SOMERVILLE, MA – 10 years ago, Jeff Butterworth’s passion and dedication for the strength training sport of Kettlebell put him on a national stage where home from Chicago with the championship gold medal. Today, the owner of Rx Strength Training and his partner Jena Tang are host to the 2nd annual New England Kettlebell Classic right here in Somerville. “We want to make people just as passionate as we are about lifting heavy things for fun.”
Jeff didn’t have to look far to find an enthusiastic group of kettlebell athletes just as passionate about the strength training sport as they were, and have gained the gratitude of their community by bringing the competition close to home. “The athletes you see today are going for absolute broke and they are gonna be giving it their all to see how many reps they can get,” explains Butterworth, whose competition offers local athletes the opportunity to achieve national rank. “It’s a really big deal for a kettleball athlete.”
What’s the vibe?: A high-energy strength training competition, this small business is powered by skilled, disciplined athletes who give their all to growing stronger, faster and better day after day.
An endurance-focused competition, kettlebell focuses on weight lifting for as many reps as possible within an allotted period of time. “Kettlebell sport athletes will choose discipline clean & jerk, which we call long cycle. jerk, snatch, and they will be on the platform for five, ten, maybe even 30 minutes.”
Watching in awe during the 30 minute competition, it was hard to miss the determination and discipline instilled in each athlete. From cracked and bleeding hands post-lift to the sheer look of exhaustion from pushing themselves to their limit, every athlete that took to the platform came prepared to push themselves to the limit. It was worth the effort: Maude Gorman, interior designer who ranked at the All-American Sports Festival in Atlantic City last fall, secured a spot on the USA Kettlebell team thanks to her performance in the NE Classic, and will make her way to Denmark next month for the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation Championship. “We just love having people who are so ambitious and want this to be one of their goals.”
Emmalyn Reid 