Lifestyle

Enter the Kettlebell In late 2012, there were murmurs, rumours, and some general confusion about what was happening in the world of kettlebells. The kettlebell (or girya in its native Russian tongue) is maybe best described as a cannonball with a handle.  Weird as that may seem, once people begin to understand them a bit better, kettlebells tend to be known more like the all-in-one gym. The reason for this, is that their use favours not only brute strength grinding lifts, but also ballistic and dynamic movements. The off-centre and displaced weight of the kettlebell can force additional activation of muscles for stabilisation (there is also the law of irradiation at work) making an apparently ‘light’ weight feel rather heavy, adding layers of difficulty and nuance.  Largely reflecting the notion that strength is a skill.  (It should also be noted that because of their shape, for some exercises kettlebells are easier to ...

Who won the first round? Around one year ago, the quietly brilliant Taiwanese mobile manufacturer HTC got the jump start on its bigger rival Samsung when it launched the HTC One. It was an attractive handset with a gigantic screen and was almost universally well-liked by internet reviewers. While the chassis was slick, the phone’s biggest detraction was its skinned version of Android known as Sense 4. From a hardware perspective it was a powerhouse and looked set to crush the competition. It was months ahead of the looming Galaxy S3 and better looking to boot. It was going to be the smartest of the smartphones, and with its dashing looks it was set to conquer the Android market and restore HTC to power, glory and righteousness. And then it flopped. It flat out belly panned in the market. People held on to their money and patiently awaited the arrival ...

When it comes to lifting weights, the bench press forms one of the big three lifts (along with the squat and deadlift).  Three lifts, that when combined, are believed to be enough to develop impressive overall strength and conditioning. The question of how much that strength and conditioning carries over into into general sports remains a somewhat debated issue.  Yet people will continue to do push ups without considering this question. So when it comes to the bench press, what are your thoughts? Play uthinki Feature Image Credit: jason.lengstorf