Kettlebell Lifting an Olympic Sport?

Kettlebell lifting is soaring in popularity throughout the world, as it should be. I love lifting, juggling and throwing my kettlebells around but have never competed in a kettlebell lifting competition. Kettlebell lifting contests have been going on for hundreds of years, but now there are World Kettlebell Lifting Championships being held!

With the popularity of the sport rising, I would love to see this become an Olympic Sport. Kettlebell lifting competitions typically involve contestants seeing how many times they can jerk two kettlebells at a time and then later, how many times they can snatch a kettlebell. The total is added up and the competitor with the highest total (amount of reps) wins in each weight class.

This is much different from Olympic Weightlifting, as it is not a one repetition max sport but a muscular endurance contest. Stamina, or lasting power, along with mental toughness decides the winners of kettlebell lifting contests. This event format hearkens back to the Russian labourer philosophy of the importance of staying power. Sure a huge lift is exciting to watch, but when you go back to the fields or factories, you need to be able to be strong for long.

Valery Fedorenko is one the best kettlebell lifters in the world, he has been know to Jerk two 70 lbs kettlebells over 130 times without putting them down! When I first saw this on video it absolutely blew my mind! Can you imagine the levels this sport would achieve if it has world wide recognition from the Olympics? The amount of talent it would draw would be astounding!

If you love kettlebell lifting, start following kettlebell contests and let's build this sport from the grass roots level to the top!