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Home » Podcasts » The World's Most Underrated Strength Sport (with Juan Pellot)

The World’s Most Underrated Strength Sport (with Juan Pellot)

Written by David Tao
Last updated on November 11th, 2024

Today I’m talking to kettlebell sport world champion and Master of Sport Juan Pellot. Spoiler alert: Juan is actually my coach, and I interact with him pretty darn regularly. But we’re flipping the script this time, and I’m asking Juan to dive deep on the differences between kettlebells as a training tool versus contested sport, and why the latter — a sport popular in Eastern Europe — has taken so long to catch on in the Western world. And does a kettlebell sport set really feel like doing the CrossFit workout Fran for 10 minutes straight?

Kettlebell sport athlete Juan Pellot

In this episode of the BarBend Podcast, David Thomas Tao talks to Juan Pellot about:

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Juan Pellot (@urstrength)

  • Finding kettlebell sport and early success in one of strength’s most niche disciplines (2:10)
  • Some of America’s early kettlebell pioneers, including Steve Cotter (6:30)
  • Progressing through kettlebell sport’s ranks, weights, and bodyweight categories (7:50)
  • What does it mean to be a “Master of Sport”? (9:40)
  • Why hasn’t kettlebell sport caught on more in the United States? (13:30)
  • Long cycle vs. biathlon (15:00)
  • Is a 10 minute long cycle set the most mentally challenging test in strength athletics? (18:20)
  • Kettlebell sport technique and knowing how to force relaxation (21:30)

Relevant links and further reading:

  • Follow Juan Pellot on Instagram 
  • Follow David Thomas Tao on Instagram and Twitter

About David Tao

BarBend's Co-Founder and CEO, David is a veteran of the health & fitness industry, with nearly a decade of experience building and running editorial teams in the space. He also serves as a color commentator for both National and International weightlifting competitions, many through USA Weightlifting.

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