Wednesday, July 2, 2008

My opinion about changing the women's category. I call it empowerment!

and Why?

First of all I want to note that I respect all the categories of kettlebellers.  

There are categories under the worldkettlebellclub and they coincide with categories.  

Titles:  Master of Sport means being a Master of Kettlebell Sport, the upper echelon of lifting a kettlebell any style.  Master of Sport World Class is the equivalent of a Master that stands out among masters.  

In Russia where Kettlebell Sport had been perfected, there is a history of 60 years.   

The Category of Women is being altered to increase effectiveness of kettlebell competitions.  

And 60 years of history for men demonstrates that based on performance we choose to figure what weight to use, length of time and the exercises performed.  Russia needed a way to make its troops the pinnacle of strength endurance mocking other forms of training and had perfected it over 6 decades.  They decided 32 kg for men.  Up until my surgery had I felt that I truly figured out the best technique but I'll never stop thinking even then.  32 kg doesn't allow for many mistakes if I want to win a world championship.  Since the sport for women started much much later, it is still at an earlier stage of development.  Master of Sport can mean something different then it would for a man taking into account the gender difference.  

A fire fighter can't be differentiated for gender.  Special Ops guys can't be differentiated for gender. 

Kettlebells we can but it is true that women are more then half as strong as men potentially based on all other factors equal.  In my humble opinion, 16 kg is too light.  

Russia instituted 24 kg.  WKC is using 20 kg.  I think the latter is a wiser move.  Valery had put enormous amount of consideration into this.  When I felt like telling him how hard I worked putting it the 2.5-3 hours of kettlebell lifting per day and have him tell me "its really not that much".  When compared to his 7 hours I wake up.   I trust him because he has tried it all.

World class women athletes might train 7 hours a day but I doubt it.  The only way to know is to take away the mechanical advantage of barely legal reps by using a heavier kettlebell.  Two girls who put up the same numbers(when they rep out a very very fast rate) may not be the same person.   Change the weights and it may help identify who is better.  

You can put me next to Denisov with the right sized kettlebells.  

ie 1 minute of jerks with 2 12 kgs and it is questionable who win.  And uneducated individual would consider us the same for it.  Absurd.   

When 20 kg is saturated where women can't move any faster then it is time to consider a higher weight for that given exercise.  

Here is the common objection.  

People are either intimidated by 20 kg or its heavy for a girls sport.  

It is not.   Again this is an opinion.  
We have to keep in the back of our minds to figure out what constitutes a world class athlete.   

When I look at female powerlifters and olympic weight lifters who are twice stronger then me, I don't cut any slack for 44 lbs for a kettlebeller.   For someone starting out, competing professional should be out of the question as it is.   Master of Sport can be achieved if someone has the drive and the patience.  Anyone can do it but for some it is harder then others.   

Master of Sport is the beginning of being a professional.  

The harsh truth is a professional does something for a living.  In this case its lifting kettlebells for reps.   For argument's sake, a low level to mid level professional can be Master of Sport. 
 
The title demonstrates professionalism.  

44 lbs will eliminate mistakes with 16 kg and drive introspection.  For a motivational quote ladies, consider yourselves empowered because the challenge is greater then before.   

The harder something is, the more rewarding the accomplishment.   I'm excited for you.  

Regards

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