Kettlebell training offers a unique strength and conditioning workout. Developed in Russia, it has grown
into a popular extreme workout system. Our staff are H.K.C. Certified kettlebell trainers through Pavel
Tsatsouline/Dragon Door, with at least 5 years lifting experience for each coach.
Although beginners will typically use lighter weights, it is very important to utilize correct technique and
form from the beginning to prevent injury when moving up to larger kettlebell weights. Kettlebell training
is unique and is very different than other types of free weights. Kettlebell workouts are tough but
rewarding - done properly and safely!
If you are interested in attending a class, you must pre-register for a free introductory training session to
learn the proper technique for the basic kettlebell exercises prior to attending the regular group sessions.
Group co-ed kettlebell classes are held Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00 p.m for
intermediate and at 6:30 pm for beginner (less than six classes) students.
Click here to register for an introductory training session or to schedule a private training.
What is a ‘kettlebell’?
A ‘kettlebell’ or girya is a traditional Russian cast iron weight that looks like a cannonball with a handle.
As the 1986 Soviet Weightlifting Yearbook put it, “It is hard to find a sport that has deeper roots in the
history of our people than kettlebell lifting.” So popular were kettlebells in Tsarist Russia that any
strongman or weightlifter was referred to as a girevik or ‘a kettlebell man.’ “Not a single sport develops
our muscular strength and bodies as well as kettlebell athletics,” wrote Ludvig Chaplinskiy in Russian
magazine Hercules in 1913. In the Soviet times, weightlifting legends such as Vlasov, Zhabotinskiy, and
Alexeyev started their Olympic careers with kettlebells. Yuri Vlasov, who defeated mighty Paul Anderson,
once interrupted an interview he was giving to a Western journalist and proceeded to press a pair of
kettlebells. “A wonderful exercise,” commented the world champion lifter. “It is hard to find an exercise
better suited for developing strength and flexibility simultaneously.” The Russian Special Forces owe
much of their wiry strength, lethal agility, and never-quitting stamina to kettlebell training. "Soldier, Be
Strong!" the official Soviet armed forces strength training manual pronounced kettlebell drills to be “one
of the most effective means of strength development” representing “a new era in the development of
human strength-potential.”
Who uses kettlebells in the United States?
The extreme kettlebell workout would have remained the exclusive domain of Russian special ops, had
former Spetsnaz instructor Pavel not immigrated to the U.S. The elite of the U.S. military and law
enforcement instantly recognized the power of the Russian kettlebell, ruggedly simple and deadly
effective as an AK-47. You can find Pavel’s certified kettlebell instructors in outfits such as the Force
Recon Marines, the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, and the Secret Service Counter Assault Team. Once
the Russian kettlebell became a hit among those whose life depends on their strength and conditioning, it
took off among hard people from all walks of life: martial artists, athletes, and regular tough guys. There
is no stopping the Russian kettlebell invasion. Men’s Journal called it ‘a workout with balls.’ Rolling Stone
pronounced Pavel ‘The Hot Trainer of the Year’ and his Russian kettlebell ‘The Hot Weight of the Year.’
“Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.”
Kettlebells deliver extreme all around fitness
Voropayev (1983) observed two groups of subjects over a period of a few years and tested them with a
standard battery of armed forces PT tests: pullups, a standing broad jump, a 100m sprint, and a 1k run.
The control group followed a typical university physical education program that emphasized the above.
The experimental group just lifted kettlebells. In spite of the lack of practice on the tested exercises, the
kettlebell group showed better scores in every one of them! Researchers at the Lesgaft Physical
Culture Institute in Leningrad (Vinogradov & Lukyanov, 1986) found a very high correlation between the
results posted in a kettlebell lifting competition and a great range of dissimilar tests: strength, measured
with the three powerlifts and grip strength; strength endurance, measured with pullups and parallel bar
dips; general endurance, determined by a 1000 meter run; and work capacity and balance, measured
with special tests! Shevtsova (1993) discovered that kettlebell training lowers the heart rate and the
blood pressure. Gomonov (1998) concluded that “Exercises with kettlebells enable one to quickly build
strength, endurance, achieve a balanced development of all muscle groups, fix particular deficiencies of
build, and they also promote health.” Most methods that claim ‘all around fitness’ deliver no more than
compromises. Accept no compromises – choose the Russian kettlebell!
