In the past century :
70-150 years ago visionary folk , many called “strongmen”, urged
industrialised & urbanised folk ( many of whom suffered health problems caused by overwork , poor nutrition , overcrowding
and poor sanitation ) to revisit their ancestral roots by practising frequent, natural patterns of movement and breathing
Often , this was promoted as generating vigour , an essential quality ensuring
survival of the species. The writings and performances of these strongmen undoubtedly assisted them maintain a decent material
standard of living, but the methods and conclusions were based on logic and frequent
practise ( as well as plagiarism of ancient Greek , Roman & Oriental methods ). It certainly pays to read some of this
.
In the 19th &
early 20th centuries kettlebells were used by “circus strongmen” both as a training tool and as part
of the stage act. Some were enormous and filled with sand ; more a showpiece as clearly impossible to transport & lift
if cast from metal. The more manageable sizes were favoured by those strongmen who required tremendous strength & flexibility where “odd” lifting feats utilised humans , animals such as
horses , rocks , iron girders and sometimes a combination of the above. The travelling strongman/showman required portable
training aids and importantly , a means by which movements involving sublime muscle control and body stabilisation could be
practised. Kettlebells were a convenient and highly effective method of obtaining
& maintaining grip endurance and strength flexibility. In addition , they were a favourite prop in the studio setting.
material
and marvel at the highly tuned, natural physiques and to this day , often unsurpassed
feats of strength , balance and vigour .
http://www.sandowmuseum.com/musclechampsone.html
http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/S/sspt/sspt-intro.htm
Only a small percentage of regular modern gym users can display even modest feats of balance, strength and endurance.
This imbalance is corrected with old fashioned kettlebells! They worked for me!
