Girevoy (kettlebell) sport (“GS”) as practised in Russia encompasses various tests of strength endurance . Depending upon age , sex and ability , competitors participate in various weight divisions to achieve the highest number of repetitions in a 10 minute time limit. Furthermore , the spirit of competition is enhanced by special feats such as "odd" lifts and kettlebell "relay... [read more]

Girevoy (kettlebell) sport (“GS”) as practised in Russia encompasses various tests of strength endurance . Depending upon age , sex and ability , competitors participate in various weight divisions to achieve the highest number of repetitions in a 10 minute time limit. Furthermore , the spirit of competition is enhanced by special feats such as "odd" lifts and kettlebell "relay races" after the main program is completed.History

During the 20th century , kettlebells were used by strength athletes e.g weightlifters and "strongmen" to compliment more traditional barbell lifts. In 1948 Russians commenced kettlebell sport , whereby a man performed as many legal repetitions as possible in his chosen event(s), the snatch (weight swung with one arm straight above head ) , the clean & jerk ( 2 bells swung to chest once , and then put overhead as many times as possible) and the one armed push press.

Such was the conditioning developed by competitive gireviks that eventaully a 10 minute time limit was imposed to allow the meeting to be completed in a reasonable time frame!

The competition press was deleted from the program for the same reason it was turfed from Olympic weightlifting : simply the event was too difficult to fairly judge.

The sport evolved from military circles to the wider population and in 1985 the first official Russian national championship was held. Since then many other nations have entered international competitions. Finally it is becoming a world sport!