The World Kettlebell Club World Championships were held this weekend in Chicago.  With around 90 lifters participating it was the biggest kettlebell sport event in the US to date and the school gym in which it was held was a hive of activity throughout the day.  The number of people who attended to lift and spectate is a sign of the growing popularity of kettlebell sport outside of Eastern Europe – it’s been slow progress but we’re getting there! Three Australians competed in the competition: me, David Tabain and Natalie Turner.  Despite the jet-lag and nerves, each Aussie placed first in their event. It was an exciting day with several athletes hitting Master of Sport, including Scott Tighe who is only the second male MS in biathlon (pictured above).  There were also quite a few Candidate for Master of Sport ranks given out, one of which was awarded to William Metcalf who underwent brain surgery only 15 weeks before the competition – and he was able to achieve this largely because his all-round fitness from kettlebell sport training prior to the operation made his recovery miraculously quick. Ivan Denisov, absolute world record holder in all kettlebell sport events, was there [...]

I would like a dollar for every time we’ve been asked about the differences between “classic” and Pro Grade kettlebells. This post will outline the differences and be sure to check out the video below. The main difference… The classic kettlebells increase in size as the weight increases. A 4kg bell is really small, while the 64kg kettlebell is a monster! The Pro Grade kettlebells are uniform in size with the shape of the bell and handle remaining the same. This feature give the Pro Grade Kettlebells some advantages over the standard kettlebell; You don’t have to adjust your technique when moving back and forwards between heavier and lighter kettlebells. The ProGrade sizes are Internationally the same so you’re able to compare your performances with the best kettlebell users in the world. A slimmer handle reduces fatigue on long endurance sets Better ballistic properties gives you a mechanical advantage with exercises like the clean and snatch. The balancing of the Pro Grade works with you at all times Something worth considering Which kettlebell is for you? The simple answer is classic kettlebells are probably the best place to start if you’re new to kettlebell training. However, if you plan on [...]