Russian kettlebells are not for Kens and Barbies who want to look like ‘a collection of body parts.’ K-bells
forge doers’ physiques along the lines of antique statues: broad shoulders with just a hint of pecs, back
muscles standing out in bold relief, wiry arms, rugged forearms, a cut midsection, and strong legs without
a hint of squat-induced chafing. Kettlebells melt fat without the dishonor of dieting or aerobics; losing 1%
of bodyfat a week for weeks is not uncommon. If you are overweight, you will lean out. If you are skinny,
you will get built up. According to Voropayev (1997) who studied top Russian gireviks, 21.2% increased
their bodyweight since taking up kettlebelling and 21.2% (the exact same percentage, not a typo), mostly
heavyweights, decreased it. The Russian kettlebell is a powerful tool for fixing your body comp,
whichever way it needs fixing.
Read 101 Russian kettlebell testimonials and talk to kettlebell lifters on RussianKettlebell.com
Are kettlebells dangerous? Am I too young or too old?
Only 8.8% of top Russian gireviks, members of the Russian National Team and regional teams, reported
injuries in training or competition (Voropayev, 1997). A remarkably low number. Note that these were not
regular guys but elite athletes who push their bodies to the edge. Which does not give an excuse to lift
kettlebells flippantly; any type of strength training can be dangerous with bad judgment. As for the age,
at the 1995 Russian Championship the youngest contestant was 16, the oldest 53 which is quite broad
for an elite competition. The age range can be much wider for personal development.
Which kettlebell size is right for me?
RussianKettlebell.com offers 9, 18, 26, 35, 53, 70, and 88-pound kettlebells, designed in Russia and
made with pride in the USA. Kettlebells were designed to give a super workout with just one or two fixed
weights. An average man should start with a 35-pounder. It does not sound like a lot but it feels a lot
heavier in a workout. Most men will eventually progress to a 53-pounder, the standard issue size in the
Russian military. Although available in most units, 70-pounders are generally only used by a few
advanced guys and in elite competitions. An average woman starts with an 18-pounder advancing to 26-
pounder. A few hard women will go beyond this level.
into a popular extreme workout system. Our staff are H.K.C. Certified kettlebell trainers through Pavel
Tsatsouline/Dragon Door, with at least 5 years lifting experience for each coach.
Although beginners will typically use lighter weights, it is very important to utilize correct technique and
form from the beginning to prevent injury when moving up to larger kettlebell weights. Kettlebell training
is unique and is very different than other types of free weights. Kettlebell workouts are tough but
rewarding - done properly and safely!
If you are interested in attending a class, you must pre-register for a free introductory training session to
learn the proper technique for the basic kettlebell exercises prior to attending the regular group sessions.
Group co-ed kettlebell classes are held Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00 p.m for
intermediate and at 6:30 pm for beginner (less than six classes) students.
Click here to register for an introductory training session or to schedule a private training.
What is a ‘kettlebell’?
A ‘kettlebell’ or girya is a traditional Russian cast iron weight that looks like a cannonball with a handle.
As the 1986 Soviet Weightlifting Yearbook put it, “It is hard to find a sport that has deeper roots in the
history of our people than kettlebell lifting.” So popular were kettlebells in Tsarist Russia that any
strongman or weightlifter was referred to as a girevik or ‘a kettlebell man.’ “Not a single sport develops
our muscular strength and bodies as well as kettlebell athletics,” wrote Ludvig Chaplinskiy in Russian
magazine Hercules in 1913. In the Soviet times, weightlifting legends such as Vlasov, Zhabotinskiy, and
Alexeyev started their Olympic careers with kettlebells. Yuri Vlasov, who defeated mighty Paul Anderson,
once interrupted an interview he was giving to a Western journalist and proceeded to press a pair of
kettlebells. “A wonderful exercise,” commented the world champion lifter. “It is hard to find an exercise
better suited for developing strength and flexibility simultaneously.” The Russian Special Forces owe
much of their wiry strength, lethal agility, and never-quitting stamina to kettlebell training. "Soldier, Be
Strong!" the official Soviet armed forces strength training manual pronounced kettlebell drills to be “one
of the most effective means of strength development” representing “a new era in the development of
human strength-potential.”
Who uses kettlebells in the United States?
