When thinking of kettlebells you probably have a vision of old-time barrel chested men with curled mustaches. This is not true anymore as many of today’s athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and military, to name a few, are utilizing the benefits of kettlebell training. A former Soviet Secret Service trainer, Pavel Tsatsouline, is credited with bringing kettlebell training to the U.S. with much popularity.

 

Kettlebell training is different then your traditional dumbbell and barbell training. These exercises offer fast total body workouts with great results. Rather then just isolating the major muscle groups, kettlebell training incorporates many movements which require stabilizing muscles as well as major muscles simultaneously. This style of training has been proven to have multiple benefits including cardio, strength, mental focus, athletic training, occupational training, as well as rehabilitation.

 

Two of the main things to look for when purchasing kettlebells are the finish and handle size. It’s not necessarily the best looking kettlebells that are going to give you the best results and function. Since kettelbell training incorporates so many muscle groups in fast movements, it easy to quickly workup a sweat, this is very important to remember when looking at the kettlebell finish. You have to look out for finishes that are too slick which may cause you to easily drop the kettlebell with sweaty hands, and at the same time you also have to look out for finishes that are too rough or sticky that may sacrifice proper hand movement.

 

When looking at the handle size you want to look for a consistency between all weight increments, which allows for the same feel and balance when moving from one increment to another.  

 

If you are looking to start kettlebell training there are many informational websites as well as DVD’s to help you get started. Some of the best places to look are www.sovietforce.com , www.youtube.com , and www.crossfit.com.