Kettlebell Workouts: Why All the Fuss About This New Rage at the Gym?

Fitness gurus everywhere are excited to bring out the latest workout tool for you to incorporate into your fitness regimen: the kettlebell. Kettlebell workouts are popping up everywhere. But this "new" tool isn't really new. In fact, it's been around for a while. Quite a while. Like, thousands of years. So, exactly, where did this thing originate? And why are people so kettlebell crazy?

What is a kettlebell?

Some say it looks like a cannonball with a handle. Some say it looks like an iron tea kettle. No matter what you think it looks like, it is a hand weight that ranges in size from 5 lbs. to 100 lbs. You can use the handle to maneuver them in such a way that you can tone and strengthen almost every muscle in your body in one fail swoop.

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Who invented this thing?

This traditional fitness tool is thought to have originated in Greece and initially used by athletes there over 2000 years ago. Many think it originated in Russia because it popped up in a Russian dictionary in the early 1700's and was called a "girya." Although this is true, the kettlebell has been in use by many athletes and trainers for many years in many countries and cultures. Fitness gurus love them, as do the U.S. military and firefighters.

Why do they work so well?

Swing it!

When you do a kettlebell workout, you aren't just doing one isolated move that engages one muscle group. Instead, you are multi-tasking. For instance, with a basic swing, you swing the kettlebell through your legs while positioning yourself into a squat. Then you swing the kettlebell up to about chin height as you move into a standing position. For sure, after you do this move about 20 times, you will "feel" it everywhere. That's why fitness enthusiasts love the kettlebell. You can workout every major muscle group at the same time. It's a smarter workout and more efficient than simply isolating muscle groups.

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