Hello guys, does anyone know if there is an option for an online competition in Military Snatch, peferred with 36 Kg ? ( Alternatively, 32 Kg would be ok too )

Sorry to ask what's probably a common question, I did google first.

Hi all, I'm just getting into KB sport lifting, and I'm still trying to understand how to interpret competition results in KB sport. Apologies if this has been explained on here before, I couldn't find anything when I searched so I'm writing this post to get some clarification on how this is organized.

For context, I spectated at the Borys Melnyk Midwest Regionals in March this year. Link to results here: https://usakettlebell.org/midwest2024

I'm trying to understand how to interpret these results. I understand that W and M is for Women's and Men's divisions, but there's several other things I don't understand.

1: How is the weight of the kettlebells to be used determined? I thought it was fixed for each class, but there are some competitors who use different weights in the same class. For example, there are two women in the One Arm Biathlon category who each completed in the W68+ category, but one used 8 kg and one used 12 kg.

2: What does the "V" mean next to some of the results in this list?

3: What does the rank refer to, and why do some competitors not have a rank listed? I've gathered that it has something to do with how proficient they are in KB sport, but I don't really get how you obtain a rank, or move up from one to the next. Also, what does the rank 1-V mean?

Any clarification on this is appreciated! I've found surprisingly little information on how to interpret this online.

EDIT: I got in touch with the event organizer and got answers to my questions, so I'm adding them here for anyone who comes across this post later.

1: The weight of the kettlebell is chosen by the competitor, depending on what rank they have currently or are trying to obtain. See replies for more information on this too.

2: The V in the tables means the competitor was judged as a pro. Leaving this blank means they were judged as an amateur. (Seems like using "P" for pro would make more sense...)

3: The rank 1-V means they were ranked according to the Veteran ranking tables. This competition was using USA Kettlebell ranking tables, available here: https://usakettlebell.org/ranking

Not new to kettlebells but I have been very lucky in my travels and have always gotten comp bells that have always had identical weight between pairs (not necessarily the labelled weight but atleast the bells matched each other's weight). However I just got some Agatsu 32's to replace some northern lights comp bells (bought them individually at seperate times and they changed their mould so the windows were different so one always beat the crap out of me). The Agatsu bells are great quality for the paint and finish but there is a .5 kilo difference in the bell. So just curious if there is a standard of weight deviation companies try to aim for? Or have I been lucky for way too long getting pairs of bells that always had the same weight?

Hi gang,
I'll be in Mexico City for a week and was looking for any gyms or access to KB Sport bells. Not going long enough to bring own bells, but just long enough to throw a wrench in training cycle.

Hi all,

Long post ahead. Skip to the ending for the actual question. 😊

I am thinking about going back to kettlebells. To give a little backstory of my lifting career.

Bodybuilding competition in 2015 (clean 😉 )

Powerlifting gold medal in 2019

Kettlebell training from 2020 to 2023 at home mainly doing complexes, bodybuilding style training and the popular 12 week muscle building program kettlebell, The wolf and DFW

Back in the gym January 2024 with traditional lifting with barbells etc. It all went well until an old injury from my powerlifting days popped back up. So, I stopped doing barbell squat and deadlift and are now kickstand squatting with a pair of DB and doing BB RDL.

My current program is as follows

Day A

Kickstand squat (4x10-12 per side)

DB bench (4x10-12)

Leg curls (Myo reps)

Pull ups (Myo reps)

Calf raises (3x15)

Chest supported rows (Myo reps)

Preacher curls (Myo reps)

Lateral raises (Myo reps)

Hanging leg raises (4x10-15)

Day B

BB RDL (4x10-12)

Inclince BB bench (4x10-12)

Leg press (Myo reps)

DB Shoulder press (Myo reps)

Calf raises (3x15)

Weightet Dips (Myo reps)

Preacher curls (Myo reps)

Lateral raises (Myo reps)

Hanging leg raises 4x10-15)

As you can see, it is very bodybuilding inspired. The reason being is that I missed being jacked. 😝

The reason I am thinking about going back to the kettlebell is the quality of life. The injury popped right back. Even though my squat and deadlift form is pretty good. (according to my old powerlifting coach and my physiotherapist)

But the years I spent with the kettlebells was the years I felt the best. Maybe not looked the best. But felt the best in my body.

