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RKC School of Strength

Official blog of the RKC

Fitness Business

Here’s How I Built a 6 Figure Online Kettlebell Coaching Business

November 19, 2021 By Colleen Conlon 1 Comment

An online coaching call with Colleen Conlon, RKC-II Instructor

Before COVID I was a full-time fitness professional in NYC. I had a handful of private clients I saw in their apartment gyms—all older men who didn’t want to workout, but wanted to be seen with the cute female trainer. I taught 15 group fitness classes a week: cycling, yoga, HIIT—one of those classes was a Hardstyle kettlebell class.

When the pandemic hit, all the places I taught classes shut down. NONE of my private clients wanted to train virtually. I tried doing virtual classes: 3 HIIT, 1 yoga, 1 jump rope, 1 kettlebell. The virtual classes were good. I stuck with this load for close to 3 months, April 2020-June 2020 before pivoting. I realized I LOVED teaching from home. I no longer had a commute, I got to spend more time with my husband, and had time to start dreaming about what I wanted. This was my shot to get out of the rat race of living out of a backpack as I spent the past 7 years hustling in the fitness scene!

I hired a business coach. This was so scary! At the time I was averaging $50,000 a year, barely saving anything due to where I lived. The cost was $5,000 to be in a group coaching program. That felt like a LOT of money to drop, but here were my choices: Take time trying to figure it out on my own, sit and wait for things to get back to normal (a normal that I didn’t want to go back to), or invest in me, and try to build a new life. I remember calling my Dad, and I told him I dropped 5k on a business coach. He told me that was a stupid choice and I should get my money back! I cried. Then put my blinders up. I was going to get as much out of this course as I could. The course made me think about learning a new kettlebell skill. The devil’s in the details, and consistency is number one to make progress. I knew I was good at kettlebell details, and that gave me the confidence to believe I could build a virtual kettlebell business, so long as I followed my coach’s blueprint.

Week 1 had to do a lot of self-reflection. I had to figure out “who I was,” and “who I helped,” and “how I would do it.” I remember telling my coach that I wanted to help everyone! She said, “no!” I was baffled because at this point I had worked with all different types of people: senior citizens, high school athletes, moms, brides, middle-aged men. Yes, I can help anyone who wants my help, but my coach wanted me to figure out who I WANTED to help! This felt strange. In my head I thought, well it would be cool to help women who I can relate to, but I’ve never had that clientele. So that’s who I needed to attract and I had to do that by being on social media. Why did I need to do it via social media? Because there was no other place to get people to know about me and what I was offering!

Social isn’t about your number of followers. It’s about talking to your ideal client. It’s about getting people to know, like, and trust you. How do you do that? You share your story! You create proof that you know what you are talking about! You are authentically you!

My biz coach gave me this analogy that I want you to remember:

Colleen Conlon coaching via FacetimeIn NYC, there’s a coffee shop on every corner. They all get business! Some people want a bougie $9 cup of coffee, others want something cheap, some people want an experience where you sit down with a fireplace and soft music, then others want to go in and out. The virtual space gives us access to so many people who value different things! There are plenty of people to go around. You need to build your “coffee shop” so your ideal client can find their cup of coffee! All of my clients have come via Instagram because of how I’ve built out my page.

I started posting regularly about kettlebells, and I got my first virtual kettlebell client. She was EXACTLY who I wanted to attract! She thought she’d learn to use kettlebells in two sessions, but two sessions turned into nearly 250! She was a bit of an experiment, and her success has helped me prove to other women all over the world that kettlebells can change your life! All of her sessions were done via FaceTime or Zoom. 1x a week we met for an hour and then she took a 1-hour virtual kettlebell class. She started with two kettlebells: 12kg and 20kg. With her permission, she allowed me to share pieces of her journey on social, and that was when I began to get more traction from other women. Why? Because I had proof of concept!

My Online Kettlebell Course

The goal of the business course for me was to do two things. Get a few one on one clients. Then build a big course that I could run multiple times a year to teach people how to use kettlebells. The course would be intense! I wanted to get people who wanted to learn the big six, within 13 weeks, and be able to perform everything with at least their testing size bell. This course would be marketed to people who were down to train 4-5x per week on a progressive program. They’d see me 2-3x per week in a group setting. They’d get feedback on video submissions. They would be the ones who would want to invest in themselves! The first time I ran the course I charged $2,400. How did I get that number? I came up with it by figuring out how much I wanted to make for the hours I’d spend with them per week. I thought about the time it took to create the course. Then I factored in what I believed the transformation was worth. After the first person signed up, I knew this would be a game-changer! This wouldn’t be for everyone! It wasn’t intended to be for everyone. It was created for my ideal client.

Remember the 5k business coach investment my Dad told me was a bad choice? This 13 week intensive I created brought in $24,000 the first time I ran it! I had 10 people sign up at $2,400 per person. All to say, sometimes you just have to invest in yourself! If I figured it out on my own I doubt I’d be as far forward as I am. If I sat tight, I’d be back in the rat race. Instead, I’m now working with my ideal clients who are WANTING to learn how to use kettlebells because they BELIEVE that they will change their bodies, change their mental health, and elevate their confidence! Why do they believe this will happen? Because I’ve been showing them on Instagram what’s possible consistently for the past year and a half!

This 13-week intensive funnels me 1 on 1 clients, funnels into a weekly kettlebell class, programming, and weekend retreats!

Colleen Conlon Kettlebell Retreat Group

I use to think social media was a dumb time suck. I now realize it’s a powerful tool to build a virtual business. It’s not about how popular you are, it’s about connecting with that ideal client, getting them to know, like, and trust you, and helping to solve their problems.

Since building my business, I left NYC. I live with my Husband in Arizona. (His brick and mortar gym also turned into a full-time virtual fitness business). So long as we have WiFi, we can work and help our ideal clients ANYWHERE in the world!

If this is something you want, you can do it too! You just have to get started!

***

Follow Colleen Conlon, RKC-II on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamcolleenconlon/

Filed Under: Fitness Business Tagged With: Colleen Conlon, fitness business, kettlebell coaching, online courses, online kettlebell coach, online kettlebell training, online trainer, online training, virtual fitness business, virtual kettlebell training

5 Reasons Manual Therapists Should Get Their HKC

November 1, 2021 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

William Sturgeon performs a half kneeling kettlebell halo

In August of 2020 I started school for massage therapy. My goal was to widen my scope of practice as a coach, so that I could better serve my clients. I will be graduating next month and will be entering the world of manual therapy. This has been something I have been wanting to do for many years. I truly believe that manual therapy and corrective exercise can benefit a lot of people and help them improve their quality of life.

In the world of manual therapy, we often see people who are dealing with neck, shoulder, and low back pain. We treat these symptoms with therapeutic protocols and then move our client into a wellness or as-needed-based plan. Our goal as therapists is to help find the solution to their problem and get them back to active daily living activities.

But, what if we were able to better help our clients gain results by helping them strengthen the areas they are struggling with? This is where kettlebell training can be best tool for the therapist to use to answer this question. Kettlebells have been around for a long time and have been proven to be an effective tool.

William Sturgeon Manual Therapist

As I enter this new industry, there is one thing that I strongly believe in, and that is, massage therapists can enhance their practice by getting their HKC. This post will outline the reasons.

Extra Income

Most massage therapists work an average 20-30 hours per week doing bodywork. In time this does become taxing on the body and will not always be sustainable for long-term. This is where getting your HKC can help you with making more income. You can do this by offering one on one training or by doing this in a group setting. You can make more money in a group setting and also save your energy. But, if you would rather work in a one on one setting, you are able to do so as well. Adding kettlebell training to your list of services takes time away from the table with the clients you already have by helping them in a new way.

William Sturgeon Massage Therapy

Create a Niche

Adding the HKC certification to your practice will help you widen your scope of practice as a therapist and also allow you to specialize in a specific area. If you live in an area where someone is not teaching kettlebell training this is an opportunity for you to bring in a new service and be the leading go to person. I found this to be a very profitable way to become a coach. I’m the only person certified to teach kettlebells in my local area, the next person is 90 minutes away. Since this is the case for me, I am known for being the kettlebell expert in my area. Creating a niche is a powerful tool to have to help separate yourself from your competition.

Help Your Clients Train Safely

Did I mention safety? The RKC is the School of Strength, meaning we place a HIGH priority in educating our students how to train safely with kettlebells. There are many regressions and progressions in the curriculum to help teach your clients the proper technique. When it comes to teaching your clients movement, you always want to place them in the best position to be successful, and the HKC does that well. The best example of how we teach safety is by looking at how much time we spend preparing and teaching students the proper way to perform a hip hinge. The hip hinge is the key to keeping your back safe when using kettlebells. Teaching the hip hinge properly can help clients with low back pain by showing them how to move better.

William Sturgeon Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Kettlebell Are Great For Corrective Exercise

Kettlebells are known for their ability to help correct movement dysfunction. The reason that the kettlebell does such a good job at this is because of the way it’s shaped. The offset weight and handle challenge the body more because of the amount of stability required to use a kettlebell. As we know as therapists, stability is the foundation for injury free movement.  A majority of our clients work office jobs that have them in seated positions for long periods at a time. This can lead to neck, shoulder, and hip dysfunction and tightness. Using some of the exercises taught in the HKC can help your clients with these problems. Take for example someone who is dealing with rotator cuff issues, the kettlebell arm-bar is a great exercise for this.

