking and aerobics aren't bad for you - it's just that they are NOT the most effective way to lose weight. Medical research has shown that cycling intense interval training with weights is a much more effective way to lose weight, burn calories and improve body composition. This is where kettlebells stand alone as the number one tool for this type of training and are a sure ticket to that lean toned athletic body you've always desired.

Won't weight training bulk me up?

The short answer is "not if you don't want it to". Kettlebells will add lean muscle tissue if you are underweight or will strip you down if your carrying unnecessary muscle bulk. You are left with a lean, strong and wiry physique.

Isn't this type of training bad for your back?

This is a big misconception with kettlebell training. Correct training ensures that your back and core muscles are strengthened from all angles. Kettlebell training will leave you with a healthy spine with adequate range of motion in all the right areas.

How can I get started?

Simply order a Kettlebell Starter Pack. This includes your own kettlebells and an instructional DVD.
We deliver anywhere in Australia, so get the unfair advantage today.