Those Russians sure know a lot about pain...

Now those of you who know Pies, will have no doubt have heard him waxing lyrical about the merits of the wonder that is the 'kettlebell'. I've included a picture here, just in case like me (a year or so ago), you are somewhat none the wiser. Though I should point out, that, as helpfully pointed out by the number 16 on the side, this is a 16kg ‘bell, which I shall be staying away from for a very long time!

Well, that's just a weight with a handle, I hear you say. Uh-uh - not so fast there, comrade. You are correct in saying it is a weight, but the magic is there in the handle, because unlike the usual dumbbell-style weight, you can do a lot more with a kettlebell. Evidently, this means you can achieve a lot more from it in terms of fitness.

And I haven't even touched on the fact that the handle makes it look a little bit like a handbag - thus also appealing to girls. In fact, while researching what the dickens these things are all about, I discovered you can also get them in pink! What self-respecting girl wouldn't want one?? (Yeah, ok, maybe I pushed it a little far with the 'self-respecting' qualification...)

The idea behind working out with a kettlebell is that it works on all your muscles at once – so you can burn fat, tone your muscles, improve your strength and be working your cardiovascular system all at the same time. I can hear cackles from those of you who know how much I detest exercise, but eventually, even I have had to succumb if it does all of that. Having said that, these things come from Russia, so it’s not intended to be easy!

I've previously been coaxed into 'having a go' by Pies, but have so far only managed to accomplish sets of swings (where you hold it with two hands and ‘swing’ it between your legs and up to chest height), rather than any of the more juicy exercises like the 'snatch' or the 'hot potato' (don't ask). One Saturday, back in Clapham, we did have an incident in the back garden (the idea being I could do far less damage if I dropped the 'bell on the grass, rather than on the wooden flooring inside the house) where Pies diligently attempted to help me get the hang of holding the 'bell one-handed, arm bent and wrist pressed tight to my chest. The whole episode was fairly short-lived, mainly due to my whines of, "I can't do it" and "it hurts!" Surprisingly, I've not been too tempted since then, and Pies hasn't suggested helping further. In any case, the few events where I swung the 8kg were more than sufficient - I highly agree with the claim that it works every muscle - I could barely walk for the following week; going down stairs was accompanied with constant involuntary exclamations of "oooh", "ah!" and "oww".

Now that I have more time on my hands, I've been running at the gym every day for the last week, and as my ankles are not thanking me for the extra work I've been sending their way, I thought I might try something different today. Pies has also been kind enough to download a workout aimed at the laydeez for me, so it would be rude not to give it a go. I was going to try and give you a link because the instructor woman from the Iron Core gym is truly 'special' but it doesn't seem possible, I'm afraid. I can however, show you one of the loverly t-shirts you can purchase from their website, for the bargain price of $29.99 plus $5 shipping. Unfortunately, chaps, if you really must have it, you'll have to befriend someone in the US as they don't ship internationally, sorry. I know, I know - how cruel I am to be showing you something so pretty, that's just out of your grasp.

Now that you know what the haps are with kettlebells (and because this post is pretty long already), I'll write again tomorrow to let you know how I get on. If I can still move my fingers enough to type, that is...