William Sturgeon performs a kettlebell arm-bar

Learn New Skills

There are many levels to uncover after the HKC, next step is your RKC Level One & then Level Two. Each certification will show you a whole new set of skills to teach yourself and your clients. This will allow for you to expand and widen your skill set as a kettlebell instructor. When we teach people how to use kettlebells we always inform them that strength is a skill. Teaching your clients how to be strong through the skills of the swing, get-up, and squat will be a great base level to a variety of new movements.

Investing in yourself as a kettlebell coach will open new doors for you as a manual therapist. Not only will you be able to help your clients get out of pain with manual work, but you can also help them get stronger and move better. If you are ready to expand your skills and knowledge as a manual therapist, then register for the next HKC!

***

William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader, RKC II trains clients at his gym, Restored Strength. Contact him through his website at RestoredStrength.com or follow him on Facebook: facebook.com/restoredstrength

Filed Under: Coaching, Fitness Business, Kettlebell Training Tagged With: hkc, HKC Workshop, kettlebell training for manual therapists, kettlebell training for professionals, manual therapy, massage therapists, William Sturgeon

The Real Story Behind the Birth of the Modern Kettlebell Movement

July 14, 2021 By John Du Cane, CEO and founder, Dragon Door Leave a Comment

16kg Dragon Door RKC Kettlebell

Adapted from an interview with John Du Cane, founder and CEO of Dragon Door Publications, by Colleen Conlon

Colleen Conlon:

How did the modern kettlebell movement get started?

John Du Cane:

It all started in 1998. We’d already published several books by Pavel, most notably Beyond Stretching and Power to the People! — his acclaimed classic on strength training. Then in ’98, he contributed a great article to Milo Magazine, that iconic, specialized resource for people who like to lift very heavy things.

The article was entitled Vodka, Pickle Juice and Kettlebells — and Other Russian Pastimes. And it had an immediate impact. This was really the first time that kettlebells entered the modern consciousness. IronMind sold an adjustable kettlebell that no one was really paying any attention to. There were no books on kettlebells, there were no videos, there were no courses. It was kind of a forgotten art in this country, and really, in the West, in particular. When it comes to being incisive and inspirational as a writer, Pavel has the gift, no question. No surprise that “Vodka” had the impact it did!

After graduating from school in Russia, Pavel got a gig as a strength and conditioning trainer in Spetsnaz, the Soviet Special Forces. And while he was training the Spetsnaz he also got qualified in Girevoy sport — kettlebell lifting in the Russian style. When he immigrated to the US — I think it was around ’92, ’93 — he was still a very young man. He didn’t bring kettlebells with him. But when he had been in the States for a while, a friend of his, who was a Russian hockey player, brought him a couple of big kettlebells. They were like a 24, and a 32 kilo.

These rusty old kettlebells were hollow, where you add weights inside to change the overall weight. After the article was successful, he approached me, it was like ’98 still, and said, “John, do you think we can do anything with these in the States?” After checking them out, I told him “Yes, I think this might fly in America. So this is what we’ll do. Write a book about it, giving people the vision. Let’s do a video. Let’s make the kettlebells in Minnesota, and let’s come up with our own design.”

In fact, we were the first people in the world to come up with that 16 kilo kettlebell size. We originated that design. We decided to make them solid, in the three most favored weights in Russia, the 16, 24 and 32.  We selected a foundry in St. Paul, designed them, got them manufactured, and then we were set.

16kg Dragon Door Kettlebell
Dragon Door designed the world’s first solid 16kg kettlebell, in 2001 — soon to be copied by numerous also-rans.

From my prior experience as director of the Chemical Dependency Certification Board for Minnesota, I had learned the significance of a certification program. Almost all CD counselors were recovering drug addicts and alcoholics. And their problem, when they were holding themselves out as someone to come to for counseling on drug addiction, was their credibility. So yes, they knew a lot about how to inject heroin into their veins and how to drink a gallon of whiskey a day. But were they credible as professional therapists? So the certification board was set up to kind of say, “Hey, we’re it, we’re credible. If you see someone certified with us, then these people are certified as competent counselors.”

So I explained to Pavel that what we really needed to do to launch kettlebells successfully was not just have a product and have good information — we also needed to set ourselves up as the authority for kettlebell training. There was no one in the world who had done that. There was no certification program in existence at that point. So you set yourself up with a certification system, you set the standards, you decide what competency is, you’re IT!

Now, when someone gets certified, that individual is likely to feel a natural allegiance and loyalty to the certification board that they’re connected with. So with full integrity, they can hold themselves out with pride and say, “This is the best system for kettlebell training, this will give you the best results. And yes, I’m certified in this world’s best system.”

So, what you get is a group of highly informed, impassioned enthusiasts who spread the word, in this case about Dragon Doors’ RKC kettlebells and our RKC kettlebell system. So that was kind of the process. That was the kind of decision making and mindset behind the creation of the whole RKC program.

It took a while, obviously, to get it all in place. We launched the first kettlebell training book and video in 2001. It’s called The Russian Kettlebell Challenge.

The first kettlebell book: The Russian Kettlebell Challenge
The Russian Kettlebell Challenge, the book that initiated the modern kettlebell movement.

And it was very iconic, wonderfully written, very inspiring. And it gave people for the first time a vision of what they could really do with kettlebells. This is the seminal text that launched the entire modern kettlebell movement. When a new fitness tool is presented to you, you really won’t have much of a clue how to use it, unless there’s someone who gives you a really good vision and a really good understanding of its value and methodology. It’s like, why bother?

And one of the great things about Pavel is he really understood how to take abstruse information, and make it very clear, obvious, entertaining and inspirational. Plus, he was a good looking dude, good physique. Which does not hurt. It’s like, I want to be like Pavel, even if I’m not necessarily a guy. It’s like, I want to be THAT. And so he was a good role model. He walked the talk. Do what I tell you and you can be like me, as it were…

Another major strategy, at the time we launched our first RKC workshop in September 2001, was to institute a highly engaged forum on Dragon Door. Forums have kinda died a death at this point, with the advent of Facebook and other social media, but they could be a huge for a company back in the day. We were ahead of the game, I think, with our forum. It immediately became a thing — a very big thing.

The other thing about the forum is that we got a lot of fantastic information about who our customers were, what motivated them, what excited them. And our customers also started getting really valuable training information. And Pavel is a formidable listener. He really listens to other people and absorbs their wisdom and then makes it his own. Which is a big skill. He did this over and over with the forum and with the customers we were attracting. A personal example: Pavel came and studied Iron Shirt Qigong with me at one point. He used some of those ideas in his own development of isometric training, his strength training, his use of tension. So he’s very good at absorbing and then putting that information out in a way that’s very accessible to people.

We did the very first kettlebell certification in St. Paul around the time of 9/11, and we had, I think, about 16 people. At least five of the people who came to that first cert, ended up starting or being the head guy for a rival kettlebell certification down the road! One of them ended up being the main CrossFit kettlebell guy. Another guy started his own entire international kettlebell business and another guy started a knock-off almost right away, which was unfortunate for us. We didn’t protect our intellectual property very well in those early days, frankly. But, that’s show biz…

The folk who showed up at that first RKC certification, the early adopters, were very savvy, ahead of the game, seeing something that definitely had an edge. They wanted it, and they were excited to become leaders. And they were leaders. We had a lot of strong leadership right from the get go. So boom, it happened in 2001. And then very rapidly it just grew and grew each year. We’re seeing a similar phenomenon now, with our new isometrics training device, the Isochain. Very high-level fitness folk seeing the value way ahead of the crowd and jumping in. We are seeing a whole new cadre of future leaders in isometrics developing before our eyes. It’s a wonderful thing…

Colleen Conlon:

And what was that first RKC certification like?

John Du Cane:

It was a walk in the park compared with the later ones! It’s described as epic. And yes it was, because it was right at the beginning. But for example, I remember we had this African American ex-Dallas Cowboys running back whose career had got sidelined by an injury. He was hoping that our kettlebell program would help get him picked up again as an NFL star. He was built out of rock, I mean, he was as so solid as you can get… I almost broke my hand patting him on the back… So the gentleman is lifting, playing around with a 16 kilo kettlebell. And Pavel comes over to him and very politely — very politely and diplomatically — suggests that maybe he should try using the 24 kilo. And the man of rock and steel goes: “Oh, Okay.”

Down the road, you would have been kind of thrown out of the room if you were a beast and even tried to pick up just a 16. Like, “What do you think you’re doing?” Yeah. But back then we were feeling our way. We had two hour lunch breaks. We would all troop off in cars and hang out at a local restaurant, coming back in a leisurely way. There was no testing.

Colleen Conlon:

I was going to ask, I mean, were you snatch testing?