The extreme kettlebell workout would have remained the exclusive domain of Russian special ops, had
former Spetsnaz instructor Pavel not immigrated to the U.S. The elite of the U.S. military and law
enforcement instantly recognized the power of the Russian kettlebell, ruggedly simple and deadly
effective as an AK-47. You can find Pavel’s certified kettlebell instructors in outfits such as the Force
Recon Marines, the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, and the Secret Service Counter Assault Team. Once
the Russian kettlebell became a hit among those whose life depends on their strength and conditioning, it
took off among hard people from all walks of life: martial artists, athletes, and regular tough guys. There
is no stopping the Russian kettlebell invasion. Men’s Journal called it ‘a workout with balls.’ Rolling Stone
pronounced Pavel ‘The Hot Trainer of the Year’ and his Russian kettlebell ‘The Hot Weight of the Year.’
“Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.”
Kettlebells deliver extreme all around fitness
Voropayev (1983) observed two groups of subjects over a period of a few years and tested them with a
standard battery of armed forces PT tests: pullups, a standing broad jump, a 100m sprint, and a 1k run.
The control group followed a typical university physical education program that emphasized the above.
The experimental group just lifted kettlebells. In spite of the lack of practice on the tested exercises, the
kettlebell group showed better scores in every one of them! Researchers at the Lesgaft Physical
Culture Institute in Leningrad (Vinogradov & Lukyanov, 1986) found a very high correlation between the
results posted in a kettlebell lifting competition and a great range of dissimilar tests: strength, measured
with the three powerlifts and grip strength; strength endurance, measured with pullups and parallel bar
dips; general endurance, determined by a 1000 meter run; and work capacity and balance, measured
with special tests! Shevtsova (1993) discovered that kettlebell training lowers the heart rate and the
blood pressure. Gomonov (1998) concluded that “Exercises with kettlebells enable one to quickly build
strength, endurance, achieve a balanced development of all muscle groups, fix particular deficiencies of
build, and they also promote health.” Most methods that claim ‘all around fitness’ deliver no more than
compromises. Accept no compromises – choose the Russian kettlebell!
Russian kettlebells are not for Kens and Barbies who want to look like ‘a collection of body parts.’ K-bells
forge doers’ physiques along the lines of antique statues: broad shoulders with just a hint of pecs, back
muscles standing out in bold relief, wiry arms, rugged forearms, a cut midsection, and strong legs without
a hint of squat-induced chafing. Kettlebells melt fat without the dishonor of dieting or aerobics; losing 1%
of bodyfat a week for weeks is not uncommon. If you are overweight, you will lean out. If you are skinny,
you will get built up. According to Voropayev (1997) who studied top Russian gireviks, 21.2% increased
their bodyweight since taking up kettlebelling and 21.2% (the exact same percentage, not a typo), mostly
heavyweights, decreased it. The Russian kettlebell is a powerful tool for fixing your body comp,
whichever way it needs fixing.
Read 101 Russian kettlebell testimonials and talk to kettlebell lifters on RussianKettlebell.com
Are kettlebells dangerous? Am I too young or too old?
Only 8.8% of top Russian gireviks, members of the Russian National Team and regional teams, reported
injuries in training or competition (Voropayev, 1997). A remarkably low number. Note that these were not
regular guys but elite athletes who push their bodies to the edge. Which does not give an excuse to lift
kettlebells flippantly; any type of strength training can be dangerous with bad judgment. As for the age,
at the 1995 Russian Championship the youngest contestant was 16, the oldest 53 which is quite broad
for an elite competition. The age range can be much wider for personal development.
Which kettlebell size is right for me?
RussianKettlebell.com offers 9, 18, 26, 35, 53, 70, and 88-pound kettlebells, designed in Russia and
made with pride in the USA. Kettlebells were designed to give a super workout with just one or two fixed
weights. An average man should start with a 35-pounder. It does not sound like a lot but it feels a lot
heavier in a workout. Most men will eventually progress to a 53-pounder, the standard issue size in the
Russian military. Although available in most units, 70-pounders are generally only used by a few
advanced guys and in elite competitions. An average woman starts with an 18-pounder advancing to 26-
pounder. A few hard women will go beyond this level.
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| NOW OFFERING PRIVATE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING. For more information or to schedule your training, call 504-813-0824. |
| Kettlebell Strength & Conditioning |
| Power Extreme Fitness Training Center 900 Terry Parkway, Terrytown, LA 70056 ph: 504-813-0824 alt: 504-615-4541 Please call and ask for Brett Hughes (our head coach) or for Mitch Klein (Director of Operations) FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL: klein.mitch@gmail.com For promotions or youth programs contact Carlos Mena 504-251-1133 |
HKC Certified Kettlebell
Classes and Individual Training
Classes and Individual Training
| Kettlebell Training www.liftkettlebells.com |