WTH effect

The term "What the hell effect" was first coined on the Dragondoor.com forum about eight years ago, when kettlebell lifters began noticing unexplained improvements in their performance of various activities seemingly unrelated to kettlebell lifting. Folks reported improvements in everything from one-armed pullups to distance running, even when they had abandoned training those activities altogether. People were so surprised by their success after doing nothing but kettlebells for exercise, that they exclaimed "what the hell!" when they unexpectedly bested a previous personal record. It seemed like kettlebell training was magic.
Not everyone who lifts kettlebells experiences the "WTH" effect, and some people doubt its existence altogether.
I don't know if my experience tonight counts as a WTH experience, because it only makes sense that kettlebell lifting strengthens the lifter's hands to a great degree. Here is what happened:
I went to Kmart to get a new watch battery. The sales staff at the watch counter could not loosen the screws on the watch to remove the old battery. They told me I'd need to take the watch somewhere with better screwdrivers, as they were afraid they'd strip the screws with the set they had, since no one could budge the screws.
I asked them to hand me the jeweler's screwdriver they were using. I could only use my thumb and index finger to turn the screwdriver since I was holding my toddler in my arms at the time, so I could not really bear down with any strength. Basically, I just used two fingers to turn the screw.
I loosened all four screws with ease using just two fingers. The jaws of the sales staff dropped to the counter. "Oh my God, you are strong" said one of the clerks.
I relate this anecdote not to glorify myself. I know there are probably dozens of teenage girl kettlebell lifters in Siberia who can outlift me. I read the other day of a 63-year-old Latvian man who can best my personal record in Long Cycle by 20 reps.
My point is, kettlebell lifting gives you real-world, walking around, every day strength you can use. You get the strength where you need it, especially in the back and hands.
I am not naturally strong. But I have enjoyed the benefits of the practical strength that kettlebells develop.
In the meantime, I'm still looking for a watch battery. It turns out Kmart was sold out, as was the drug store on the way home. Looks like I'm headed to Wal-mart and Target tomorrow.

Kettlbell Competition(s)

So many of you know I plan to compete in the 2nd Annual American Kettlebell Club Southeast Kettlebell Sport Championship in the Atlanta area on December 5th. I'm hoping to acheive my "Rank I" level classification in the long cycle event at that event. For my weight class that means cleaning and jerking two 24kg kettlebells for at least 69 reps in 10 minutes.
Since my last entry I have bested that goal twice in training. On one test day, I acheived 80 reps in just under 10 minutes. I video recorded this test on my cell phone. Since then, I haven't been able to locate my adapter to load the video on to my computer and post it to the web for critiques. Regardless, I've watched my performance and I think I may need to work on my lockouts to make sure every rep counts on competition day. So instead of working on increasing pace or duration, I've been working on crisp lockouts for every rep.
This post isn't just about kettlebell lifting competition. The competition in the marketplace has changed. Since my last Kettlebell Comparison post, a number of companies began offering competition style kettlebells, while others have improved their quality. Ader and Agatsu are now offering competition style kettlebells that appear to be similar in quality to the AKC kettlebells. And, based on forum postings (including photos) at IGX, Perform Better has improved the quality of their competition style kettlebells, particularly in the handle area. Prices are always subject to change, but based on my recent review of prices, AKC kettlebells still seem to be the best deal on the market. Still, it looks like their competitors now offer a good product at a good price. This can only benefit the consumer. I am glad that the competition style kettlebell is becoming more the norm than the older style offered by Dragondoor. Hopefully, this means the sport will continue to grow.