John Du Cane:

No, no, nothing. And I got a break because I took the first two certifications as a participant myself. So fortunately, I could pass without being tested! Now, the first group were all very strong anyway. But then we had our second group come in, and there were some people who were out of shape. They were fattish and weakish. And we didn’t want to be certifying people as RKCs who couldn’t walk the talk… Our model for a good certified kettlebell coach was someone who was very skilled, very competent, and strong. They needed to be the part, look the part. They needed to be the whole package. We didn’t want to have people representing us who were sub-par physically. There’s certifications you can get in fitness, where you can really be a mess physically and still be considered an okay coach. Not in our world!

Colleen Conlon:

One of my favorite things about going through RKC is the fact that you are tested. You can’t just buy your certification.

John Du Cane:

Exactly, yeah. It’s like those martial arts programs where you can get a mail-in black belt. I mean, it’s just ridiculous, really. So we’ve always held to that. So after the first two certs, we said “We’ve got to start putting some testing in.” So that’s when we came up with the different standards where the snatch test was introduced. And the snatch test is interesting. It’s always been debated.

Colleen Conlon:

Yeah, I’m so curious, John.

John Du Cane:

So, I personally have mixed feelings about the 100 reps. I mean, 100 is arbitrary. There was nothing particularly scientific, I think, about it. It’s like 24 kg is a good size, and 100 sounds like a good number. But the snatch test became a kind of rite of passage, almost cult-like in its fervor. I mean, people enjoy having this extreme goal, and it was an extreme goal. And the near the beginning of the modern kettlebell era —when it was hard to find a good coach to train with before the cert — we’d sometimes have people showing up who didn’t know how to snatch but had to start the day with 100 of them.

And then the RKC started to grow. So you could go and study with a certified trainer and have a clue when you showed up. But there was definitely some sacrifices made, I think. And of course, a lot of people failed initially. Down the road, less people failed. But it weeded out a lot of people who we didn’t feel were going to be good representatives for us. And what it meant was that people who were serious about being RKC trainers needed to train usually for about six months upfront to be able to handle it. It was very extreme. A lot of the early adopters were very macho types, they were people who were really pounding it.

So the training got to be very, very hard, a lot of swings, a lot of weight. And it was often very brutal. And that became the kind of ethos of the movement. Pavel is a very good marketer in his own way. And he had this whole shtick about the evil Russian Empire, and now you’re in Soviet territory. And it’s not who he is really, he’s a gentleman, and he’s a sweet guy.

So Pavel’s Soviet military tough guy schtick became the ethos that was adopted by all the instructors. And it was all good for the first few years… It was fun for quite a while. But I feel it got a bit out of hand, finally, it got a little too regimented for my personal taste. But what it did produce was very, very strong people who had an interest in making sure that the skill was there, that people were genuinely skilled in the use of the kettlebell.

The testing wasn’t limited, of course, to just the snatch test, by any means. What also made the RKC unique, was that we developed a testing system for all the core lifts. So the instructors would go around, and you would get tested on just exactly how well you were doing with each lift.

And then the other thing we did — and I don’t believe any other kettlebell certification has done this before or since — was to evaluate the candidates on how well they trained guests who came in and received a half hour lesson… And people sometimes failed for not having done a good job training the folk who showed up.

Colleen Conlon:

Oh, wow.

John Du Cane:

Oh, yeah. You could be failed just on that. It could be like you weren’t properly respectful to the client. You just didn’t give them good advice. So there was a strength test, skill tests and then there was also testing of your coaching right there.

Colleen Conlon:

That’s so interesting that you bring that up, because I think something that’s been very incredible about my experience going through RKC is the fact that we’re not just coming in to be able to do the skills ourselves. A lot of the people who came in from my class are also within the fitness industry. And you need to learn how to teach other people how to do these skills, especially if you’re not super familiar with getting into a hip hinge as it is. There’s a real skill to that, to being able to check.

John Du Cane:

Oh, there really is. And what I think is wonderful that was developed during the time Pavel was with us — and is being continued even more under Andrea Du Cane’s guidance — is all of the progressions, all of the subtle cues that you can give a client to help them progress and also to handle people who are out a condition or have injuries. In the course of the certification, we are explaining how to work with a variety of types of clients, and how to build them up to where they can genuinely handle whatever it is, whatever drill you’re wanting them to accomplish. So, that’s hugely important for the system.

If you’re wondering, what is the point of RKC, it’s to turn out really skilled coaches. Put aside our marketing as a certification board wanting to present ourselves as the authority. The other thing is, we want people to have the best possible experience. We used to say in the early days in particular, would you be comfortable having this person train your grandmother?

Colleen Conlon:

Oh, I love that.

John Du Cane:

Yeah. And we wanted people to leave, who could train a person’s grandmother, and go out and train an NFL football player, sure, or an LEO or Special Forces. Great, very nice. But how can you handle the grandmother, the young ballerina, whomever? And do a really good job and meet their needs. Or someone who waddles in, who’s way out of weight, or way out of shape, has got knee problems and a messed up shoulder? What are you going to do? How are you going to handle that? And that’s what we’re all about.

Colleen Conlon:

Well, I love the way that you phrase that, because I think so much of the time people just think I’m going to give the hardest, most intense workout, and it’s going to be to that person who can handle a lot. And that’s typically not the case. Most people come along with injuries and from all different walks of life. So I can say this, as somebody who’s gone through the course, I feel very confident about being able to train anybody who comes my way, from all of the skills that I have learned from RKC. And those little details really can make or break a session. So thank you so much for everything that you guys have all put into this learning material, because I don’t know how people who haven’t gone through a course like this are able to actually get people to swing and snatch and clean and squat, injury free.

John Du Cane:

So yeah, there are a lot of hurt people out there who shouldn’t be hurt. And yeah, it’s like the CrossFit syndrome. Gray Cook is great about that, he calls it the crack addict approach to fitness. “Yeah, I know, my leg’s falling off, but I got to put my reps in.”

Colleen Conlon:

What do you think about that? How do you speak to somebody who’s like, “I just need all those reps?”

John Du Cane:

I say that you need to go back to why you’re really doing this in the first place. Particularly the type of folk who are into say, running — in particular they want that high, they want that sense of great accomplishment. You have to remind them that if they persist in trying to work through injuries without paying attention to the imbalances and the asymmetries and everything else that’s going on, they’ll find they’re not going to be able to get those results that they’re looking for. So you need to dial it back — for your own sake — to be able to continue.

I have a background that has influenced our development of the RKC. I’ve been doing Tai Chi and Qi Gong for 40 years, with a Taoist perspective of treating the whole human being. Cultivating everything about yourself spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically. The physical and mental are completely linked and you need to be paying attention to the whole package in terms of longevity as well. You’re not in it for a quick hit. You want to have a long term high engagement with life and remain vital over the long term.

John Du Cane Martial Arts in the snow with Kwan Dao
John Du Cane has over forty years of training in Tai Chi and other Chinese martial arts.

So everyone is different on how you handle that but you’ve got to just take them back to why they’re really doing this in the first place. For instance, I recently took up Latin dance. I’m doing Brazilian Zouk, Salsa and Bachata. I was brought up in Africa and over the years have usually danced to African and Reggae. I like music that you dance from the inside out and that’s very rhythmic and tribal and hypnotic. So Bachata in particular is great because it’s very much based in the legs and kind of grounded and has a lot of cool moves. Kettlebell training fits very well with dance, because you have obviously a very good level of conditioning and kettlebells help you move beautifully. And I definitely feel that my Latin dancing of all things has also been improved by kettlebells, which is kind of cool.

John Du Cane with kettlebells in the snow
Kettlebells perfectly complement John Du Cane’s other movement activities, be they dance, martial arts, qigong or bodyweight exercise.

Colleen Conlon:

That’s really cool. I love that you bring that up because before I found kettlebells I was really not athletic by any means. And then after going through my level one certification, I remember trying a pull up for the first time after never being able to get one and then out of nowhere, having not trained it, I was able to get a rep.

John Du Cane:

Fantastic.

Colleen Conlon:

It’s just so incredible to see how those basic movement patterns can help make you so much stronger in other areas of your fitness that you might not have put together initially.

John Du Cane:

Exactly. Have you heard this expression the “What the Hell Effect”?

Colleen Conlon:

No, what is it?

John Du Cane:

I guess it’s kind of fallen out of use, but one of the things that was so exciting about kettlebells in the early days was that you would have, “What the hell, I’m stronger than a pull up. I’ve never done a pull up in my life before and boom now I can do it.” And baseball players would say “My God, I just hit it another 30 yards further than I ever have.” Golfers drove further than ever before.  People who were in martial arts like Jujitsu “Would say, my God I was able to last for the whole round, usually I was being thrown around like a rag doll. My grip has suddenly got way stronger, people are kind of grimacing when I touch them.”  It’s like the what the hell effect. It’s like, where the hell did this come from? And that’s very satisfying…

And it makes sense, because part of the strength skills that you’re learning in the RKC are tension generation. There’s this ability to go from very relaxed to very, very tense and then back again and that’s the hallmark of a good athlete. The better the athlete, the more they can master that switch between extreme tension and extreme relaxation. So when you’re doing any kind of athletic activity, if you’ve been training with kettlebells, you’re getting a very good mastery of tension generation in the body. The more you master tension generation the more that’s going to carry over to any exercise you do, whatever it is. So you’ll get that what the hell effect.

