Halteres (ancient Greece)

[7] Recognized as the Greek equivalent of modern-day kettlebells, the halteres served multiple uses from training to competition.

Ancient Greek records show evidence of the halteres dating to as far back as 700 BC.

[9] The Romans, who also had a strong concern on physical fitness as a civic virtue, adopted the use of halteres in their exercises as a means to strengthen their armies.

According to Greek surgeon Antyllus, the use of halteres in workouts consisted of three main exercises:[citation needed] To gain maximum distance in jumping, ancient Greek athletes held the halteres in both hands, swinging them outward during takeoff and then behind during landing.

According to physiologists, the halteres distributed a shift in the body's center of gravity, thus increasing a jumper's arc by at least a few centimeters during an event.