Origins
Also known as a Girya, a kettlebell looks like a metal ball with a flat bottom and a handle moulded to it.
Kettlebells have long been used as a dynamic tool to develop strength and endurance.
Their origin is still a matter of speculation, but archaeological records show evidence of their use in Ancient Greece and Persia, and through the middle ages.
They made their way to Russia about 1700, where they happened to be used as a weight measure for grain and goods.
Old kettlebells
At the end of the market day, at folk festivals and fairs, farmers started swinging and lifting them to show their strength, quickly finding out the health benefits.
In 1885, the roots of the modern sport took shape under the initiative of Doctor Kraevskogo, who introduced exercises with kettlebells to the Russian athletic circles.
In the early 1900’s, circus athletes, bodybuilders and strong men of Europe, Canada and America (Arthur Saxon, Sig Klein and Eugene Sandow, to name a few) all trained with kettlebells just like the Russian strongmen and athletes. Yet, while kettlebells disappeared in the West they began to flourish in the former Soviet Union. Everyone from common people, to the military, to Olympic athletes trained with kettlebells.
Russian research concluded that the kettlebell is an excellent tool for improving all around fitness and performance, and therefore kettlebells became the conditioning tool of choice for the Russian Army.
In addition, as part of their training program, Soviet Olympic lifters utilized kettlebells unilaterally in order to strengthen their weaker side. Their unprecedented success was witnessed at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.
To this day, countries of the old eastern bloc rely on them for supplementing the training of most of their athletes.
The government recognized the multiple benefits kettlebells would provide the numerous men and women who worked as labourers in their economy. As a result, in 1981 the first official Kettlebell Commission was formed. The Commission enforced mandatory kettlebell exercise and conditioning for the populous, with the understanding that this singular instrument would keep its people fit, increase productivity, and decrease healthcare costs.
Today kettlebells are being used by Hollywood stars , profession athletes, football and rugby teams, martial artists, and wrestlers. Kettlebells are for everyone, from the professional athlete that wants the edge for competitions, the martial artist that wants flexibility, speed and power to dominate his opponent, the average person who wants to get fit to the grandmother who just wants to play with her grandchild for many years to come.
Those who like in depth details and references can read the IUKL article
