News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Russian kettlebell — king of weights.
Is it wrong to love a hunk of iron?
There are a very few possessions that I truly love. My Breedlove guitar, my favorite rifle, my Baldwin hat. And my Russian kettlebells. Iron cannonballs with thick handles. I have two - one weighs 44 pounds, the other 53 pounds. GreenRidge Physical Therapy has a 70-pounder they've let me use and I really, really want one of those, too.
So... what's to love?
• They're old-school. In recent years, there's been a renaissance of old-school strength and conditioning techniques, from bodyweight exercise to "strong man" training. That renaissance is based on good science that has demonstrated that many traditional strength training techniques are not only valid, but in many ways superior to protocols that have come and gone over the past 30-40 years.
Around the turn of the 20th century, Russian kettlebells were a common tool for the strongmen who were part of exhibitions from the vaudeville stage to traveling carnivals. That kind of thing stokes my traditionalist heart.
The big fitness revival that started in the '70s was often extremely trendy and machine-centric. Old-timey tools like the Russian kettlebell faded away. Except in Russia, of course. There, the traditional tool remained part of the arsenal of the strength elite and they were a favorite conditioning device for Soviet Spetznaz special forces.
Pavel Tsatsouline (see http://www.dragondoor.com) was a strength and conditioning coach for those special forces and when he emigrated to America, he launched a sort of kettlebell revolution.
• Kettlebells are effective: No question, kettlebells are cool. They lend a certain badass cachet to your workout program. But kettlebells wouldn't have caught on the way they did on the strength of their cool factor alone.
They deliver.
The basic principles of kettlebells involve a lot of swinging and "catching" of the weight - ballistic effort. That builds coordination, resilient connective tissue and a lot of the current holy grail of strength training: "functional" strength.
It's not that you can't get that effect at the gym - or through bodyweight exercises, or just with a conventional dumbbell. It's just that the kettlebell allows you to do so many different things so effectively with just one piece of iron. Many gyms, including Sisters Athletic Club, now have a selection of kettlebells. (Best to have someone knowledgeable show you how to use them properly.)
Used correctly, kettlebells offer strength and conditioning in a single, portable package. Compound moves are the name of the game with kettlebells, and with a good circuit of exercises, you can jack your heart rate for cardio conditioning and build your strength at the same time.
• Kettlebells are convenient: I keep a KB by my desk so I can get a physical break from the keyboard. And a vigorous set of snatch-presses is a great mood elevator. Sometimes I throw them in the truck and take them out to the woods for a workout, or out to Zimmerman Butte for an improvised biathlon - lifting and shooting. Lots of folks work out with them on the beach. Anywhere I travel to by car, a KB goes with me.
• Kettlebells are fun: Any trainer will tell you that the key to long-term success with any training program is enjoyment. The more fun you're having, the harder you'll work. Kettlebells offer a virtually limitless combination of exercises (Youtube is full of sample programs). You won't get bored. And, bottom line, there's just something primally satisfying about swinging that big ol' cannonball around.
My brother introduced me to the Russian kettlebell almost a decade ago, in the early years of Pavel's kettlebell revolution. I am eternally grateful. I've gained strength and fitness steadily, instead of losing it as I hit middle age. Nagging back and shoulder problems have completely disappeared. And I have fun with my workouts, every day.
What's not to love?
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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