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Sydney Kettlebell Sport (SKS) is a community focused built around strength, skill, and shared ambition. We bring together athletes of all levels to train with purpose, refine technique, and push personal limits in a supportive, performance-driven environment. Through structured coaching, competition pathways, and a strong team culture, we help members develop not only physical capacity but confidence, discipline, and resilience. Whether you’re new to kettlebells or striving for the platform, Sydney Kettlebell Sport is where consistent training meets long-term progress. We also support fitness professionals interested in incorporating lifting pathways into their programs.
What is Kettlebell Sport?
What is Kettlebell Sport?
Kettlebell sport is a cyclic endurance sport that blends the technical demands of Olympic lifting, the work capacity of rowing, and the mental toughness of combat sport.
Scoring is based on repetitions completed in a given time period (10min, 30min, 60min) without setting the kettlebells down. Each lift may be completed with either double or single kettlebells - in one arm events athletes may only change hands once. Hence, kettlebell sport is all about combining strength with endurance.
Get started
Get started
Not sure how to get started? We offer a number of pathways to get you lifting no matter what your skill level or age. From group classes at participating gyms, free introductory workshops at some of our events, help finding a trainer near you, or joining in the events competitions we run.
If you run a gym and want to find our more about incorporating kettlebell sports into your group classes we can also help.
Find out more about the sport of Kettlebell Lifting below...
History
History
The kettlebell, or “girya” in Russian, first appeared in the 1700s. It wasn’t a fitness tool at first—it was used as a counterweight in markets to weigh grain. But strongmen began to lift and swing these iron weights for fun and challenge. Their odd shape—like a cannonball with a handle—made them perfect for dynamic movement. Over time, lifting kettlebells became a way to demonstrate raw strength and control, especially in rural festivals and fairs.
In modern times it has evolved into a global sport with a set of specific competitive events: the Snatch, the Clean and Jerk (also called the Long Cycle), and the Jerk alone. Competitors may lift for set periods like 10, 30 or even 60 minutes without setting the kettlebell down, testing both technique and grit.
Scoring is based on repetitions, and success demands a mix of speed, rhythm, breathing, and mental toughness. This isn’t just strength—this is strength endurance.
Traditional Disciplines
Traditional Disciplines
In Australia the most common traditional lifts you are likely to encounter in classes and competitions are:
Snatch
Half Snatch
One Arm Long Cycle (OALC)
Jerk
Snatch
The pendulum movement starts as soon as you lift the bell off the ground, swinging it backwards in between the legs and then using the shift in the body's momentum to bring the bell over the shoulders and locking out the elbows quickly to produce an obvious fixation before letting the bell drop and starting over again. One of the goals with snatch is to avoid using the arms to pull the bell up but rather get the momentum doing as much of the effort. A challenge with snatches is the rotating handle in the hand which is notorious for callouses.
Half Snatch
Just like a standard snatch right up until the lockout. The difference is that once you have achieved fixation, the bell is dropped into rack position on the chest, with the elbows visibly contacting the torso (2nd fixation), before then dropping the ball to restart the pendulum swing. A common error in competition is not sufficient focus on the elbow fixating on the torso when in rack which can lose a competitor points.
Jerk
Starting in rack, there is a first dip that brings the knees over the toes, followed by a bump that uses momentum to lift the bell, followed by a very quick second dip that brings the body under the bell, like a shallow squat. Finish with a strong lockout and fixate (i.e. no movement for a brief moment like 1 second of obvious stillness) before dropping back into rack and starting over again.
One Arm Cycle
A pendulum swing is started and the bell is swung into rack position on the chest, coming to a visible stop before initiating the double-dip jerk sequence into a full lockout. The bell then drops and the pendulum swing recommences. Starting in rack, there is a first dip that brings the knees over the toes, followed by a bump that uses momentum to lift the bell, followed by a very quick second dip that brings the body under the bell, like a shallow squat. Finish with a strong lockout and fixate (i.e. no movement for a brief moment like 1 second of obvious stillness) before dropping back into rack and starting over again. Like the half-snatch this movement has 2 fixation points: the rack and the lockout, which must be clearly visible and performed correctly in order to score a point.
Other Disciplines
Other Disciplines
There is also a special Military Snatch that is a multi-switch one-arm snatch for 12 minutes that is very popular at GSAA and our own local events.
You may also see Pentathlon and Triathlon events at special events run by SKS and others.
One arm or two?
One arm or two?
You can choose to do these using one kettlebell with one arm at a time, or doubles. The major difference between one-arm and doubles, is that one-arm allows switches that can rest one arm while the other one takes over. No rest is possible with doubles as both hands are occupied for the duration of the lift.
Durations typically will be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes (half-marathon), 60 minutes (marathon). Only one arm switch is allowed for the 5 & 10 minute cycles. For longer lifts you can switch arms as much as you like.
Who can lift?
Who can lift?
Lifting is open to all sexes and ages. We have members who started lifting in their 50's, or who used it as part of rehabilitation after an accident, surgery or to improve age related mobility and loss of muscle strength.
National competitions run by GSAA and our own local events use coefficients that adjust scores based on sex, body weight and age, to ensure everyone is treated fairly.
Mobility can be a challenge for lock-out positions in the shoulders and elbows, though allowances can be made in competition for injury related restrictions. Many lifters report improved shoulder mobility through the careful progressions made in the sport. Warm ups and stretches are critical to lowering the risk of injuries.
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