Гиря: история, устройство и применение

Cast iron or cast steel ball with a handle attached to the top

In weight training, a kettlebell is a cast iron or cast steel ball with a handle attached to the top (resembling a cannonball with a handle). It is used to perform many types of exercises, including ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Kettlebells are the primary equipment used in the weight lifting sport of kettlebell lifting.

The Russian girya ([[:wikt:гиря, plural ги́ри giri) was a type of metal weight, primarily used to weigh crops in the 18th century. The use of such weights by circus strongmen is recorded for the 19th century. They began to be used for recreational and competition strength athletics in Russia and Europe in the late 19th century. The birth of competitive kettlebell lifting or girevoy sport (гиревой спорт) is dated to 1885, with the founding of the "Circle for Amateur Athletics" (Кружок любителей атлетики). Russian girya are traditionally measured in weight by pood, corresponding to The English term kettle bell has been in use since the early 20th century. Similar weights used in Classical Greece were the haltere, comparable to the modern kettlebell in terms of movements.

Unlike traditional dumbbells, a kettlebell's center of mass is extended beyond the hand, similar to Indian clubs or ishi sashi. This facilitates ballistic and swinging movements. The kettlebell allows for swing movements and release moves with added safety and added grip, wrist, arm and core strengthening. The weight of a kettlebell is not distributed evenly. Thus, the unique shape of a kettlebell provides the "unstable force" for handling key for the effectiveness of the kettlebell exercises. The parts of the kettlebell can be broken down into: handle, corners, horns, window, bell, and base.

By their nature, typical kettlebell exercises build strength and endurance, particularly in the lower back, legs, and shoulders, and increase grip strength. The basic movements, such as the swing, snatch, and the clean and jerk, engage the entire body at once, When training with high repetitions, kettlebell progression should start out slowly to build muscle endurance, support the joints and prevent injury. Like movements performed with any exercise tool, they can be dangerous to those who have back or shoulder problems, or a weak core, when performed without proper education and progression. However, if done properly, they are very beneficial to health. They can offer improved mobility, range of motion, agility, cardio vascular endurance, mental toughness and increased strength.

The following is a list of common exercises that are uniquely suited to the kettlebell for one reason or another.

American swing Also called the overhead swing, this swing variation ends with the kettlebell directly overhead instead of at chest level. Halo The kettlebell is held by the horns in front of the shoulders, usually upside down, and moved in a circle around the head while keeping the head straight in place. This movement is done to improve mobility of the shoulders and triceps. Arm bar As with the other slow exercises (the windmill, get up, and halo), this drill improves shoulder mobility and stabilization. It starts lying on the ground with the kettlebell over the shoulder in a straight arm position, as in the top of a floor press, but with the other arm along the floor straight overhead. The trainee then gradually turns their body away from the kettlebell until they are lying partially on their front. Slingshot The kettlebell is held hanging in one arm and moved smoothly around the body, switching hands in front and behind. In the figure 8 slingshot, the trainee moves the bell in a figure 8 through the legs while in a partial squat; a wider variation of this exercise is the cossack slingshot. Slingshot lunge Also called a front leg pass, this is a backward lunge, circling the bell around the front leg, returning to the standing position, and repeating. Circular swing Like the slingshot, but the bell is swung forward until the arms are parallel to the ground. Figure 8 swing Like a 1 arm swing, but the bell goes down on one side of the body, switching hands and up through the legs, and then down the other side. Circular clean Starting with the bell in the rack, the bell is pushed away to the side slightly, the swung down to the other side in front of the body, and reversed back up into the rack. Deck squat The kettlebell is held in two hands by the ball instead of the handle. The trainee squats down deeply, then rocks back on their back and lowers the bell overhead so that the handle touches the ground, before reverse the movement and standing back up. Helping hand press A variation of the press where the other arm assists by pushing open palm against the ball. Isometric holds Stand on one leg and hold the kettle bell with the opposite arm. By then lowering and raising the kettlebell you can work stabilization and power. Bent press A press utilizing a bent leg windmill position to lift heavier weight than is otherwise possible. Arm bar floor press A floor press in the arm bar or partial arm bar position. Russian twist While seated the trainee leans back to around 45 degrees and balances with the knees held at 90 degrees from the torso. The bell is held by the horns and moved from side to side of the torso.

The kettlebell swing (also the Russian swing, double arm swing or conventional kettlebell swing) is a basic ballistic used to train the posterior chain in a manner similar to broad jumping. The kettlebell is swung from just below the groin to somewhere between the upper abdomen and shoulders, with arms straight or slightly bent, the degree of flexion depends on the trajectory of the kettlebell. Juggling is a training style where the practitioner releases and catches the kettlebell with all manner of spins and flips around the body. Kettlebell training is all that is done with a kettlebell outside of the above 4 categories. Kettlebell training is extremely broad and caters to many different goals, some being, but not limited to: mobility, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, strength, speed and power. If an athlete is training in the gym, on the beach, or in the park, and not performing any of the above disciplines, they are participating in kettlebell training.

The kettlebell sport having originated in Russia now has competitions across the world, it consists of three main lifts: the snatch, jerk and the long cycle.

Strongmen events include the competitive tossing of kettlebells. For example, in the 2023 World's Strongest Man, the format was to toss seven kettlebells, weighing 45–68 pounds, over a 15 foot bar as quickly as possible. The best performance was by Mateusz Kieliszkowski who successfully tossed all seven kettlebells over the bar in 32.44 seconds.