EVENT: "Below 100" Kettlebell Challenge

The Below 100 Initiative was pioneered by Law Officer magazine to reduce the number of annual law enforcement officer line-of-duty deaths to under one-hundred. There haven't been fewer than 100 LEO deaths in a year in the US in 65 years. To bring awareness to this excellent program, we are advertising an event to be held during the Illinois Tactical Officers Association's 24th Annual Conference in November 2011 at the host hotel (link). Here is the plan:

Donate at least $5 to the Below 100 Initiative fund (Checks made out to "Below 100").

Complete 100 "ground-to-overhead-anyhow" with a kettlebell, as fast as you can.

Top three times will be posted for the following categories:

• Open (everyone, using 35#KB)
• Masters (50 years of age and older, using 25#KB)
• Women (using 25#KB)

Winners will get bragging rights. We're working on donations from various vendors and companies for top performers. Shirts? Police Equipment? Restaurant gift certificates? If any of you are vendors or sales reps, please consider helping out this excellent cause. 

Not attending the ITOA Annual Conference? We'll find a way to get you involved. We're always looking for volunteers, especially when we run an event like this -- rep counters, money collectors, participant motivators, etc. If you are from out of town, start a Below 100 Kettlebell Challenge event in your area and make donations to the newly established fund.

What is a "ground-to-overhead-anyhow?" The G2OA requires exactly what the name infers -- the participant takes the KB from the ground (between the feet), grips the handle with one hand, and lifts it any way s/he chooses into a fully upright and locked position overhead. The KB must touch or tap the ground on each repetition. The participant changes hands as frequently or infrequently as desired. What are some of the techniques? Snatch, clean-and-press, clean-and jerk...but the names of the movements aren't important. Most participants use a variation or blending of all.

How'd we pick the 35#KB, the G2OA, and the 100 repetitions? Police Officers, when in physical struggles, fights, or foot chases with criminals, need "burst energy." Typical cardiovascular and weight training does not adequately prepare the human energy systems for these short and intense bursts. We mix the 35# load (or 25#), the G2OA human movement pattern, and relatively short time duration (about 5 to 6 minutes for most participants) as a standard training tool. The 100 repetitions account for the goal of less than 100 LEO deaths per year.

How can I best prepare for this event? Well that depends which "event" you are talking about? If you are talking about that life-and-death struggle, then a well-rounded functional fitness program is the answer. But if you are referring to the Below 100 Kettlebell Challenge, then the plan is more specific. Start by using a 25-35# dumbbell or kettlebell and learn how your body most efficiently moves it from the ground to overhead. Then do it faster and faster. Learn a pace and intensity that allows you to last until the 100th repetition.

We hope to see you at the ITOA's 24th Annual Conference in November. Please find us to knock out your 100 repetitions!

And find the event on Facebook here.