Hermann Görner and Kettlebells

Each training session of Hermann’s contained a mixed programme of kettlebell, dumb-bell and barbell lifting. Sometimes a workout would also include the supporting feats.

For instance, when Hermann trained three times per week, he might in the first training session give preference to kettlebell exercises, but he would also include barbell and dumb-bell lifts too. The second session might see the emphasis place on dumb-bell training with not so much on kettlebell and barbell work, and the third workout would have the emphasis placed on barbell work with just a little kettlebell and dumb-bell work included in the session.

During his open-air training periods at the Germania Bath, his workouts would also include putting the shot, weight-throwing, jumping and swimming in addition to working out with the weights.

lt would he fair to say that kettle weight training played a very large part in Görner’s workouts.

– Edgar Mueller, Goerner the Mighty, p. 84-85.

This grainy photo, taken on 8 June 1913, caught Goerner just as he is finishing a Right Hand Swing with two kettlebells.The total weight was reported as 170 German Pfunds or 187.39 American pounds. It was taken on the “sporting beach”at a large, open air swimming pool known as the Germania-Bath in Leipzig. On the “beach” adjoining the pool were anassortment of barbells, dumbells, kettlebells, and block weights alongside parallel bars, chinning bars and other kindsof training apparatus. During the summer, Goerner reportedly trained on the beach at the Germania Bath twice a week.