It’s a strange looking gizmo. It sort of looks like a small cannonball with a round handle protruding out of the top. I’ve never seen the “kettlebell” before, have you?

Well, it may be new to me, and some of you, but it’s not new. It’s actually very old…dating all the way back to the 18th century when Russians consistently used kettlebells for training their military.

Now it has emerged as one of the hottest new training devises. Its tough, uncompromising and apparently working out with the kettlebell brings miraculous results.

Hollywood celebrities love them and it’s not just the macho types like Sylvester Stallone that are making them the trendiest new fitness tool. Gym bunnies are also waking up to the benefits of kettlebells. Football and other sports leagues are using the kettlebells to train their top athletes while physiotherapists use them regularly in rehabilitation.

“On the face of it, the kettlebell isn’t terribly impressive. So, what’s the difference between swinging a kettlebell around and hefting barbells or free weights?
“Unlike a dumbbell or barbell, the kettlebell’s center of mass is offset from the handle,” explains trainer Jamie Lloyd. “This means the weight constantly pulls against your hand and requires not only strength and co-ordination, but also the use of the other muscles through your arms, shoulders and your core stabilizer muscles. You use around 600 muscles in a workout and exercise your cardiovascular system, too – it’s definitely a total body workout.” “

“And you don’t have to be super strong to train with kettlebells. They come in different sizes and weights, starting at 4kg and going right up to a muscle crunching 48kg. Unlike standard weights, which are lifted carefully and slowly, kettlebells are flung around with seemingly gay abandon. You swing them, pump them and pass them from hand to hand. It’s a monster workout and some trainers reckon an hour of kettlebells will shed a mammoth 1,500 calories (compared with 300-400 for normal weightlifting or an aerobics class).

“A kettlebell class will supercharge your fitness and melt your unwanted fat,” enthuses Lloyd. “You’ll bust your belly fat, lose your love handles and feel fantastic, energized and strong. Keep it up for 30 days and you can drop a dress size.”

“Inevitably, there are some risks involved with kettlebells, as there are with any free weights. But Lloyd insists these can be minimized by having proper instruction. Once you’ve learned good technique, though, he points out that the training can actually help prevent injuries. “Learning to move and lift properly carries over into daily life.”

However, Ken Liu, personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist, is cautious of over hyping the kettlebell. “Don’t get me wrong, I love kettlebells but they won’t replace barbells or a multitude of other forms of training,” he warns. “They should only be part of your training regime.” “

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