Kettlebell is definitely here to stay: Samrat Sen

In a country obsessed with cricket, how and why did you take up a sport like Kettlebell?

I was always interested in physical fitness from a very young age.  I used to go to the gym regularly right back from my school days. I first started training with Kettlebells in 2012, but wasn’t very regular. It was only in early 2013 that I bought my first pair of 20kg Kettlebells.

Overtime, as I started benefiting from general kettlebell training, I took further interest and started researching on Girevoy Sport AKA Kettlebell sport.  On the internet I came across international lifters who lifted much heavier bells (24kgs 28kgs, 32kgs) for a continuous 10mins resulting in great results. These lifters showcased tremendous strength endurance, and superb technique to have lasted the full 10mins and get such high numbers. I was very inspired and motivated to try this new sport out and my coach Mr. Arnav Sarkar helped me get started.

Could you throw some light about the current scenario as far as your sport is concerned, in India?

Kettlebell Sport is relatively new in India. The first ever KB competition took place in January 2013 in Kolkata, conducted by Fitter Strength (whose core team I am a part of). Thereafter there have been many more competitions in India, and the latest one the Ultimate Girevik Cup 2015 was held on the 22nd of August 2015 which was India’s first ever international competition.In India there are some upcoming and promising lifters who can help the sport grow. Indian athletes are doing the best they can in terms of spreading more awareness about this wonderful sport and get more people involved.

Kettlebell is a fairly new sport; do you think it’ll become popular among the Indians in future?

From the time Kettlebell sport started in India, till today, we have had more and more participation, and a larger acceptance has taken place regarding this sport.

A lot more people are willing to try their hand at this sport which is not only challenging physically but mentally as well. The international half marathon league (Ultimate Girevik Cup) saw people from all walks of life taking the stage and showing tremendous endurance and toughness to last the full 30min duration without giving up.

So I think the sport is definitely here to stay in spite of a slow start.  People are now waking up to the wonders of what this form of sport can do.

A bit about Samrat Sen and his personal achievements

Well I have benefited greatly since the time I started training with kettlebells for basic fitness. Soon after I fell in love with the sport and started competing.

One of my most satisfying moments is in the Kolkata Kettlebell Championship 2015 where I competed in the professional category with Double 24kgs and won Gold,  and in the process became the first Indian to officially compete with  in the Double 24kgs Biathlon discipline ( There are 3 Kettlebell sport disciplines- Biathlon ( combination of Jerk and Snatch) and Long Cycle ( which is clean and jerk) )

Apart from this, another big achievement for me was being awarded the international Half Marathon Certificate at Ultimate Girevik Cup. I had competed with a 20kg bell and accomplished 372 reps nonstop for the designated 30min time frame.

It’s a Russian sport, if looked at from the Indian point of view, what are the disadvantages that Kettlebell imposes?

Well the sport which first originated from Russia, is now practiced all over the world. The only disadvantage would be the lack of support in terms of sponsorships. If any lifter wants to travel outside to compete, he has to do so by incurring personal expenses. Organising competitions is also a tough ask, as the entire expenses is borne by the lifters personally. Due to the love for the sport people come forward and are willing to incur such expenses.

I hope the sport gets more and more recognition and grows manifold then these disadvantages will be a thing of the past.

How different is it from weight-lifting?

Kettlebell lifting is often referred to as "endurance weightlifting". While traditional weightlifting relies mostly on strength, kettlebell sport relies on an almost equal mix of strength, endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular stamina. Thus one needs to be a better rounded athlete if you want to be successful in kettlebell sport.

Has the Indian government been doing anything regarding the promotion of this sport?

As far as I am aware, unfortunately, Kettlebell sport is not officially recognized by the Government at this point of time. I do hope that the government takes notice of this sport and its benefits and does something to promote Kettlebell Sports.

Could you share your training regimen with us

Currently I am training for the Long Cycle (LC) discipline for an upcoming international competition. My workouts are purely Kettlebell sport centric 3 days a week, the LC working sets being a major part of the training routine. Also apart from kettlebell lifting I am focusing a lot on running and rope skipping and certain kettlebell assistance exercises like Kettlebell swings and jump squats. Current focus is to increase the cardiovascular capacity as the demands of cardio with LC is great. Focus on better pacing, efficient use of energy; it’s all part of the training programme. It’s a learning process as you get better and fitter.

Every athlete has a big dream, what’s yours?

One of my biggest goals would be to represent India in kettlebell sport. That dream will come true this October.

Another major goal is to play for India at the World Kettlebell Championships which is held in Europe every year. I have been putting in hours of training and I hope my commitment to the sport pays rich dividends when I take the platform.

And last but not the least to get better at the sport itself and create more and more awareness in our country, so I can spread the good word on health and fitness and help the society at large.