The kettlebell or girya is a cast-iron

Cast iron

Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...

 weight (resembling a cannonball with a handle) used to perform ballistic exercises

Ballistic Training

Ballistic training is a form of strength training where an athlete lifts, accelerates, and then releases the weight, rather than slowly lowering it as in other forms of weight training.-History:...

 that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.

Sizes may range from 4 pounds (1.8 kg) to 175 pounds (79.4 kg). The term Pood

Pood

Pood , is a unit of mass equal to 40 funt . It is approximately 16.38 kilograms . It was used in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Pood was first mentioned in a number of documents of the 12th century....

 is often used to refer to measurements of weight; it is defined as roughly 16 kilograms (35.3 lb).

Unlike traditional dumbbell

Dumbbell

The dumbbell, a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It can be used individually or in pairs .-History:...

s, the kettlebell's center of mass is extended beyond the hand, similar to Indian clubs

Indian clubs

Indian clubs belong to a category of exercise equipment that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe, the British Commonwealth and the United States. They comprise bowling-pin shaped wooden "clubs" of varying sizes and weights, which are swung in certain patterns as part...

 or ishi sashi. This facilitates ballistic and swinging movements. 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, and in a way that mimics real world activities such as shoveling or farm work.

The movements used in kettlebell exercise can be dangerous to those who have back or shoulder problems, or a weak core.

Variants of the kettlebell include bags filled with sand or steel shot, water, or which take a variable number of plates. They also have a center of mass extended beyond the hand and allow for swing movements and release moves with added safety and added grip, wrist, arm and core strengthening due to the shifting fill material.

See also

• Barbell
  Barbell
  A barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, weightlifting and powerlifting. Barbells range in length from to although bars above 7' in length are used primarily by powerlifters and aren't commonplace...
  
  
• Dumbbell
  Dumbbell
  The dumbbell, a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It can be used individually or in pairs .-History:...
  
  
• Shovelglove
  Shovelglove
  Shovelgloving is a form of physical exercise based around use of a sledgehammer that has been wrapped in a sweater or otherwise padded. The shovelglove is used to perform shoveling, butter churning and wood chopping motions, amongst others...
  
  
• Clubbells
  Indian clubs
  Indian clubs belong to a category of exercise equipment that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe, the British Commonwealth and the United States. They comprise bowling-pin shaped wooden "clubs" of varying sizes and weights, which are swung in certain patterns as part...
  
  
• Bulgarian Bag
  Bulgarian Bag
  The Bulgarian Bag , also known as the Bulgarian Training Bag , is a crescent-shaped exercise equipment used in strength training, plyometric weight training, cardiovascular training, and general physical fitness...