Kettlebell lifting

Methodological Approaches to Uniform Competition Rules and Classification Standards in Kettlebell Lifting

M. V. Starodubtsev, Cand. Sc. (Pedagogy), Docent, VNIIFK

English summary of Tyazhelaya Atletika. Ezhegodnik 1984 (Moscow: Fizkultura i Sport, 1984), pp. 73–77: the text is paraphrased, not translated; data tables are given in full with English labels.

Kettlebell lifting is turning from a regional, narrowly departmental activity into a sport bound for the main section of the Unified All-Union Sports Classification, which calls for uniform competition rules and classification standards. Four questions must be settled: the programme, the body-weight categories, scoring tables for objective team scoring, and equally demanding standards for all categories.

Competition programme

Competitions now consist of the one-kettlebell snatch and two-kettlebell jerk, which is acceptable, but candidates for Master of Sport and Masters could do more telling exercises: a two-kettlebell snatch, like the barbell snatch (half or deep squat) or with a swing between the legs, repeated without loss of tempo; and a two-kettlebell jerk in which the bells drop to a hang after each push-out and go straight back to the shoulders. These involve more muscle groups, load the body symmetrically and limit repetitions, lowering the risk of hand injuries and shortening competitions. For other classes the jerk can stay unchanged, while the snatch would be done alternately with each hand, passing the bell at the swing, removing the asymmetric load.

Number and ranges of body-weight categories

These can be derived from correlation equations relating results to body weight, shown here on the All-Union competitions in Klaipeda, 22–24 April 1983. Table 1 is the joint distribution of body weight and result for the jerk of two 32 kg kettlebells.

Table 1. Distribution of results in the jerk of two 32 kg kettlebells by body weight of the lifters

Body weight, kg	Lifters, n	Mean result of the row, repetitions
55.7–62.6	8	6.5
62.7–69.6	15	16.5
69.7–76.6	27	21.5
76.7–83.6	20	29.7
83.7–90.6	10	29.3
90.7–97.6	4	34.5
97.7–104.6	5	38.9
104.7–111.6	3	38.2
111.7–118.6	3	32.5
Total	95	247.6

Result class, repetitions	0–4	5–12	13–20	21–28	29–36	37–44	45–52	53–60	61–68
Lifters, n	2	10	31	18	24	3	4	2	1

Only row and column totals and row means are given; the cells of the printed grid could not be recovered reliably.

Results rise with body weight, but along a curve rather than a straight line, which suggests a logarithmic relation. Table 2 shows the computation (W is body weight, P_J the actual row mean of Table 1).

Table 2. Scheme for computing the correlation equation linking body weight and result in the jerk of two 32 kg kettlebells

W	P_J	lg W	(lg W)²	P_J lg W	P̃_J
59.2	6.5	1.7723	3.1410	11.5199	11.4
66.2	16.5	1.8209	3.3156	30.0448	16.3
73.2	21.5	1.8645	3.4763	40.1286	20.7
80.2	29.7	1.9042	3.6259	56.5547	24.8
87.2	29.3	1.9405	3.7655	56.8566	28.5
94.2	34.5	1.9741	3.8970	68.1064	31.9
101.2	38.9	2.0051	4.0204	77.9983	35.1
108.2	38.2	2.0342	4.1379	77.7064	38.0
115.2	32.5	2.0615	4.2497	66.9987	40.8
σ	247.6	17.3773	33.6293	485.9144	247.5

The equation has the form P̃_J = a + b lg W. Its two normal equations, 9a + 17.3773b = 247.6 and 17.3773a + 33.6293b = 485.9144, give a = −169.1657 and b = 101.8582:

P̃_J = −169.1657 + 101.8582 lg W. (1)

The probable means it yields are mostly close to the actual ones and the two sums practically coincide, confirming the hypothesis. The same for the 32 kg snatch (both hands together) gave

P̃_S = −176.6861 + 123.9591 lg W, (2)

where P̃_S is the probable mean snatch result.

Two sets of categories were compared: the weightlifting set and one of 60, 70, 80, 90 and over 90 kg. Weightlifting ranges proved too narrow for kettlebell lifters and the second set too few (Table 3).

Table 3. Probable values of P_J and P_S for categories at 10 kg intervals

Body-weight category, kg	60	70	80	90	100	110	120	130	140
P_J, repetitions	12.0	18.8	24.7	29.9	34.5	38.8	42.6	46.2	49.4
P_S, repetitions	43.7	52.0	59.2	65.6	71.2	76.4	81.0	83.4	89.3

As printed; the second row is labelled P_o in the source, and 83.4 at 130 kg does not fit equation (2), which gives about 85.4.

Beyond 90 kg the differences between neighbouring results are clearly smaller, so a stepped series suggests itself: 10 kg intervals up to 90 kg and 20 kg after that, giving 60, 70, 80, 90, 110 and over 110 kg, acceptable scientifically for adults. Juniors need a 50 kg category too.

