Interview with world-reknowned kettlebell athlete Ksenia Dedyukhina

Interview by Avery Wittkamp and translation by Amanda Wegner. Russian athlete Ksenia Dedyukhina (25 years old) is the best pound-for-pound female Kettlebell Sport lifter in the world. Here she answers a few questions about training and competition.

1. When did you start training with kettlebells?

I started training when I was 15 years old. I competed for the first time with the 24 kg when I was 16.

2. What does your training look like during the year?

My training load depends on the period (stage) of the training process, and we don’t really have “seasons” because there are competitions all year round.

3. Have you ever taken a break from kettlebell training?

I took one month off from training in 2007 because of an injury. I’ve been lifting the 24kg since 2006, when I first tried it, then at 16 (in 2007) competed with it.

4. What was your first professional result with the 24 kg? What is your current best?

My first professional result was 35 reps with the 24kg.

Here is a video of her lifting the 24 kg in 2008 at the beginning of her professional career, where she completes 91 reps:

5. What is your best result?

My current best is 202 reps with the 24 kg in 2014.

Here is a video of Ksenia completing 202 reps in 24 kg, the Absolute World Record in Snatch: