For time or for reps?

AKC crowd raves about timed sets. On the other hand, GS is all about numbers. As far as I am concerned, if you can get your MS reps in two minutes - no problem. On the other hand, staying longer sets has its benefits too. You get tougher mentally and physically, the economy of movement and the technique improve. The downside is that ling sets are wearing you off, also mentally and pgysically. Would you traing your squat with 20 reps Supersquats as per Strossen? I doubt it. In any case, doing it all the time increases the risk of overtraining and injury.

I asked this question on couple of Russian GS forums, time or reps. The answer - not surprisingly - the solution is in the middle. Do long sets with lighter bells, shorter sets for high reps with light giryas and short sets with competition kettlebells competition tempo. Sometimes train for reps, sometimes train for time. One poster, MS, said that if you compete with 32 kg, it is not a bad idea to do 15 minutes with 24s and 12 minutes with 26 kgs. Another guy said that he sometimes does 10 minutes with 35 kg bells at 2 - 3 reps per minute - technically this is more of an assistance drill, static hold with occasional shakeup.

In short, all schemes of training may be done either with reps or with time, and it is probably best to alternate. I personally wouldn't go for time too often, because I don't like them (the reason to actually do them?). The most important in GS though, just like in any other sport, is planning of training. There must be at least very basic idea about (bi)weekly, monthly, quarterly etc. cycles as well as some variety. Go for reps, time, switch to assistance exercises as main part of training from time to time. This is the only way to keep training interesting and avoid injury.