Colleen Conlon:

It’s very cool. I have a lot of younger females who I’ve been training during this pandemic virtually with kettlebells for the first time. And we’re coming up on a year and now there are all these girls who are doing pull ups and pistol squats who never thought that was something that they would be able to do and it’s all because of the kettlebells. It’s interesting.

And with that, there’s a lot of females that I have run into in the past who get nervous about using the kettlebells, especially starting out, because the weights are heavier than the lighter dumbbells that are typically marketed to females.

John Du Cane:

One of the things, one of the misconceptions  from some women about kettlebells is that “Oh I’m worried that I’m going to get too bulky.” There’s the intimidation factor — that’s another thing. Sure, kettlebells are intimidating — until you’re shown how to use them safely and you’re shown how to use the right weight for you in the safe way. And then there’s no reason to be intimidated — particularly with something like the swing which is so crucial.

And again, while some women may feel kettlebells can’t be quite right for them because they don’t want to get too built up, the reality is that the female physiology doesn’t work quite that way. You have to be jacking yourself up on steroids and really working it just start getting out of hand with the muscle size. What’s going to happen with kettlebells for women overall is you’re going to be superbly toned, and that’s something that appeals to women a lot, naturally. Having a very toned, elegant physique is a wonderful thing. When I talk to women about kettlebells, I will point out that the kettlebells have an immense impact on the butt, on the abs and on the thighs. And there are not a whole lot of women I’ve talked to whose eyebrows haven’t gone up just like yours did Colleen LOL!

Colleen Conlon:

I was like, “Where’s he going with this?” My body has changed drastically in those areas because of the kettlebells.

John Du Cane:

Yeah, so, it’s looks, which is very important. It’s important for men, and it’s important for women…. You want to look good, you want to be attractive as a human being to whatever gender you might want to be attracted to. You want to feel proud about your body.

If any of us don’t watch out, we can find ourselves getting wobbly, out of shape, looking less elegant than we would really like. And the good news is that you can address this anxiety with a pretty darn solid guarantee it’s almost you can guarantee: “If you do the swing, as I’m going to show you to do it, and you keep it up, you’re going to end up having a firm, tight, nice looking butt, but you’re going to have great thighs, great legs, and overall a fabulous-looking shape.” Who doesn’t want that? Who said “No, that’s not for me. I just want to look like a bulbous mess.”

Colleen Conlon:

No, I mean, I think there’s definitely some people who really want to feel strong, but at the end of the day, who doesn’t want to be happy with their body from an aesthetic perspective?

John Du Cane:

Yeah. And the nice thing with kettlebells is you get both. You get form and function, you get beauty, handsomeness and function. You can get whatever you’re looking for with your body, you can achieve it.

Another thing I think that women often talk about is their triceps. As women get older, that becomes problematic. It tends to get saggy if you’re not working out. There’s plenty of exercises you can do with kettlebells that will help with that, for instance.

Colleen Conlon:

It’s so exciting to see how you don’t have to spend a lot of time to see a big change. And maybe you can explain this to me, John, but I still don’t understand how people think they can just walk up to a kettlebell and they’re just supposed to be able to swing and clean and do all the movements without needing to properly learn them. But when you do take the time to study and understand the technique, it doesn’t take very long to see a significant change.

John Du Cane:

Yes, exactly. Some people are in a hurry, and they’re expecting instant results. It just doesn’t work that way. But the good news with kettlebells is that it takes remarkably little time, really, with proper training. If you invest in kettlebells in a skillful way, you’re looking at 10 or 15 minutes a day to get fantastic results. No question. You do 10 minutes of hard swings a day, with the right size weight and with good form, you’re going to know about it But, yeah, the big thing is proper training upfront. What we’re doing as kettlebell instructors is optimizing people for the kettlebell experience.

Colleen Conlon:

How did you and Pavel come up with the suggested testing-out weights?

John Du Cane:

We only had three sizes of kettlebells when we started, the 16, the 24 and the 32. The 24 became the de facto test for men. And all there was for the women initially was the 16. And there wasn’t much attention initially paid to age. Which was weird, because if you go to weightlifting competitions, there’s masters, there’s seniors, and there’s all number of classifications. If you are going into a boxing ring with at 150 pounds and the other boxer is 190, you’re going to get creamed, unless you have amazing skill. But we only had the three sizes to work with…

24kg Dragon Door RKC Kettlebell
The 24 kilo RKC kettlebell became the main size for testing in the Dragon Door certifications.

Part of what I pushed for as we developed was for sensible standards for older people. If you were 60, you were not 40 any longer. You could be very strong. There’s many ways a 60 or even a 70 year old in martial arts, for instance, can have extraordinarily strong bones, and be surprisingly stronger than people who are half their age. But in many, many other ways, you don’t recover nearly as fast, you’re more prone to a possible injury. There’s things that are just not working quite as well. But you can still be a very skilled coach and still be very strong. So, let’s get real about what the weight requirements should be. Same for a woman: what are you going to really have a 110-pound woman test at?

So, as we manufactured additional sizes, we were able to come up with more realistic testing requirements, depending on the weight of the person and the gender. It’s not highly scientific. It just isn’t. I think it was like a consensus. A lot of the people who were in the RKC leadership had a lot of understanding about strength and the skill of strength.

When there was a split and Pavel started his own company, Andrea took over as the head of kettlebell certification for Dragon Door. We moved to being more friendly toward women, and to people’s age and to their weight. So it was an organic process, there was nothing there beforehand. There were no other standards to go on. So we just developed it as time went by. We were at usually 70%, 80% pass rate in an RKC. It depended. And I felt good about that — if 70% of people are passing that feels decent. If everyone’s passing that may be a little suspect.

Colleen Conlon:

So I’m intrigued by the fact that you don’t necessarily want everyone to pass.

John Du Cane:

Yeah. I mean, it’s not like “Oh my God, we passed everybody!” I mean, it’s not that extreme. But we want to have a standard where it’s clear that the bar is high. And again, I don’t want to say, “Oh like it’s going to be set… No, we’re passing too many people suddenly, went up to 80%.” It’s not like that. But it felt appropriate that our RKC instructors meet a significant strength requirement, for credibility and respect. It was the same when we introduced the PCC, the calisthenics certification. With the century test, which was the main test there, there was about 15% who just didn’t make it.

Sometimes it was just they’d overdone it during the course, I think. But often it’s like, “No, man, you just don’t have it yet. You can’t do 10 pull ups at the end of this.” And it was always the pull up. With some people, even the push up. You’ve got to have at least that minimum standard. So it would work out. It was again, the 100, the century, Paul Wade came up with it, looked great to us. But again, there’s no huge science behind it, it just seemed right.

Colleen Conlon:

So for somebody who’s going into these certifications, they really want to pass. What is your best advice for them in terms of training?

John Du Cane:

I would tell them to train for at least six months with an RKC. Have someone who really knows how to teach them. Right now, maybe a lot of it might be virtual, but it’s essential. If you’re going to do a good job at the RKC and expect to pass and feel good about yourself when you leave, get at least six months in. And find someone who is truly skilled. And obviously our bias is towards the RKC. Because those are the most skilled practitioners out there.

Colleen Conlon:

Have you encountered anybody who has not needed six months or somebody who just picks everything up very quickly? I have noticed a little bit of a trend, that typically people who do not necessarily come from a specific athletic background tend to pick up kettlebells a little bit easier than those who do come from an athletic background. I don’t know if that’s just like a strange thing with the people I’ve encountered or if there’s anything you can touch on with that.

John Du Cane:

I haven’t noticed that Colleen, I have to admit. It hasn’t been brought to my attention. It kind of makes sense to me when you say it, because they don’t have the preconceptions about how to move. I think there’s certain athletic folk who might do better initially with kettlebell training, like a boxer will understand about the hip snap. Martial artists in general will go “Oh, yeah, I understand about the hip hinge thing, this makes a lot of sense.” I’d expect Olympic lifters to understand it to some extent. But beyond that, I’m not sure, frankly.

Colleen Conlon:

And then for those people who are looking to get started, they’re really curious about kettlebells but they’re not sure if they want to fully invest. What would you say to encourage them to give it a go?

John Du Cane:

Well, certainly I think it’s worth getting a book and or video, get a book like say, Dan John’s The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge, and then find a local trainer, again, who is certified and who can start you off very simply. Get your own kettlebell — something that’s not too much, 12 kilo, 14, 16, whatever, depending on who you are.

The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge book by Dan John
The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge is a perfect introduction to kettlebells.

And then just start simply, don’t let it get intimidating for you. If I’m showing a friend, my favorite is always the swing. The swing is such a big bang for the buck and once you get them to understand the hip hinge and the right alignment and so on they can pretty quickly feel it and realize that this is going to be something worthwhile. But we keep coming back to finding a proficient trainer, so that you if you do feel like kettlebells are something you’d like to try out, definitely find a trainer who knows what they’re doing.

Colleen Conlon:

I’ve been able to connect with a lot of people because of the pandemic happening and it’s really cool to see how many people are in love with kettlebells and trying to share it with other people.

John Du Cane:

Excellent, yeah agreed.