Scoring tables

These need equalising coefficients, which, as in weightlifting, show how much the strength capacity of one category exceeds or falls short of another. They are computed per event by dividing the probable result in the super-heavyweight class (conventionally 140 kg) by the results in the other categories. From Table 3, for 60, 70, 80, 90, 110 and over 110 kg they are 4.1, 2.6, 2, 1.7, 1.3 and 1 in the jerk and 2, 1.7, 1.5, 1.4, 1.2 and 1 in the snatch; for 50 kg equation (1) gives 12.7 in the jerk and equation (2) 2.6 in the snatch. They produced a concise scoring table (Table 4).

Table 4. Concise scoring table for kettlebell competitions (32 kg kettlebell)

Number of lifts	Body-weight category, kg
Number of lifts	50	60	70	80	90	110	Over 110
Snatch of one kettlebell, sum of right and left hands
90	234	180	153	135	126	108	90
70	182	140	119	105	98	84	70
50	130	100	85	75	70	60	50
30	78	60	51	45	42	36	30
10	26	20	17	15	13	12	10
8	20.8	16.0	13.6	12.0	11.2	9.6	8.0
6	15.6	12.0	10.2	9.0	8.4	7.2	6.0
4	10.4	8.0	6.8	6.0	5.6	4.8	4.0
2	5.2	4.0	3.4	3.0	2.8	2.4	2.0
Jerk of two kettlebells, number of lifts
9	114.3	36.9	23.4	18.0	15.3	11.7	9.0
8	101.6	32.8	20.8	16.0	13.6	10.4	8.0
7	88.9	28.7	18.2	14.0	11.9	9.1	7.0
6	76.2	24.6	15.6	12.0	10.2	7.8	6.0
5	63.5	20.5	13.0	10.0	8.5	6.5	5.0
4	50.8	16.4	10.4	8.0	6.8	5.2	4.0
3	38.1	12.3	7.8	6.0	5.1	3.9	3.0
2	25.4	8.2	5.2	4.0	3.4	2.6	2.0
1	12.7	4.1	2.6	2.0	1.7	1.3	1.0

Note. Results above ten repetitions are split into tens and units; points for tens are multiplied by 10 and added to those for units (97 jerks at 90 kg: 15.3 × 10 + 11.9 = 164.9). With factors 0.75 and 0.50 the table serves for 24 and 16 kg kettlebells; the jerk-plus-snatch total is multiplied by them.

The present team-scoring coefficients, 2 for the 24 kg and 3 for the 32 kg kettlebell, make sense only if all teams compete in one category with different bells; otherwise they cause very coarse errors. At one competition V. Kukhtarev (90 kg) jerked 27 and snatched 58 for 139 points and V. Brazhinskas (115 kg) did 30 and 60 for 150, so the first lost by 11 points; without the coefficient 3 the gap would be only 5. By Table 4 Kukhtarev scores 45.9 in the jerk and 83.6 in the snatch, 125.4 in all, against 90 for Brazhinskas, so his class is higher by 37.1 points, which shows the practical value of tables built on equalising coefficients.

As printed; the two component scores add up to 129.5, not 125.4.

Classification standards

Equally demanding standards must take into account the equalising coefficients and the snatch-to-jerk ratios within each category, which by Table 3 are 3.66, 2.77, 2.40, 2.19, 1.97 and 1.81 in category order. Reference Master of Sport and Candidate Master norms are set by expert judgement, since no data yet exist, in the jerk of two 32 kg kettlebells (the hardest event) in the lowest category (60 kg): for the 1985–1988 classification, 20 and 15 repetitions. The other categories follow by calculation (Table 5).

Table 5. Draft classification standards in kettlebell lifting for 1985–1988

Body-weight category, kg	32 kg kettlebell		24 kg kettlebell			16 kg kettlebell
Body-weight category, kg	Master of Sport	Cand. Master of Sport	Class I	Class II	Class III	Junior I	Junior II	Junior III
50						7 28+28	5 22+22	3 14+14
60	20 37+37	15 27+27	20 37+37	15 27+27	10 18+18	20 37+37	15 27+27	10 18+18
70	31 44+44	24 33+33	31 44+44	24 33+33	16 22+22	31 44+44	24 33+33	16 22+22
80	42 50+50	32 37+37	42 50+50	32 37+37	21 25+25	42 50+50	32 37+37	21 25+25
90	50 55+55	40 44+44	50 55+55	40 44+44	25 27+27	50 55+55	40 44+44	25 27+27
110	65 64+64	48 48+48	65 64+64	48 48+48	32 32+32
Over 110	80 72+72	62 56+56	80 72+72	62 56+56	40 37+37

Note. Upper figure: two-kettlebell jerk with a single lift to the shoulders (repetitions); lower: one-kettlebell snatch with alternate hands (repetitions per hand).

Two examples: for 60 kg the Master of Sport snatch norm is 20 × 3.66 = 73.2, rounded up to 74, or 37 per hand. For 70 kg the jerk norm is (20 × 4.1) : 2.6 = 31.5 ≈ 31 and the snatch norm 31.5 × 2.77 = 87.4, or 88, i.e. 44 per hand. Class I–III norms use the 24 kg kettlebell, junior I–III the 16 kg.

With more statistics, equations of type (1) and (2) should also be derived for the 24 and 16 kg exercises, giving tables and norms with a higher confidence level.