The Kettlebell- A hand-held gym

by Jason Bunn

In the northern midwest, year-round exercise is only possible if you are a skier, snowboarder, or one of those insane souls who enjoy a brisk jog at 10 below zero. Not having grown up here, I don't fit into any of those categories. I'm not much of an athelete, period, to say nothing about a winter athlete. So I've been looking to find something that can be done indoors, year round. Our kids take some classes at the YMCA, so I could use the gym there. But the simple fact is that the showers gross me out. The shared experience of getting dressed is something I just want to do without.

So that leads to the home options. I've been on and off about getting a treadmill, but from what I've read, the hours of low impact cardio may not be the best option. The research is starting to indicate that interval training; bursts of high intensity with short recovery periods, is the way to go. While you can still do that on a treadmill, and perhaps even easier on a bike, I found another option that was quite compelling- a Kettlebell.

Sometimes praised as an entire gym in one piece of equipment, a kettlebell is basically an iron cannonball with a handle. Ranging in weight from 25 to 50 pounds or more, the kettlebell has been a staple of training for fighters, the military, and especially, the Russian military. By swinging, lifting, and catching, in a controlled manner, you can gain significant strength and cardio benefits without the hours of pounding.

I recommend you visit dragondoor.com to get the scoop from the source. Pavel Tsatsouline is credited with bringing the kettlebell training philosophy to the US from Russia and you can find all the products, training, and support you'll need at Dragon Door. I'll admit it is a little indimidating to see all those testimonies about military professionals and elite athletes, especially when you are just trying to get started, but the program is designed to let you begin wherever you are and progress in a surprisingly short amount of time.

The idea of not having to lose hours to a gym or on a treadmill was one of the biggest selling factors for me. My shipment arrived on time and in good condition, another admittedly it would have to be one heck of an accident to damage 30 pounds of an iron ball. The e-book that comes in the quick-start kit is comprehensive, with some humor thrown in to break up the text. The pictures, both in the book and on the DVD, are clear and helpful.