Acrobatic Kettlebell Artistry

In 1963, The Beatles sang about twisting and shouting —

Come on, come on, come, come on, baby, now
Come on and work it on out
Well, work it on out, honey
You know you look so good
You know you got me goin' now
Just like I knew you would

— and today, there are those among us in the Kettlebell community who are so much younger than thee, thou, thine/they, and whatsit, and who still adhere to that almost 60-year-old plea from the stage: Work it on out!

If you have been studying Kettlebell videos online, or via Social Media, you may have noticed some Gireveks (Kettlebellers) who not only Swing a Kettlebell, but who then flip the bell in the air, or catch it behind their back, or toss the bell across their body to grab it midair or “juggle” it.

Please be wary of those Kettlebell Aerobics and jugglers!

Sure, that sort of Artistry is fun to watch, but you have to remember those “throwers” are not old and brittle like us, they are generally young, really strong, and they are incredibly fit. Often, they have years of Swinging bells that allows them to break safety rules, and take their hands off the bell for the sake of showing off.

And, my friend, that’s exactly what Kettlebell Aerobics are — a performance; Feats of Strength! Don’t imitate. Don’t be intimidated. Take the performance for what it is, as is, in context: A demonstration of strength and ability, not unlike the old Strongmen routines of the 1920s.

We need to be aware that we do not have the requisite muscle, or the necessary grip strength, to try to do those Kettlebell Aerobics. Flipping a bell is not an exercise. Letting go a handle to catch it spinning, is not part of any workout routine. All those tumbling irons are one-offs set to amaze, but never inspire.

Kettlebell Artistry is Performance Art that can hurt you, and even though that isn’t the point, it is still the inherent danger.

Twist, but don’t shout.