Girevoy Sport is one of the toughest competitive events on the planet. It’s also one of the most beneficial endeavors we mortals can undertake as we try to improve our physical and mental wellbeing. Yeah, it’s hard.
Unlike Hardstyle, which is more strength-oriented, Girevoy Sport (GS) involves equal parts strength/endurance/willpower.
GS, being a sport, also has ranks based on the size of the kettlebell used and the amount of reps completed in one of two events:
“Biathlon”: total number of jerks in 10 minutes plus the total number of snatches in 10 minutes = your score
“Long Cycle Clean and Jerks” (LCCJ): total repetitions completed in 10 minutes = your score
In addition, Girevoy Sport uses a different style of kettlebell than Hardstyle kettlebell practitioners.
Girevoy Sport (L), Hardstyle/Traditional (R)
For a no sales, no fluff, no “Hardstyle vs. OTW”, Girevoy Sport information, you absolutely have to visit the following blog:
http://girevoysportafter40.blogspot.com
“Eugene” is a Medical Doctor from Sydney Australia who took up Girevoy Sport training in 2008 at the age of 45. He has a veritable “library” of information on GS training that you won’t get from Dragondoor, AKC, or any of the other mainstream KB/GS sites. Eugene has even taken the time to translate whole articles from Russian into English and revealed that there are, in fact, other ways to train for Girevoy Sport!
Please do yourself a favor if you’re interested in Girevoy Sport and check out his blog. You won’t be disappointed. Wait. Actually, you will. You’ll wish you had found it sooner.
And for those wishing to refine their GS technique, Coach Denis Kanygin has a great blog here: http://workoutiq.com/blog/
Coach Denis is now a Technical and Kettlebell Sport Advisor to IKFF. He was responsible for creating new kettlebell sport rankings for IKFF (see Story of IKFF Sport Rankings).
Coach Kanygin is now teaching his kettlebell training methodology based in pure Russian GS training methods coupled with his experience as postural therapist.
Popularity: 100% [?]
So what’s the difference between the colored ones and the black ones? Why are they shaped differently?
Oh Snap! Sorry I missed this comment! Where the heck have I been?
O.K., the “colored ones” are considered sport style for want of a better term. They’re sold by the American Kettlebell Club (of which I’m a coach), and are designed for use in Girevoy Sport, although they’re also great for fitness use, as the design of their handle is (in my opinion) a bit more comfortable than the Dragon Door ones (at least for very high reps).
The main difference is the handle shape. The handles are significantly thinner than those of the other brands. According to Eric Liford of the Worlds Kettlebell Club:
They are intentionally about 33mm in the handle, all other measurements the same. The standard has always been 35mm (on paper) and that’s what we made the Special Edition bells, but after getting them Valery thought they looked a bit too thick. His sample from Russia is 33mm. He said in Latvia last year, the World Championships used bells that had to be 32mm. Most of the competitions Valery was in over the years he remembers they were thinner. We hear from others that went to the Championships in Moscow 2 years ago say they were thinner as well.
So, the Standard for the World Kettlebell Club handle is “not more than 35mm”.
Some reasons…
1. Women were not considered in the original measurements. Since we have many many interested women, the ~33mm handle accommodates them, kids and those men with smaller hands.
2. The records from the history of Kettlebell Sport most likely came with bells slightly under 35mm.
3. Kettlebells from around the world, some 50 years old or more, have likely been sanded and ground down over the years. They try for a standard, but you never know what you are going to get from competition to competition.
4. Anything over 35mm leaves a big sample of the population out as far as locking your finger etc.. Since Kettlebell Sport is not a grip event, but a Strength-Endurance Sport, everyone should have a relatively equal chance. Obviously, any smaller than 32mm wouldn’t be an advantage to anyone, but anything larger than 35mm would limit more than half the population.
I have Dragon Door, AKC, Lifeline, and Ader kettlebells and use all for different things. Any would serve you well.
P.S.
If you’re interested in buying AKC bells shoot me a line and I’ll help you get one. Or two. Or three.
Awesome blog! I am an AKC coach also and love kettlebells. Please keep sharing great info.
Steven! Thanks very much! I’m glad you like the blog. Stop by again.
Jim
Hi! I have a few clients who want to take on girevoy sport and we need the competition kettlebells. Can you tell me my best source for these? I would like to get them in before Xmas! Thanks, David
David,
Both Perform Better and American Kettlebell Club offer Girevoy Sport Style Kettlebells. Prices for Perform Better First Place Elite kettlebells (according to their website on 12/12/08) are as follows (shipping and handling are extra):
12 kg – $69.95
16 kg – $84.95
20 kg – $99.95
24 kg – $114.95
The American Kettlebell Club is offering a 20% discount on their kettlebells until Thursday, January 1st 2009 12:01am. Their prices are as follows (again, shipping and handling are extra):
8kg=$100-20%=$80
12kg=$100-20%=$80
16kg=$110-20%=$88
20kg=$120-20%=$96
24kg=$130-20%=$104
28kg=$140-20%=$112
32kg=$150-20%=$120
36kg=$160-20%=$128
40kg=$230-20%=$184
44kg=$260-20%=$208
48kg=$300-20%=$240
The American Kettlebell Club cannot guarantee inventory or size availability.
You can use the Perform Better link on my home page or contact me to purchase the AKC bells.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
Jim
nice link, thanks for sharing – one of the aims of the UK Open Kettlebell Championships is to bring all together to compete – irrespective of where they have learnt their lifting from, self-taught, RKC, CKT etc.
thanks again
[...] Girevoy Sport [...]
Just wanted to drop a comment to say keep up the good work. I’ve been weight training for over 25 years and lifting kettlebells for 7. Originally I was training in the hardstyle method but have in the last couple of months began kettlebell sport training. There isn’t much out there so I’ve had to rely on sites like yours for my education. I see kettlebell sport gaining in popularity over the next few years though. Good stuff!
Thanks Dennis,
I appreciate your kind words! Keep training hard!
Jim