Jan 18, 2008 6:42 pm US/Mountain
Kettle Bell Training Technique Gains In Popularity
Old Russian Workout Credited With Rapid Weight Loss, Increased Strength
DENVER (CBS4) ―
A 300-year-old Russian weight lifting technique is the hot new rage in the Denver metro area. Kettle bell classes are popping up all over.
A kettle bell is weight which resembles a canon ball with a handle. They come in a wide range of weights with the idea being to swing the kettle bell for 1 hour with a single weight.
It may not seem like much of a workout, at least not at first glance, but the people who work out with the weights say they definitely have to work hard.
"Some days it's extremely hard. It's always hard, but some days it's extremely hard," said Kim Taylor, who takes kettle bell classes.
People who have turned to the kettle bell for their exercise said this craze brings quick gains in strength and weight loss. It also has an advantage of sending a health message to children.
"My kids are seeing that momma's getting strong," Kristen Genla, another class-taker said, "not that momma's trying to get skinny, but momma's getting strong."
Genla said she has lost 20 pounds with kettle bells. Taylor said the exercise regimen has improved her posture.
"I was diagnosed with scoliosis in June, did the kettle bells for a little while and when I went back to the chiropractor, I had straightened up," she said.
Kettle bell converts like Taylor and Genla back trainer Kelli Meier's claim that it's the one of the fast ways to burn and calories. And at an hour a workout, they said it is a great way to pack a lot of exercise punch into a small amount of time.
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