Colleen Conlon:

I do also want to ask you because, I’ve had some clients or some potential clients reach out asking, “Am I actually okay to use kettlebells because I’m not a spring chicken anymore?”

John Du Cane:

Oh, totally, yes.

Colleen Conlon:

I love your response, totally.

John Du Cane:

Yeah, I mean I can’t imagine an age… If someone’s in their 90s I would start them a little slow. What I would say is that it is never too late to take up kettlebells — 70s, 80s, even 90s. But, again, everyone is different and it does depend on how you have been eating over the years, how sedentary you’ve been, if you had a heart attack recently, you have underlying conditions.

So, lack of spring chicken-ness is not an excuse! The other thing that you can say to someone who is concerned that they’re getting too old for it is: “would you like to slow down that aging process maybe? If you take up kettlebells you’re going to start regaining some of that vigor that you’re feeling you’ve lost, and you’ll stop worrying about being old and just be vigorous. Because kettlebells will give you that back. You’ll be more energized, your bones will get stronger you’ll feel more confident. You’ll be more attractive. Right now you’re worried that you’re falling apart at the seams and that nobody is going to be interested in you in any way. They’re not going to see you. But if you take up kettlebells, even though you’re 78, you’re going to find your life significantly improved, almost certainly.”

Colleen Conlon:

You just dropped the mic on them, John.

John Du Cane:

Exactly, yes. Age is no excuse.

Colleen Conlon:

So what about some of these other excuses that people come up with? Like the misconception that kettlebells hurt your back?

John Du Cane:

Oh, okay, so lifting any heavy weight with bad form can hurt your back. Getting out of bed in a certain way can hurt your back, getting out of the shower in the wrong way can hurt your back, picking up your little child can hurt your back. There’s a ton of different ways to hurt your back. If you’re going to play with a kettlebell absolutely get good instruction. If you use a kettlebell in the right way you are less prone to hurt your back, it’ll be the very opposite.

Yes, bad form with kettlebell lifting and perhaps the wrong choice of size can hurt your back because you did it incorrectly.. Kettlebells do exert a lot of force on the body. But as long as you’ve been shown correct form you will be very fine. You should not expect to ever have back pain as a result of kettlebells if you’re using good form. And over time you’ll be less susceptible to developing back pain.

Colleen Conlon:

And are there any other common misconceptions that have come up over the past 20 years of the RKC?

John Du Cane:

Well, that kettlebells are too difficult to use. “Oh no, I can see that’s a lot of work.” But not really if you have had good instruction. If you know how to do it properly, you’ll find that the Swing is not going to be that difficult. There’s just some simple things that you need, there’s mechanics that have to be there. Just find someone who has the skill to show you how to have the right mechanics. I can’t think of anything else about misconceptions.

I tweaked my shoulder fairly badly a while back, and I went for physical therapy. And the physical therapist reminded me of something that I think’s really important. The kind of reason that people will get injured with poor kettlebell form is not paying attention to the negative part of the lift.

She said most injuries occur in the release, the negative, where people have suddenly let go and they’re no longer protecting that particular part of the body. And I think that’s one thing that good kettlebell instruction, for instance, will help with — training you to maintain the proper protective strength, maintaining tension appropriately in the negative part of the movement as well as the positive. When people are coming down from a pull up for instance they will let go when coming down and that’s when you’re going to get hurt.

So,  mostly it’s when people have relaxed when they shouldn’t be relaxing that they’re going to get hurt. Fortunately a good RKC kettlebell instructor will be very attentive to controlling that relationship between relaxation and tension.

Colleen Conlon:

It’s interesting that you mentioned that because I’ve definitely seen on Instagram,  people coming out of their press and the bell just dropping and it wasn’t intentional to go down fast.

John Du Cane:

Right. And, well what we’ve always taught as you would know, is that when you’re coming down from the press you want to maintain tension. It’s like it’s difficult to come down in the press.

Colleen Conlon:

Are there any other like little tips or tricks you would tell people to be on the lookout for as they’re trying to get started with their kettlebells?

John Du Cane:

I’m a big fan of using a decent kettlebell to start with. I’ve seen a lot of kettlebells out there that don’t have good ergonomics. Certainly with the RKC kettlebell, the feedback we get over and over is we have very good ergonomics, the handle size has been designed to fit well with whatever the weight is. The paint job makes for a very smooth lift. So I think that’s important, whether or not you end up getting an RKC kettlebell. There’s some other good brands out there. Choose something that’s going to be safe for you and feel good, that’ll make a difference.

Colleen Conlon:

There’s so many different brands out there. And over the course of the past year I think a lot of people have been trying to come out with their own kettlebells. They don’t all feel the same.

John Du Cane:

No they do not, they do not. So I can say with us, I absolutely can say that we’ve set the standard. I feel very confident that we are the gold standard, with the RKC kettlebell. I’ve been to the factories in China many times. I’ve seen other brands in the same factory and one of the things that we’ve insisted on is to have a double e-coat process. Our kettlebells are put through a very rigorous e-coat process that electronically bonds the paint to the metal.

This kind of e-coat is used in shipping, it’s used in the automotive industry, it’s the most resilient paint job you can possibly have. And we do a double process with that. It adds expense to it but as far as we know we’re the only kettlebell provider that has that level of resilient paint job. It’s far superior to powder coat and a lot else that’s out there. Our kettlebells are also extremely smooth. A lot of the kettlebells we see out there are rather rough. I’m not a fan of a lot of the handles that I see out there, they’re too far away from the kettlebell themselves or they’re just too thin for the weight that’s being lifted.

Colleen Conlon:

I was pressing a kettlebell one time in a gym, it was not an RKC bell. I won’t say whose bell it was, but I was pressing this bell and literally the whole bottom just smacked down on the ground.

John Du Cane:

So dangerous! But fortunately we’ve never had a case where one of our RKC kettlebells has broken and hit someone on the head.

Colleen Conlon:

More of a reason for everybody to get their bells via Dragon Door.

John Du Cane:

Absolutely.

Colleen Conlon:

So you had mentioned in the very beginning that there was an adjustable kettlebell out on the market.

John Du Cane:

There was, yes.

Colleen Conlon:

I see more and more of them now. I don’t like them.

John Du Cane:

I didn’t either. I got one and I was really turned off by it.

Colleen Conlon:

Why?

John Du Cane:

I didn’t like how it landed on my forearm and it was like dangling around. It just didn’t feel right at all. I’m not surprised it never really went anywhere originally; it was kind of ignored. And I think that simple RKC style kettlebell was just very elegant — finally, it’s all you need.

Colleen Conlon:

Is there anything else that you do for your fitness at this point in time? Like, what does your current routine look like? You’ve been working with kettlebells for 20 years.

John Du Cane:

My original athletic background was in track, and the high and long jump. So I was strong and fast in my legs. And then I did Yoga from teenage years on for quite a while. And when I was in an ashram in India, I took up Tai Chi and Qi Gong. So I’ve been doing Tai Chi and Qi Gong ever since, about 40 years. But I also went to a very heavy-duty kung fu school for a number of years. Got incredibly strong from that. Very tough indeed. I was in my 30s.

I have played with weights all my life, I was attracted to free weights as a teenager, but I never had a good coach. When I was with Pavel, he encouraged me to get back into doing deadlifts and squats. In fact, I actually had Pavel’s old dead lifting platform made out of tires and planks, in my basement at one time.

When he moved to California, I bought his fitness equipment, I had his original pull up unit. So I’ve always loved pull ups. So I did a ton of pull ups. These days I do a lot of bodyweight exercise in one form or another. And then Tai Chi, I do every day, every day. And the same for a certain amount of Qi Gong. Kettlebells are four or five times a week. And it varies a lot. I mostly do swings, presses, double front squats, goblet squats and deadlifts with a heavier bell, the 40 kilo. And that’s about it right now. I’m not doing snatches, personally, I feel okay with just the presses. And I love the swing, of course. I’ve got about 25 kettlebells sitting on the other side of my office desk, going all the way from 40 kilos down to the smallest, like four kilos. And I’ll use all kinds of sizes.

And now I’m using our Isochain isometrics training device. I’ve been very impressed by the extra strength that I’ve gained from using the Isochain, being able to measure the actual tension that I’m generating. You do a plank like the hardstyle plank, and say tighten, tighten, tighten, but you finally don’t really know how much tension you’re truly generating. One of the nice things I like with the Isochain is that you can see exactly that, yes, you generated 85 pounds of force or 150 or whatever. And then you go, “Oh, that’s all?” And then you tighten more. And you find “Oh, I just went up another 30 pounds in tension.” You can actually get immediate feedback for your tension generation. So, you can make much more rapid progress when you realize that you actually haven’t been exerting the tension you thought you were. That’s exciting.

Colleen Conlon:

That’s very interesting. I did not know that it displayed that.

John Du Cane:

Yep. It gives you an electronic readout, both visually and audible readout when you hit a particular number. So you can actually measure your true strength, the true force generation which translates into strength. And isometrics was always a huge component actually lurking in the RKC School of strength. Because Pavel was always very big on tension generation and understanding its importance for strength… Dan John loves it. And isometrics has been hugely important in Chinese and most other martial arts. Bruce Lee is the most famous example. But I think isometrics is going to be huge in the coming years. Because now at last you can measure your tension generation. And that’s another what the hell effect. You’ll get stronger overall in the body from learning to better control your tension levels.

