Kettlebells

The Kettlebell is one of the most versatile pieces of gym equipment.  It's design is basic yet unique, and has been around for literally over a 100 years with very little change (why make changes to a great design?)  It requires no maintenance and will never malfunction or show signs of wear.  You can rely on it again and again.

Kettlebells  were very popular with "stong men" up until the turn of the last century.  That is when the barbell with loading plates came into popularity, and the kettlebell was put in the corner.   Times have certainly changed.  With the new emphasis on fnctional fitness, they have gained a new and loyal following.  They are showing up more and more in fitness programs, in fire and police training, military training and in the programs of professional athletes.  One of the the reasons for the popularity of the kettlebell is that it produces high levels of strength-endurance (hard work that makes you tired).  This builds long term stamina for when you need it.  Kettlebells also teach you how to use momentum and help you to develop a strong core.  With a strong core, you will be able to rapidly increase power, develop your other movements and help prevent injuries (we all want to avoid those back problems when we get old!).

And it's not just for Kettlebell swings!  Here are our Top Uses for the Kettlebell. 

Top Uses for the Kettlebell

1. Kettlebell Swing - Yep, the old standby.
2. Turkish Getup [TGU]
3. Snatch
4. Clean
5. Thruster - use one or two
6. Weighted Squat
7. Farmer's Carry
8. Overhead Squat
9. Sumo Deadlift High Pull [SDLHP]
10. Weighted Lunges
11. Shoulder Press/Push Press
12. Figure eight between the legs
13. Hand to Hand pass around the mid section

And, that's not all.  Some people use them as parallelettes, some hold them while doing pistols, and don't forget weighted pull ups!  Heck, I have even tied a battle rope to one and pulled it across the box multiple times during a WOD.   

Here is a common question we at Hammerhead Fitness hear all the time:  What sizes make sense for the Athlete and for the Affiliate Owner?

The suggestion we offer to Affiliate Owners is to stock their Affiliate with a kettlebell package in these sizes:  25-35-45-55-70  Why??  Well, we all know the RX'd weights - 35-55-70.  Our suggested package includes one size below RX'd for each of those sizes.  So, if you've got 35/55 up on your white board, the intermediate and advanced level athletes can grab RX'd no problem and those that maybe aren't confident enough yet to go RX'd can grab one size below.  Same deal if you've got 55/70 up on the board.  The ultimate goal of every athlete and every affiliate owner is to perform WODs as RX'd.

The more sizes you have, the more choices you or your athletes can make.

For the new or intermediate athlete looking for a recommendation on what size to put in their home gym, the same applies.  Maybe grab the RX'd weight and scale rounds or reps or grab one size below and go for time.  Having both won't hurt either if your budget allows.