I am also a running guy, and I never was faster when I trained mainly with kettlebells.

THE ENDING (for those who did not want to read the above) 😊

SO, the real thing I would like help with is this:

What I feel like I am missing with the kettlebell is a sense of measurable progression. And a real program to follow. Something I can plot into my excel sheets and see progression and so on.

I am therefore thinking about buying a kettlebell book or program. But I have no idea what to choose. I would like a program that makes me move very well but also built some sort of muscle. And a program that is “only” 3 days a week.

I am thinking about the following:

• Books from Dan John (but which one? He just released a new one around the ABC)
• Books from Geoff Neupert (same as above, which one?)
• A program from Adriell Mayes
• A program from Marcus Filly

Any other recommendations is welcome!

What would you do, and why?

*edit Day 1: https://youtu.be/pEGf7D4YLJc?si=ypGv-NzlThNDSH7E

Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/FPTuOUmdjUw?si=UGh6xrAFh9hWQ3M_

Day 3: https://www.youtube.com/live/muTFhphKJAI?si=vWVMGF1_i_A3w_0n

Just found your sport on YouTube and realized that you guys have huge cardiovascular capacity. So here comes the question: do you guys do any other type of cardio training, or does all of that come only from lifting?

As someone who has never competed in kettlebell sport I find it hard to find information regarding the competitions

Hello all,

My main mode of working with a kettlebell has been via hardstyle but I have developed an interest in Kettlebell sport training methodologies. I am curious about why the weight belt?

edit: thanks for the responses, I think I get the general idea. Looks like it will be something that I experiment with as I start incorporating more sport style into my routine.

Workout structure:

• warmup: cardio (run or jumprope) then “general developmental” (pulls, presses, front squats, swings, cleans) then flexibility, 16 minutes total
• 1 week= 2-3 “specific workouts” (jerk + snatch) and 1 “general” = long run. In competition preparatory period (month or so before comp) do jerk and snatch on different days
• 4-5 jerk sets, 2-3 snatch sets per workout. Volume wave using # sets: light week = J9/S5, heavy week= J18/S12 etc.
• intensity wave: not related to volume. intensity based on kb weight, rest time, rep count (as a % of max). Should grow continuously but not linearly
• once per week go hard on jerk or snatch if feeling good, once per month try to break your record
• Auxillary workout after jerk/snatch sets. Start with long cycle warmup, end with isometric holds. 3-5 sets, 4-8 reps of main lifts, 15-20 reps for calves/forearms/abs. Increase weekly on the main lifts, monthly wave
• Aux splits: (day 1- chest, tris, delts, abs) (day 2- deadlift, goodmorning,rows, biceps, traps, wrist extension OR flexion) (day 3- squats, calves, hamstrings (knee raise, double snatch) abs, wrist flex OR/ ext)
• Specific aux exercises - bottoms up press, double snatch, kb handle levers, knee raise)
• noted strength training exercises- double snatch, good morning, squats, jump squats, deadlift, press, swings

rep schemes

• uniform: single, long set. light kb, long running. “upper limit aerobic zone”
• variable: pyramids/ladders (or uniform with intermittent “sprints”) - can be intense, do in light weeks
• interval: 1-2’, lift to increase tempo. regulated tempo + time, regulated rest. Can do multiple sets - 1’work/1’rest x 5 is one set, for example. More advanced
• repeated: 3-5’, unregulated rest to full recovery with longer (medium) sets. Do easy general-developmental exercises during long rest period to avoid cooldown
• competitive: test max, 5’+, once every 2-3 weeks. can be either light or heavy kb, but high intensity
• for beginners, uniform and variable are the best, with occasional competitive, while using repeated and interval occasionally to support qualities that need to be worked on

Rep Schemes for Specific Endurance

• uniform method classical lift 5-20min with light kb
• variable - same as above but varying tempo intermittently

variable method can use change in tempo. this is recommended for running (i.e. using sprint intervals during a run) or doing sprints after x reps in longer kb sets

complexes are mentioned especially as effective for stretching, multiple cycles of stretches

Strength training rep schemes:

• maximum: only used during early general preparation phase. 1-3 reps heavy per set. negative effect on endurance.
• repeated: 10-20+ reps per set with medium weight, complete recovery between sets is critical (or else it turns into an endurance workout instead of strength)
• isometric holds - heavy weight, to failure (?)

