With 3 students representing the best of Russia this fall, Ivan Denisov continues to show the world how to coach a team to greatness.

Despite kettlebell lifting being an individualized sport, Ivan Denisov believes in the importance of building teamwork on and off the platform with his students.  For the past two weeks, he has spent time camping in the wilderness with the entire team to strengthen their camaraderie and also to give them a much-needed break after the Open Cup of Europe last month.

Before you wonder why us ICKB’ers don’t have our own summer camp in the woods, keep in mind that Ivan is a full-time kettlebell lifting coach at the collegiate level.  Far beyond general fitness, Ivan trains elite lifters from different universities in the Chelyabinsk region; Girevoy Sport is their primary focus.  Imagine.

ICKB students: Please be sure to come collect a special gift from Ivan and Ksenia tonight!

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A video featuring some of the spectacular highlights from the Open Cup of Europe 2011

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Surya on stage with the best of Russia: Elena, Ksenia, Lidiya, and Valentina

With a little more than 2 months of training in the 24kg snatch, Surya competed in the professional division (-68kg) and took second place after the sensational Tatiana Potemkin (World Champion from Kazakhstan) at the Open Cup of Europe this weekend!

The event was held at the Chelyabinsk Hockey Stadium

Perhaps the most spectacular Kettlebell Sport tournament in Europe this year, the Open Cup hosted by the great Ivan Denisov and sponsored by World Kettlebell Club, attracted the absolute best athletes from the world to the city of Chelyabinsk to fight for the title of IUKL European Open Cup Champion. In the words of our friend Valentin Egorov (who took second place after Johnny Benidze), this competition is “Part II of the Russian Championships.”

World Champion Alexander Khvostov congratulating Surya

Four new world records were set at this one event alone! In addition, the IC now has a new IUKL European Open Cup Silver Medalist… Congratulations Surya!

The Head Coach of the Russian National Team, Sergei Kirillov, was delighted by Surya's performance.

We want to thank our Coach Valery Fedorenko for always preparing us for the unexpected. He was there the entire time by cell phone to make sure we were 110% supported.

An enormous level of gratitude also goes to the athletes, coaches, and people of Russia (especially Chelyabinsk) and Kazakhstan for treating me and Surya like family. Their level of hospitality was unbelievable.

Silver Medalists, Ksenia (-63kg) and Surya (-68kg), of the 2011 Open Cup of Europe!

Finally, we want to award Ivan Denisov and his wife Yulia the title of World Record Holders in Event Promotion. This tournament was akin to the Miss America pageant – HUGE! Much more news to come when we return home.

Best,
Steven

While our school districts are cuttting P.E. classes and recess time, the youth of Ukraine participate in strength sports early in their childhood. Check out these amazing young ladies lift with incredible tenacity in a local competition in Crimea. They are tweens now, but by the time they reach age sixteen, they will have experienced kettlebell lifting, weightlifting, kickboxing, gymnastics, and a whole host of ball sports.

Showing off that pregnancy glow while overlooking the Acropolis

Check out Maya’s latest article featuring Sara’s prenatal training experience on Athleta Chi…

Watch Jen meet the numbers required for Master of Sport ranking (42/42) in the 24kg Long Cycle. She has been a dedicated IC lifter for 2.5 years and was recently granted her CMS rank after her performance in the NY Long Cycle Championship in March 2011. Job well done!

Competing in Kettlebell Sport has enabled us to travel to many wonderful places that we would not have gone to otherwise, but flying long distances remains one of the most challenging aspects of each experience.  We asked Egoscue specialist, Johnny P., for some suggestions on how to avoid that awful crunchy feeling we all get in our bodies after sitting for an extended duration.

Here are some great recommendations for travelers stuck on a plane:

Sitting Overhead Extension

Sitting Overhead Extension:
-Sit up straight on the edge of a chair or bench
-Keep your feet and knees pointed straight ahead and hip width apart
-Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your low back
-Interlace your fingers together and reach your arms overhead, pressing your hands to the ceiling with palms up
-Hold this for 1 minute

Sitting Isolated Hip Flexor Lifts

Sitting Isolated Hip Flexor Lifts:
-Sit up straight on the edge of a chair or bench
-Keep your feet and knees pointed straight ahead and hip width apart
-Let your arms hang down at your sides
-Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your low back
-Lift one foot about 3 inches off the floor and then lower; repeat
• Use your front hip muscles to generate the movement
• Maintain the arch in your back, keeping your hips rolled forward throughout the exercise
-Switch sides and repeat for 3 sets of 20 repetitions/ leg

Sitting In Extension

Sitting in Extension:
-Sit up straight on the edge of a chair or bench
-Keep your feet and knees pointed straight ahead and hip width apart
-Let your arms hang down at your sides (do not raise your arms like Johnny in the picture)
-Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your low back
-Hold for 3 minutes

Sitting Cat & Dog

Sitting Cat & Dog:
-Sit in a chair with your feet pointed straight ahead, hip width apart
• Your arms can hang loosely to the sides, or be placed in your lap
-For the CAT position: Roll your hips backward to take the arch out of the back
-For the DOG position: Roll your hips forward to place the arch into your low back
-Slowly move back and forth between the Cat and Dog positions
-Repeat 10 times per pose

Sitting Shoulder Rolls

Sitting Shoulder Rolls:
-Sit up straight on the edge of a chair or bench
-Keep your feet and knees pointed straight ahead and hip width apart
-Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your low back and hold throughout the exercise
-Circle backward by raising your shoulders then circling them back and then down
-Repeat 40 repetitions

Congratulations new WKC Trainers! We had a great course yesterday with lots of interesting people in attendance. We especially thank the people who traveled long distances (all the way from Toronto, Tennesee, Arizona, and San Diego) to attend this course!

Christy, Julie, and Melissa expanding their knowledge of kettlebell lifting

We are proud to welcome Christy, Julie, and Melissa to the team of WKC Trainers at the Ice Chamber!  They are helping us build a wonderful educational culture and community of kettlebell lifters here at home.

A little inspiration for our certification course on Sunday. We are looking forward to working with everyone who has traveled near and far to train with us!