Colleen Conlon:

And that’s such an interesting thing I find that’s almost a bit of a foreign concept for people who have not utilized weights before. Not understanding how to create that tension or exactly how much tension you need going into certain exercises.

John Du Cane:

Totally. I mean, I was amazed too, when I first heard the term gluteal amnesia. You mean, those people who can’t clench their butt? That you ask them to do that, and nothing happens? Like they can’t activate it. But it’s real. So that is, of course, another part of the beauty of something like the RKC School of Strength is that you’re learning to get in touch with every part of your body that really matters, and be able to fire it.

Colleen Conlon:

Yeah, again, no question for me that if you are interested in learning how to use kettlebells, the route of RKC is one of the greatest things you can do. Honestly, John, I’m just so grateful that you came up with the course. Because kettlebells really did change my life. And I’m very grateful to Dragon Door for that.

John Du Cane:

Thank you. And that’s what I love. I started Dragon Door out of a passion for fitness and health and well-being. I wanted to share my enthusiasm. And that’s why the publishing company is there. And that’s what means the most:  hearing those kind of comments from you and others. That’s what matters in life.

Colleen Conlon:

Well, thank you. Thank you for that. I don’t know if you actually know this about me, I’ve had four abdominal surgeries. And it wasn’t until I was using kettlebells for about six months that I actually gained sensation back in my abdominals.

John Du Cane:

Wow, no, I didn’t know that about you, no.

Colleen Conlon:

So, again thank you.

John Du Cane:

Fantastic!

Colleen Conlon:

So on a closing note, John, is there anything that you would like to say to help continue to inspire folk to pick up the kettlebell for the first time or go through with their RKC 1 or RKC 2 certification?

John Du Cane:

Well, when it comes down to it, I haven’t come across any fitness tool that will give you as much bang for the buck as a kettlebell. If you haven’t tried it, you are missing out. If you already tried it, and you’ve started to be aware of the immense benefits. If you take the RKC, take that further step, whether or not you want to be a coach, you’re going to 10-times the results that you are already getting from the kettlebell. So my big thing is engage with life to the max, optimize yourself as a human being and nothing beats the kettlebell to help you do that.

Filed Under: Fitness Business Tagged With: 16kg kettlebell, Dragon Door Origins, Dragon Door Publications, John Du Cane, John Du Cane Interview, kettlebell training history, modern kettlebell movement, The first kettlebell certification

How to Survive & Thrive as a Personal Trainer – However Hard it Gets

November 24, 2020 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

Kristy Agan, Senior RKC - leading Private Training Session

The gym business has always been a tumultuous one. At the end of the day, we are dealing with clients who are only human. They get down on themselves. They fight with self-doubt. They lose faith. They struggle with developing self-discipline. And most have never had someone in their corner. So, gaining and keeping clients has always been a challenge for gym owners.

Now, let’s add a pandemic, business closures, political turmoil, a weakened economy, and you have a recipe for a super charged/super stressed population. Unfortunately, most humans retreat when times get tough. We turn to food, alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and we turn away from training our bodies. We turn away from striving to be stronger versions of ourselves.

We stop putting ourselves first. We stop seeing our physical and mental health as a priority. We stop seeing it as something worth investing in. We stop viewing that investment of time & money in our bodies as a necessity. With all of these human flaws and road bumps, how can a gym owner like myself continue to be successful in this chaotic and stressful time?

In a volatile environment, how can a personal trainer attract people into a regular training program and create a small sense of normalcy for them?

Our people need us now more than ever, but how can we as gym owners keep the fires burning during a time when people are so scared? If 2020 has taught me one thing, it’s that my personal relationship with my clients is what is keeping my doors open.

kettlebell workout outdoors in parking lot

As gym owners, we MUST:

INVEST

To be blunt, a business owner has to make money. At the end of the day, we have to pay the light bill. However, in order for that to happen you have to be willing to INVEST. You have to invest your time. You have to invest a big part of yourself. You have to invest your energy. You have to invest a piece of yourself into every soul who walks through your door.

Your clients are trusting you with their most valuable commodity… their health. So, if you aren’t willing and able to invest in them… why should they be willing to invest in themselves?

Kristy Agan kettlebells at KA Athletics

CONNECT

You have to connect with people. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with them on everything under the sun, or want to hang out with them on weekends. It simply means that you have to be willing to get to know them. Find out what makes them tick. Discover their likes and dislikes. What motivates them? What scares them?

If you train someone with social anxiety and you call them out in a group training class, they might not come back. You may train someone who LOVES attention, but because they don’t receive any praise at home or at work…you complimenting them on a job well done might be just what they need to fill them up. Our business is as much about connecting to people than it is about teaching them how to lift.

Kristy Agan quote on wall at KA Athletics

ENERGY

“You can’t pour from an empty cup.” As someone who has to invest so much of themselves into their people on a daily basis, it is very easy to feel empty at the end of the day. You must find ways to recharge your own batteries so that you can be your best for the people coming to you for help. Your energy, good or bad, will drive theirs. Sounds like too much pressure? Well tough. You might just be in the wrong business if that sounds too difficult. But for those of you who are ready to accept the challenge, you MUST replenish your own energies first.

What do I mean by replenishing your energy? I am what you may call an “introverted extrovert”. Basically, I enjoy being around my people, but I HAVE to recharge by being alone. I LOVE being around my clients. I LOVE working with them and watching them get stronger. But working with 100+ clients on a daily basis absolutely drains my energy. I HAVE to find moments in each day to refill my energy tank so to speak. Here are some ways I do that:

  1. turn the lights off and turn the music off in the gym once a day and close my eyes for 10 min. I simply lay in the floor, close my eyes, and enjoy the silence.
  2. I only respond to messages certain times of the day and those times are scheduled on my calendar. I REFUSE to allow my phone to dictate my life. I am in control of my schedule and I will NOT allow a “smart” phone to be my boss. I am in control. Say that again to yourself… “I am in control.”
  3. I always, always make time for myself to train even if that means turning down personal training appointments. I have a set time I workout and I never cancel that appointment.  How can I inspire others to put their health first if I do not treat my own health with the upmost importance?
  4. Walk outside and get some fresh air. Sometimes I feel like Superman. I get recharged and gain strength from the sunshine.
  5. Grab a coffee at my favorite coffee shop and sit by myself.
  6. Read something other than news.
  7. Listen to instrumental/classical music when I train, when I write, when I am cleaning, etc… there is already too much noise in the world.
  8. Sit outside in the evening and watch the sunset even if it is only for 5 minutes (I seriously do this every night when my kids don’t have extracurricular activities).
  9. Practice yoga. While my schedule doesn’t currently allow me to attend sessions with my yoga instructor, I practice what she has taught me at least 10 to 15 minutes per day. These small sessions with myself have benefited me in so many ways. That sounds like a good topic for another article!
  10. Leave my phone in my bedroom when I am at home so that my kids have my full attention… my clients have been with me all day. They can wait.

Kristy Agan yoga outdoors

LONGEVITY

I don’t know what tomorrow holds. I don’t know if people will continue to train with me, or if they will retreat back inside of their homes, scared of a virus that supposedly runs more rampant in gyms than other places. But, I have never left my successes or failures to a political figure. I don’t wait for others to tell me what and how to do something. I have goals I aim to achieve and I make plans to make them a reality. Regardless of what is going on in this crazy world, I have to make my own path.

I have hard days. I have months where I get scared when I see that my revenue is down from previous months. I also realize that some gym owners live in areas where they have been told they cannot legally operate and are being forced to close. I expect to see more closures coming my way as well. But time and time again, I have visualized how I want my business and my future to look, and I make it happen.

Whether it’s a change of business model, whether it’s more workouts outdoors, whether it’s training people online, whatever “it” looks like in the future, I am passionate about my role in my client’s lives and theirs in mine. I know I have built a business that is more than these brick walls. I am building a community of physically and mentally strong people. My gym is so much more than a brick and mortar building. My gym is and will continue to be my family. And I always fight hard for my family.

Kristy Agan At Gym KA Athletics Gym

***

Kristy is a Senior RKC and PCC Instructor with Dragon Door. She also owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, GA where she is joined by her husband, Joe Agan (PCC, RKC, HKC) and Donna Martin (RKC, HKC).

You can follow Kristy on Instagram & Twitter @kristyagan and Facebook @Kristy.Agan.Trainer. And don’t forget to follow KA Athletics on Facebook, Instragram, and Twitter @ka_athletics to stay updated on gym events.

Filed Under: Coaching, Fitness Business Tagged With: fitness business, gym business, Gym owner, Kristy Agan, leadership, Motivation, Pandemic, personal trainer, personal training

How Dragon Door Certifications Helped Me Grow BuitenFit Haarlem

June 9, 2020 By Duncan Berends Leave a Comment

Duncan Berends RKC-II Instructor PCC Instructor Pistol Squat

Before I founded BuitenFit Haarlem, I worked hard to earn several Dragon Door certifications. I chose to train for and attend the RKC, RKC-II and PCC workshops because I wanted to invest in sharpening my own skills for a fit, strong and vital body. I found these experiences to be super educational. The RKC, RKC-II and PCC manuals for the RKC and PCC are very extensive with a lot of exercises, explanations, coaching cues, and troubleshooting.

