Working out 'strongman style' probably isn't top of your exercise schedule, but maybe it should be. Kirstin Watson put the kettlebell workout to the test

I've wanted to try working out with a kettlebell since watching weight-loss TV show The Biggest Loser. On the show, trainer Angie Dowds uses kettlebells to whip her reluctant and overweight team members into shape. There are no two ways about it, kettlebells look fierce. And they are!

But I'm thinking if pint-sized kettlebell fans Jo-Lo, Geri Halliwell and Penelope Cruz can handle it, then so can I.

So when I was invited to a training session run by BJ Rule and Tommy Matthews, founders of personal training company Optimal Life Fitness, I jumped at the chance. Firstly though, I wanted to know why the Hollywood elite are suddenly getting so excited about kettlebells.

Originating from Russia, the kettlebell has been the training tool of choice for strongmen the world over for hundreds of years. It's essentially a big ball of black steel with a handle on it - the lightest kettle is also available in pink for us ladies - and can be used to do any exercise that you would normally do with a dumbbell or barbell.

The kettlebell fell out of fashion about 50 years ago but it's now back with a vengeance. And it's a good thing too. Through regular sessions, exercisers will improve strength, power, speed, endurance, posture and flexibility. An accomplished kettlebell user can burn as many calories in ten minutes as you would running for 45 minutes on a treadmill. That's me sold.

Our workout, on a sunny evening in Hyde Park, started with a gentle warm-up of high knee jogs, bottom kicks and lunges. So far so good. Then it was time for the real deal.

We started with an 8lb kettlebell and learned the basic technique of the Dead Lift. With arms hanging straight down, we squatted and grabbed hold of the kettlebell handle. Next we stood up pushing through our legs but with our arms still hanging down. The trick is not to use your arms to hoist the weight off the ground. Once standing we had to squeeze our bums really tightly and push (snap) our hips forward.

In between sets of six reps we jogged up and down for a short distance to give ourselves a break and keep the heart rate high.

Next was the Front Squat. With the kettlebell clutched to our chests, we performed a basic squat going as low as possible before pushing up through the heels to standing, snapping and squeezing again at the top. It was at this point that I was surprised to find I'd broken into a sweat with my heart pounding in my chest.

The next exercise was called the Military Lift and involved holding the kettlebell by its horns (the point where the handle meets the ball) and lifting it above our heads. It's important to push your arms back so they are behind your ears and not in front of you so your shoulders get a good workout.

Finally, we moved onto 12lb weights to learn The Swing (the infamous move from Biggest Loser). The heavier weight is actually easier to use as the momentum helps. With legs slightly bent and feet hip-width apart we swung the weight backwards between our legs then forward again as we came up to standing, snapping and squeezing at the top.

In between sets of reps we continued to run up and down and I was shocked to find that my legs had totally turned to jelly. This has never happened to me before but they were literally buckling with every step. It sounds silly but I reckon this was a good sign. I must be working hard, right?

Tommy and BJ finished up with an evil circuit of swings and military lifts with runs in between. By the end, I was a helpless wreck.

We were warned that we would ache in the morning. Understatement! I could barely walk for two days. Would I do it again? Absolutely. In a flash. I loved it. It was the hardest 'easy workout' I've ever done. The techniques are easy to master and even The Swing isn't as bad as it looks on TV as the weight of the bell carries you through. However, it is tough, tough, tough.

Tommy and BJ hold regular workouts at parks in London and also train fitness trainers across the country. To find a session near you, visit www.optimallifefitness.com