[lbo-talk] fitness for the left

[Asad Haider]

> The Russian word for kettlebell, “girya” was first found in the Russian
> dictionary in the 1700's. More important than the weight itself is the
> technique demanded to manipulate the object. Practicing kettlebells teaches
> you techniques applicable to any situation life may put you in. As a tool a
> kettlebell is simply a weight with an off-center handle. Aside from the
> Russian history, examples of training with leverage modified weights have
> been seen in many cultures.
>

I think this device was popularized in the United States by this guy, Pavel
Tsatsouline:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nInallL_o5U&feature=player_embedded

Even more amusing videos can be downloaded or viewed on the various Asian
video websites, including titles like "Power to the People."

According to his books, the Soviet science of fitness was radically
different from the American one. The American model is based on the idea
that strength is a function of muscle mass, so strength training is centered
on building muscle, whereas the Soviet model operates on the premise that
strength is essentially cognitive control over muscular tension, and the
methods of training reflect this.

I have no idea if this is accurate, or whether it reflects some real
ideological difference. The American science certainly fits well with an
image-centered commodity culture, a fixation on quantity, and certain norms
of masculinity--I can only speculate about the Soviet science.

Fitness Lysenkoism? I hope so. It seems to get better results, anyway.