The Dragon Door In-Person Certification Experience

During the RKC, I learned how to perform exercises with perfect precision. The RKC and RKC-II certifications in particular had tough physical tests that you had to pass in order to earn your certificate. I had to train for a long time, to not only pass, but to be able to participate at all. But I learned a lot while training towards these goals. At the RKC, I passed some of the physical tests right at the workshop, for others I needed a second chance. But in the end, my key to success was to keep going! Occasionally in my training I would have a small setback and need to rest or take a break. But, I quickly started training again as soon as I could.

Duncan Berends RKC-II PCC Kettlebell Get-Up

In short, I learned a lot of lessons on my way to the end goals. And, I learned the most from the feedback I received at the workshops. Working hard—week in and week out—and picking yourself up after a setback produces results. If you understand this, then you can use this idea not only with fitness and sports, but also for any other goals in life. It gave me self-confidence. After the workshops and learning numerous exercises from the RKC and PCC, I wanted to share these experiences and knowledge with more people.

Starting From Zero

A year ago, I started BuitenFit Haarlem with only six clients. Now, I offer ten group training sessions per week in Haarlem. More than fifty people exercise at BuitenFit Haarlem every week.

The knowledge and exercises I gained from the Dragon Door RKC and PCC workshops are very important at BuitenFit Haarlem. During our bodyweight bootcamp training and kettlebell training, participants experience the physical benefits of the exercises I learned at the RKC and PCC.

I am very grateful to Dragon Door for what I learned at their workshops, and I’d advise every personal trainer or coach to attend one or more Dragon Door workshops

Duncan Berends RKC-II PCC Clutch Flag Calisthenics

One Year of BuitenFit Haarlem

In just one year’s time, I was voted personal trainer of the year in Haarlem. I also recently won the promotion prize for self-employed hero of the Netherlands during the coronavirus epidemic.

***

Learn more about Duncan Berends, RKC-II, PCC on BuitenFit Haarlem’s website at https://buitenfithaarlem.nl/

Filed Under: Fitness Business, Workshop Experiences Tagged With: BuitenFit Haarlem, Duncan Berend, fitness business, Gym owner, kettlebell instructor, PCC Instructor, RKC instructor, RKC-II Instructor

To Open or Not to Open? A Georgia Gym Owner’s Dilemma and The Story So Far…

May 25, 2020 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

Kristy Agan Georgia Gym Group Session Re-opening coronavirus2020

Regardless where you find yourself politically, our current culture is turbulent for everyone. Business owners are faced with very tough decisions right now. We risk alienating some, or possibly losing our livelihood. In recent weeks I have found myself struggling with how to make the best decision for everyone involved. I reached a profound conclusion…you can’t please everyone. And, if you are like me, you are in the same seemingly unwinnable spot.

My decision came down to choice. I had to choose whether or not to open my business back up and provide people the opportunity to make a decision for themselves. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what political party you are a part of, or if you’re part of one at all, but I believe we all have a choice. My choice is still to provide my clients with a safe environment for them to be able to continue their journey that we have been on for a very long time.

Many of my clients are choosing to stay home and I will continue to send them programming until they are ready to return. But those who choose to come to my facility are now allowed to do so. This decision has warranted some heated debates & comments from some that I was putting people’s health at risk. Trust me, as the mother of a child with a weakened immune system I understand the risks. But I also understand the risks of not taking care of ourselves physically and mentally.

I do not own a mega gym. My facility is small, easy to control, and easier to keep clean then larger facilities. With that said, I do feel like I am at an advantage compared to larger corporate gyms who are facing an uphill battle keeping facilities clean and managing social distancing guidelines.

For the eight weeks that I was closed, I taught my clients online or sent them workouts for them to do at home. But the number one thing I heard every day was how they missed the personal interaction with me and with their fellow gym members. I’m not sure at the end of the day what is special about me, but that was the common thread. People wanted me there with them on their journey.

While online training is a great option during times like these for many people, humans by nature are a social species. Because of this need for human connection, nothing replaces in-person quality training. For this very reason, I made the decision to open as soon as my state allowed me to do so.

My clients are more than a paycheck. They are an extension of my family and my goal every day is to take care of my family. Despite this, I still struggled with my decision to open. I knew there would be clients (and people in my city) who would not support my decision. I also knew there would be many who would.

At the end of each day, it still feels like a massive balancing act between providing a safe/clean environment, being vigilant to not put people at more risk, being sensitive to those who aren’t ready to return, answering questions & comments from those who don’t support my decisions, and still providing good solid programming for those who step through my doors.

No one will know whether or not we as business owners are making the right decisions. Those answers may not be clear this month, next month, or next year. But I do believe that we have to keep moving forward. Moving forward will look different depending on what set of lenses you are viewing your world through and your individual circumstances. Either way, what better way to keep moving forward then with people you trust. At the end of each day, I feel like that’s what I have…people who trust me.

Our Experience So Far…

Since my re-opening three weeks ago, things have gradually started to come to life as expected. I have seen a handful of clients quit completely, for fear of being at the gym with other people. I have a few clients who are remaining at home due to current health issues, or the health issues of a family member, but I am providing them with online workouts for as long as they need them.

But thankfully, the majority have returned to their normal training times at the gym. The ones who have chosen to return are all very respectful of people’s space and everyone is pitching in to help clean up equipment between classes. My facility is around 4500 square feet and classes usually range from 5 to 12 people so we have plenty of space to spread out. I have three hours between each group training session which allows us to clean after each use.  Being a smaller facility definitely provides me with an advantage as I can more easily control my headcount and keep the facility much cleaner than if I had a larger space.

If you are a gym owner who is struggling with the decision of opening your business, I can’t make that decision for you. Depending on where you live, staying closed may be the best decision. For some of you, the best decision may be to open. But that decision is now left up to you and you alone.

Do some soul-searching, and determine what path is best for you and your clients. If your clients are as invested in you as mine are in me, they will support you regardless of what path you take.

Kristy Agan Georgia Gym Reopened Private Session coronavirus 2020

7 Guidelines for Keeping it Safe

If you are thinking of opening your doors here are a few things that I do on a daily basis to keep my clients safe:

  1. Keep a certain number of people in the building based on square footage. Check your State/Country’s social distancing guidelines and then follow them.
  2. Clean equipment between every group training session or private client. Although this means more expenses for cleaning supplies, It will go a long way towards making your clients feel safer.
  3. Provide training times for the clients who feel comfortable coming in, but be willing to also provide online programming for those who just aren’t ready yet. These workouts need to be simple and easy to do with little to no equipment. During times of stress your clients do not need workouts that will just put more stress on their bodies.
  4. Provide them with plenty of bodyweight or kettlebell workouts if they have the equipment, but make sure to include lots of mobility or yoga that will address mobility/stress issues.Right now many people are working from home and sitting even more than normal so mobility segments are more crucial than ever before.
  5. Do not allow children to come into the gym. It will keep head count lower and leave more room for clients.
  6. Require clients to wash their hands before and after their workouts as well as wipe down any equipment that they use before they leave.
  7. Provide disinfectant wipes throughout the gym for cleaning equipment, as well as, have hand sanitizer dispensers mounted in the front and rear of the gym.

At the end of the day, how we tackle this new normal of ours should be up to us as individuals. Some of you reading this article do not feel comfortable opening your business and I believe it is your right to remain closed. Some you want, or need to open, and I believe it is your right to do so. But throughout your decision-making process, be sensitive to your clients expectations, fears, and the world around you. Be smart and provide your clients with a clean and safe environment, as well as, provide options for training at home should they need or choose to do so.

Regardless of what side you find yourself on amid this chaos, let’s choose to encourage each other and support each other as gym owners, as trainers, and as citizens. We are, and will remain, stronger together.

Wondering how my clients have felt about the reopening experience?

I asked! And some of them have been kind enough to comment:

“COVID-19 has definitely changed the way a lot of us live our lives. From the way we shop, interact with others and travel our lives have been altered due to this pandemic. One thing that has stayed the same through all of this is my love for KA Athletics. When I walk through the doors of KA I am greeted by Kristy whom has the warmest smile and makes her gym feel like the safest but deadliest place all at the same time.

