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What is the Kettlebell (GS) Attitude?

Posted on 06.01.2010 : Authored by Dmitri Sataev

Let’s talk about one of the most important things that make a great GS/Kettlebell athlete or a great athlete of any sport for that matter.

In my opinion that would be ATTITUDE.

For the purpose of this article I will be putting the focus on the attitude needed to really become great in GS (Russian kettlebell sport). So, most people who tried GS should be able to relate to it.

This is how I approach it, others might approach to it differently, but this is my approach as both an active competitor and as a coach…and of course I try to teach the same approach to my students.

In the sport of GS, the phrase “I can do it” is usually just words. New comers to GS do not know how hard that sport is and the attitude of “I can do it” does not take them very far. ( e.g. a minute or two on Jerks and Long cycle and even less on Snatch.)

When I say attitude I mean a very different approach to it.

Here is the attitude I recommend for GS training: Remember that it is my opinion. It works perfectly for me, and my students and athletes seem to make huge personal gains following the same mental program.

Here is how I do it:

1) Let me see how far I can get. Let me try the lift and see what it feels like. Don’t jump on 32kg right away even if you might have the strength to do it. Try 16kg first for 10-15 reps and see if that you can go heavier. If you feel like you can then grab 24kg. (Two of them, not one) and do Jerk.

2) If you really want to get the right feeling of it, then push almost to your max and by then you will know for sure how that feels. You will know if you like it or not. That crazy feeling – my body is shot, I can’t move anything anymore, can’t breathe, shoulders are on fire, legs are dead, hands are numb and then you realized that you have lifted very few reps . Usually it is about 20 reps or so ..and that is if you’re a very physically fit person.

Now you are in shock! (and this is what is running through your mind.)

What just happened?… In barely two minutes, I am spent! …This doesn’t happen to me even after two hours of weight lifting in the gym!

May be something is here? By then you know you like that “Jerk” with kettlebells or not. Now you start thinking: I am pretty good in the gym and I just suck at kettlebell training.

What should I do now?

Should I try it again and get better at this or forget about it and continue to do what I am good at?

Now your success will depend on your decision to push on or just go back to your old routines of training. Or are you going to test yourself with GS? Are you going to train to become accomplished in the sport of Russian Kettlebells? Are you are coming back for more of that crazy feeling of “being spent in very short time”.

Do you like a challenge in front of you? Goals will come later. First you have to learn a few things, get some hard training in and then you set goals and target numbers. GS is a step by step process.

Related Topics :: Attitude

United States Girevoy Sport Federation (USGSF) was founded in 2003 by Dmitri Sataev. The purpose of USGSF is to popularize traditional Russian Girevoy Sport (G.S., kettlebells) as well as non-traditional physical exercises and events utilizing the kettlebell as a strength and conditioning tool. The Giri (kettlebell), when in the hands of an expert can demonstrate the unique power-potentials of man.