Kettlebell Sport, also known as Girevoy Sport (GS), is a highly challenging power-endurance feat of a cyclical nature. Lifters success involves technique, flexibility, strength and power, proper breathing patterns, aerobic capacity, stability and mental focus.
As opposed to Olympic or Power Lifting, Girevoy Sport requires an athlete to lift a sub-maximal load, completing as many repetitions as possible in ten minutes.
The challenge is not to lift the weight once or twice or even for 10 reps, the challenge is to keep lifting for 10 mins in traditional lifting, with correct form and technique, so obviously if you are lifting weights for sustained 10 mins of time a lot of mental strength component is involved more than physical at times.
As you come close to competition date, you are on peak of training, which is for about 2 weeks. There is lot of physical stress and body demands lot of recovery. During the last few weeks take it very easy as we face a lot of unwanted stress, may be work, and may be family. The required reps will not be clocked, due to which Physiological we get depressed.
Below are few pointers which can help!
General Tips before competition
Traveling overseas:
If you are traveling overseas, ensure you pack 1 or 2 day meal with you, as most likely you will increase the weight in travel if you plan to give body weight on day or arrival. If you have leverage of few kilograms then okay, but nutrition before competition is important.
Warm up and lifting:
Having warmed up and training before the competition is different. There is no need to lift the competition bells for long time before the competition. Many novice athletes lift the competition bells for longer time just to use as warm up and get fatigued. Use light bells but ensure you do few reps before main lifting.
Warm up is key in process, spend good time warming up. Ensure you reach 1 hour of schedule time to the competition so you can spend time on relaxation and warm up.
Music and heart rate:
Many times even we try to keep our self-calm, still the heart rate rise before the competition. We meet colleagues and friends whom we know on Facebook or socials. We ask about their targets in the competition. Also we see lots of athletes lifting bells, so physiologically the stress built up. My verdict is use music, play your favorite music before competition, it will relax you and think about the lifting you plan to execute in competition.
Stop thinking about repetitions:
The more you think about the reps and target the more you invite stress on heart, as the more calm you are the better the results are. Repetitions are certainly important as you can achieve your title, may be rank 1, rank 2, CMS or MS. But many times due to chasing the reps you lose on the methods or even the pace you plan to do in competition. So just chill and ensure you stick to the plan decided. If you change the plan, results will not come. Be positive on the plan decided as per you coach.
Calmness on first few minutes of lift:
As you start lifting, you will feel the Kettlebells heavy as if you are lifting more than what you trained, but calmness on initially few minutes will help you to adjust the pace and continue the lifting for 10 mins. Ensure first 5/6 mins are as per decided pace given. Even though the counter is clicking on score, as athlete you have to count your reps in mind which you decide as pace per min.
Aggression on last minutes:
Give your heart, soul and everything you have on last 2 mins on lifting. It is probably most difficult thing for kettlebell sport athlete and the one who does it gracefully is the winner.
On last minutes of lifting you are drained, tired and want to get rid of the Kettlebell as fast as you. But most of Kbell sport athlete train for the last minutes. Your pace can be double on last mins with heart rate of the roof.
Systematic and through training on Kettlebells can help you achieve that, which is more mental than physical.
Inch by inch, step by step everything is clearly explained in EKFA Kettlebell workshops by our master trainers. Your every experience will be fruitful post 2 day workshop. Please join us in 8th National Kettlebell Championships happening in Mumbai on 12th and 13th March.
Be Kettlebell Strong!