SAVED BY THE BELL

Move over dumbbell, the real king of train-anywhere, total-body workouts is the humble-but-versatile kettlebell. Here's how to use this metal makeover tool to design a stronger, leaner and fitter body

VEGETABLE COUNTERWEIGHTS...

Kettlebells were first used to measure and weight produce in Russian markets. When sales were slow, the farmers juggled and swung the weights around, and it became the first instance of kettlebell training.

Even though they've got humble beginnings, don't make the mistake of disrespecting kettlebells. They've tested, tormented and tutored some of the strongest men in history-this isn't a new-age fad or a gimmick you'll see on a daytime shopping channel. The International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training notes that kettlebell training was popular among Russian strongmen and weightlifters, known as "gireviks" or "kettlebell men", at the beginning of the 20th century. Its popularity grew steadily from then: it became the favoured training tool of the Russian military-the snatch test is still used to test strength and fitness and became globally popular thanks to a former Soviet special forces soldier, Pavel Tsatsouline.

MAKING A SWING

Before becoming a respected fitness author, Pavel made his living as a trainer for the Soviet and the US armed forces. He's credited for making kettlebells the global training icon it is today, as it had become a recognised sport, with competitions and challenges held worldwide. There are two main types of kettlebell training: the first is the oldschool kind of heavy lifting where the focus is lifting heavy metal in small rep ranges. Also called "hard style" kettlebell training, it uses the typical black, cast-iron cannonballs with handles to build strength and raw power. Lifts can be done fast or slow, but the sessions are usually short and intense, and it's the chosen muscle method for powerlifters and strongmen.