Kettlebell lifting

Russian stamp with kettlebell lifting theme (snatch and jerk depicted).

Kettlebell lifting (Russian: гиревой спорт, girevoy sport) is a weight lifting sport performed with kettlebells. Competitive kettlebell lifting has a long history in Russia but developed as an organised, standard sport under the name kettlebell lifting during the 1960s.^[1]

Lifts

The sport consists of three lifts: the snatch, jerk and the long jerk.^[2][3][4]

• Snatch: A single kettlebell is swung using one hand from between the knees to above the head in a single motion.^[5]
• Jerk: Two kettlebells are grasped in each arm at shoulder level and stabilised in the 'rack position', then jerked above the head.^[6]
• Long Jerk: Two kettlebells are cleaned from knee level to chest level, then jerked to above the head.^[7]

Rules

Valery Fedorenko demonstrates a basic snatch manoeuvre. Red (32 kg), green (24 kg), yellow (16 kg), and blue (12 kg) standard kettlebells are seen.

Competition format is usually composed of two categories; biathlon and the long cycle:

• Biathlon involves the girevik (kettlebell lifter) performing a set of jerks for ten minutes, followed by a set of snatches for ten minutes.
• Long cycle involves the girevik performing a set of long jerks for ten minutes.

Sanctioning bodies require the use of 1-pood (16 kg), 1.5-pood (24 kg), and 2-pood (32 kg) competition kettlebells of similar size with identifying colours (yellow, green, and red respectively).^[8][9]

Federations

The main international sanctioning body is the International Union of Kettlebell Lifting (IUKL) based in Riga, Latvia.^[10] The All-Russia Kettlebell Lifting Federation (Всероссийская федерация гиревого спорта) is also a member of IUKL. A competitor organisation of lesser importance is the International Girya Sport Federation (IGSF), founded in Lipetsk, Russia but currently based in Ukraine.^[11] In 2006, Valery Fedorenko, a former world champion from Kyrgyzstan founded the World Kettlebell Club in the United States.^[12] In 2012, The American Kettlebell Alliance (AKA)^[13] as founded to further develop and popularize kettlebell sport in the Americas. The AKA is also a member of the IUKL and represents American athletes into international competitions including the IUKL World Championships, which is the largest and most prestigious annual international kettlebell sport competition in the world.

References

1. ИСТОРИЯ ГИРЕВОГО СПОРТА
2. "Exercises: Snatch". World Kettlebell Club. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
3. "Exercises: Jerk". World Kettlebell Club. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
4. "Exercises: Long Jerk". World Kettlebell Club. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
5. "Exercises: Snatch". World Kettlebell Club. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
6. "Exercises: Jerk". World Kettlebell Club. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
7. "Kettlebell Long Cycle". One Hour Long Cycle. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
8. РЕГЛАМЕНТ ПРОВЕДЕНИЯ ОФИЦИАЛЬНЫХ МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫХ СОРЕВНОВАНИЙ МСГС ПО ГИРЕВОМУ СПОРТУ В 2011 ГОДУ
9. ХАРАКТЕР И ПРОГРАММА СОРЕВНОВАНИЙ
10. International Union of Kettlebell Lifting.
11. International Girya Sport Federation
12. World Kettlebell Club
13. "AKA Sport | USA Non-profit Kettlebell Association – Exclusive USA". aka-sport.org. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

^[1]

^[2]

1. "American Kettlebell Alliance".
2. "American Kettlebell Alliance". American Kettlebell Alliance.