TEN minutes, taken in isolation, can sometimes feel like an eternity.
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It can certainly feel that way if you spend ten minutes lifting a kettlebell without stopping.
As much a test of mental fortitude as it is one of strength, competitors from across the nation travelled to Albury on Saturday for the GSAA Australian National Kettlebell Championships.
Hosted at the Albury Entertainment Centre for the second year in a row, organiser Shannon Pigdon said the event was going from strength to strength.
“A fair bit goes on to tie all this together, but many hands make light work,” he said.
“The GSAA have a pretty solid committee and it’s all run pretty smoothly.
“It was a privilege to have it last year, so to be asked to do it again because of how much everybody enjoyed it was a big thrill for us.”
Competitors from as far away as Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania went up against a strong local contingent from the Border, as well as entrants from Sydney and Melbourne.
A niche sport, kettlebell nonetheless attracts a dedicated following, people as invested in the conquering the mind as well as physical barriers.
“They learn the lift, get the technique down pat, once that looks good you have a crack making the distance over 10 minutes,” Mr Pigdon said.
“You can decide then whether you want to do it faster or lift a heavier load.
“We had juniors through to veteran, amateurs and professionals, some of whom were lifting two 32 kilogram kettlebells.
“We would have had about a dozen people qualify for the Australian team today, it looks like it’ll be one of our strongest teams to go overseas.”
Hobart’s Eilish Kidd was one of those to qualify for the national team.
After taking up the sport out of convenience, Mrs Kidd said kettlebell's unique challenges were the most appealing aspect.
“I originally started the sport because I had young children, you can take the kettlebell with you wherever you go,” she said.
“I think it's a metaphor for daily life in a way.
“Every time you start you wonder if it's a good idea, minute one you wonder what you're doing, by minute three you start thinking you're almost there and just approach it like that to get the reps.”