Cardio Endurance - running, increase duration over time, then increase intensity

Overall Training Structure

microcycle - days to week, mesocycle = month/s, macrocycle - year/quarter/per comp

4 stages of preparation (mesocycles)

1. 2+ months preparatory - uniform method, running, strength training. first increase volume, then increase intensity.
2. 1 month/5wks Pre-comp - variable methods, focus on specific endurance
3. “several weeks” to 1 month peak competition - lower volume, repeated and interval, focus on comp lifts, competitive estimates. still use at least 1 uniform workout per wk
4. 1-2 weeks post comp - light and short workouts, do not increase workload

in preparation phase 70% is strength training, 30% is classical, slowly moving to 50-50 over time

Ryabchenko Jerk Training Structure -

5 sets per workout. Main sets use kbs 4-6kg lighter than comp weight.

1. “Power” set 1: Main weight + 4kg. low reps, emphasis on static holds (top and bottom). Followed by 3-5min rest
2. “Power” set 2: Main weight + 2kg. 2x reps of 1st set, followed by 3-5 mins rest
3. “Main” set 1 - 40-50% of max 10 minute reps. followed by 30s-2 mins rest (ideally 1’) but not enough to recover
4. “Main” set 2 - Main1 reps + 2. followed by 3-5mins rest
5. “Light” set, Main weight - 2kg, reps = two thirds of (main set 1+ main set 2)

Exponential Growth of the Main sets - 5+7, 8+10, 12+14, 17+19, 24+26, 32+34

Jerk Pace 6-22rpm depending on weight, main sets are ~3 minutes, light set is ~5 minutes

Microcycle of 2 weeks, 5-8 workouts. The last workout in the microcycle is the “peak” where max reps are recorded. Last 2 workouts in a microcycle are easier - no “light” set, “power” set reduced in the 2nd to last and ommitted in the last.

Every microcycle, increase the main weight (and therefore everything else) by 1-2 kg

Hi, I think I understand now why KB Jerk and Push Press are treated as two distinct things in kettlebell sport and I hope I don't have a misunderstanding here. So my understanding is as follows

• Both Jerk and Push Press aim to bring the KB overhead and have some leg-drive to support this (as opposed to a military press)
• Push Press means a combination of leg-drive and arm push bring the kettlebell overhead
• In the Jerk the aim is to catch the bell with a straight arm, the up-drive of the kettlebell is from the legs alone.

Is this roughly correct? So like push press means pressing the KB upwards with leg support and Jerk is catapulting the bell upwards with the legs, then catching it while doing a second half-squat.

Sport lifters often train using time pyramids or ladders, so it is helpful to have a timer app which allows for an arbitrary sequence of intervals. Sometimes one may even want to do intervals with a variable pace. I was having a hard time finding a simple, free app with this functionality and was suggested the flex timer app. It goes with a Bluetooth LED wall timer, but works as a stand-alone phone app. The relevant function is called "Multi-segment," which can create a chain of different timers each with it's own metronome. This is so perfect for sport training that I had to share. And no, this isnt viral marketing. It is overly complex for my personal taste (just give me time1, time 2, etc without all the extra fluff) but it does everything I was looking for, and for free. Hope someone else will find it useful.

Anybody have feedback on coaches or gyms in the Houston area? I’m on the south side

Seeking advice on training with hardstyle kettlebells. I realize the competition is better to use for being more porous etc, but I want to use what I have for now (double 16, 20, 24, and 32kg.)

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I remember that a lot of Kettlebell competitions were held online during covid. Are there still any around or did everything return back to in person events?

Just wondering because my work schedule doesn’t leave much room for traveling.

Hi, I have a question about LISS to improve aerobic capacity for Kettlebell sport.

Has anyone tried doing kettlebell sport half or full marathon for LISS? I was wondering if anyone done this before and share their experiences. Did it helped in improving performance for traditional 10min lifts such as long cycle? How does it compare to other LISS training such as running and biking?

The reason I'm asking this is because I don't like running and I don't have any cardio machine at home. I much rather do OALC with a lighter bell and slower pace for 30min.

Thank you for your help!