On Saturday July 24 the first ever Irish Kettlebell Sports Championships will be held in Kilkenny.
The event is being hosted by the Kilkenny Kettlebell Club which was founded just over a year ago by Mark Stapleton and Eddie Sheehan.
Kettlebells have been around for a few hundred years but have only really taken the world by storm in the last 10. They look like a bowling ball with a handle and have been described as a hand held gym because of their versatility. They are used to develop great strength and endurance and help burn away unwanted body fat. A recent study done by the American Council on exercise found that they can burn up to 20 calories a minute.
There are a hundred different exercises you can do with them but in kettlebell sport only three lifts are performed the jerk, snatch and long cycle. The event being held in Kilkenny is a traditional biathlon which involves the competitor to perform two lifts, the jerk and the snatch. The jerk is like an overhead press using the legs for power; women use one bell and men use two bells for this. In the snatch one bell is swung between the legs then over the head in one movement. Both lifts are performed for a max of 10 mins and the total amount of repititions are added for a score. Women competitiors will be using kettlebell weights from 8kg to 16kg and men from 12kg to 28kg.
46 competitors from all over Ireland will take part in the competition, 20 of these are from Kilkenny Kettlebell Club. The event is open to the public and takes place from 10am until about 4pm in St Kierans College Gym.
Cost of entry to spectators is €5. For further information on the event and on kettlebells see www.kilkennykettlebellclub.com