As soon as KA was able to open those doors again I came running. I knew before this pandemic that Kristy’s gym was clean and safe due to her dedication to her gym and community she’s created. Those four walls might be just a “gym” to some but to Kristy that’s her passion, livelihood, heart and soul. There was no doubt in my mind her space was as clean as it possibly could be. The only thing dirty in her gym were the looks I might give her and her workouts on the board. To add though like most people I go to the gym to better myself and my body. Although my body needed the gym after quarantine, my mind needed it just as well.” — Carly Duke

“I don’t mind saying I have been cautious, not because I’m afraid, but because of immunosuppressant medication. Your online workouts have been my connection to physical wellness….I am so thankful for those! I desperately miss you, my trainer and my workout buddies! I will be back the beginning of June and can’t wait! Thank you for your support through this whole process!!!!” — Pam Green

“Kristy is fanatic about keeping the gym clean. After working out with her through Zoom, I jumped at the chance to get back into the gym as I knew she would take every precaution to keep her space clean for us. She genuinely cares for us like she does her own family. I am grateful for her courage to open back up amidst the controversy of doing such. And my body feels so much better.” — Ashlie Harper

“I have been training with Kristy for many years, and she is the absolute best. This is not only because of her knowledge and passion for training, but she really loves and gets to know her clients individually. I have a very medically fragile daughter who depends 100% on me to meet her daily and living needs, so I am unable to step foot in public right now. My anxiety and stress levels have been triggered more and more lately, and I am so grateful to Kristy for providing me with home workouts each day. Not only do they help with my mental health, but she keeps me accountable and on track with my health and fitness goals, even during this difficult time.” — Jenn Morash

“Until I had to stop attending the gym due to COVID-19, I didn’t realize how much working out with Kristy Agan and my gym family contributed to my overall mental health. The comradery of the people I work out with and Kristy at the helm provided much more than a “workout “. As soon as I heard she was opening back up, I did not hesitate to return as I knew she was going to take the strictest precautions to protect us. Although she provided online workouts, returning to the gym was a relief mentally and felt like a big family reunion!!” — Emily Kitchens

“Thank you for a great workout this morning! I’ll admit I was nervous but after seeing the precautions and small group I felt better.  I would not have gone to just any gym, and that’s the beauty of KA. I know the small group of people, I know you and I know we are all trying to be safe and sensible.” — Jennifer and Andy Bressette

***

Kristy is a Senior RKC and PCC Instructor with DragonDoor. She also owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, GA where she is joined by her husband, Joe Agan (PCC, RKC, HKC) and Donna Martin (HKC, RKC).

You can follow Kristy on Instagram & Twitter @kristyagan and Facebook @Kristy.Agan.Trainer. And don’t forget to follow KA Athletics on Facebook, Instragram, and Twitter @ka_athletics to stay updated on gym events.

Filed Under: Fitness Business, Tutorial Tagged With: coronavirus, CV-19, fitness business, Georgia, group fitness, Gym owner, Kristy Agan, personal trainer, reopening gym, sanitation, small business

When You Want to Up Your Strength Game, Who Best to Choose?

February 14, 2020 By Andrea Du Cane Leave a Comment

Newly Certified RKC Instructors in NYC

We were recently asked a very good question:

I’m opening a small gym and it will be a strength and conditioning facility that will cater to rock climbers, mace and kettlebell enthusiasts. Here is the conundrum RKC? SFG? Both? Or another cert?”

To be fair we get that question fairly often. The person asking that question is obviously a very thoughtful athlete and business owner and he wants to make a correct and informed decision.

Let me break this down as best I can. John and Pavel started the RKC many years ago – 2001 to be exact. After a number of very successful years, there was a difference of opinion in the direction the RKC should take. I cannot speak for SF, however, the direction the RKC chose to take was one of educating and producing strong and competent coaches. There are still instructor competency tests, but the focus is on corrective, progressive, regressive teaching that allows athletes and coaches to safely reach their potential and goals.

In the beginning, the RKC was run like a hardcore military bootcamp. With nearly an abusive quality to the instruction. Within the first hour, after a short warm-up and no training, the snatch test was given. The people attending were more often military, law enforcement, martial artists etc. In those days, very few personal trainers from the mainstream fitness industry attended.

As we grew, we started attracting medical professionals and mainstream fitness professionals. And thank goodness we changed! The focus became corrective strategies, progressions, and coaching. Our courses have come a long way. Yes, we still expect people to be able to demonstrate the unique strength principles, and for the RKC we expect people to take the time to prepare.

Another core belief is that our courses are not just for personal trainers to get some tools to teach their clients, but also to work on their own athletic abilities. I say it all the time, “how often do coaches get coached?”  Our workshops are designed for the participants to get equal experience in coaching and learning the system to teach others, as well as working on their own weaknesses and strengths to become better athletes themselves. In my experience, there are very few certifications that can say that.

This puts our focus on usable information a coach or gym owner can take with them the day after the workshop to implement immediately and to grow their personal and professional goals. Along with the knowledge and expertise gained at the workshop, there is ongoing support and networking though international private RKC Facebook groups.

Included in our kettlebell educational portfolio we have our HardstyleFit on-line courses and the HKC one-day workshops. Below is detailed information for all our workshops and courses.

Dragon Door also provides education and workshops in calisthenics, with our PCC courses. These special courses were created by Paul Wade, author of Convict Conditioning. The PCC is the perfect complement to kettlebell training, and for most athletes – extremely valuable.

We are also launching a new product that incorporates isometric training, developed by Paul Wade. This new system includes an in-depth manual, on-line and live workshops. Learn more about the ISOCHAIN

Dragon Door is the leader in innovative health and athletic training, with the RKC being the foundation of a system embraces the entire athlete and coach.

HardstyleFit Certificate: On-Line Training Only

  • Complete HardstyleFit Level One to earn 0.6 ACE CECs or 0.6 NASM CEUs.
  • Complete HardstyleFit Level Two to earn 0.7 ACE CECs.

A users’ course. Follows the structure of the HKC/RKC but without the focus on coaching the movements. HardstyleFit level 1 needs to be completed before level 2, to ensure the basic movements are understood and can be performed correctly.

The on-line written test before the physical video test, is to ensure a deep understanding of the strength principles in lieu of a live instructor providing the opportunity to share the information and provide Q & A.

A 50% discount is offered after passing the HardstyleFit course to apply to either an HKC or RKC. The discount code is good for one year of passing the course. The HardstyleFit program can be used as a “prep” for the in-person instructor courses.

HKC Certification: In Person Training Only

  • Earn .8 ACE CECs and .8 NASM CEUs

No specific weight class requirements are required. The lead instructor recommends the weight used to produce the best and safest performance for each of the three kettlebell lifts taught. There is no kettlebell prerequisite required. However, an entrance test of a 1 minute plank is administered at the beginning of the workshop to ensure an adequate level of physical preparedness.

It is recommended that participants have either completed the HardstyleFIt on-line training course or trained with an HKC/RKC prior to the course.

The three exercises presented and tested at the workshop are the foundation of the overall Kettlebell system.  Safe performance and mastery of each exercise is necessary before moving on to the more difficult exercises of the RKC.

The HKC provides hands-on coaching for the course participants, both as the coach and the person being coached. This back and forth partnering, enhances the learning experience on all levels.

The HKC is considered both a “prep” course for the RKC and a stand-alone certification.  Many trainers use the most basic kettlebell exercises for their group classes or clients. The HKC provides those trainers with enough knowledge and coaching experience to deliver results for their clients without the time and money commitment of the RKC. After passing the HKC, the HKC instructor gets a $200 discount on an RKC course within a year of passing the HKC.

The technique test demonstrates the participant’s understanding of the principles as well as the ability to perform the movements correctly. It is necessary to be able to correctly demonstrate each exercise, since a large percentage of the population are visual learners.

HKC Technique Test:

  • Two-Handed swing (10 reps)
  • Get-up (1 rep)
  • Goblet Squat (5 reps)

The Teaching/Coaching Test demonstrates the participants ability to coach the exercise. This allows the lead instructor to see the participant in action coaching another person.

The lead instructor is evaluating the participant on the following criteria:

  • Correctly demonstrating the exercise
  • Following the correct teaching progressions
  • Determining what movement is incorrect or unsafe – and stopping it if necessary
  • Applying the right correction
  • Putting safety first and above all other criteria
  • Picking the appropriate load for the given exercise and client
  • Using appropriate verbal cues without over cueing

HKC certifications allow 90 days to submit a video of any requirements that were not completed at the course. The participant sends the video in to the lead instructor or visits the instructor in person to retest the skill.

The HKC certification lasts for 3 years. There are 3 options to maintain your certification. Note: HKCs are not allowed to assist at an HKC to recertify.

  1. Attend an HKC at a discount
  2. Attend an RKC at a discount and move up your certification
  3. Submit an online HKC re-cert test (available after 2/18/2020)

RKC Certification: In Person Training Only

  • Earn 2.5 ACE CECs and 1.9 NASM CEUs

Weight classes are provided to guide the participant to use an appropriate load for general kettlebell training.  Weight classes are in line with other strength and athlete competitions. This ensures a safe and level training system.  An entrance test is administered at the start of the first day of the 2 (or 3) day course. 10 “Hardstyle” push-ups for men, 3 for women. The Hardstyle push-up is demonstrated at the course by one of the instructors and requires the participant to pause at the bottom and top, while maintaining the plank with spine in neutral. All reps performed at the testing instructors count. This demonstrates a strong core to ensure safety for all the ballistic and strength movements throughout the course.

During the live workshops, the master instructor has the authority to increase or decrease the load during instruction and testing to encourage the best and safest performance of the participants and learning environment.  For example, when first learning the get-up or snatch, the instructor may recommend participants start with a lighter kettlebell to learn the basic movement pattern and then increase the load as the skill increases.  For learning the swing, going to a heavier than ‘test weight’ will provide a clear understanding of the glute and hip driven nature of the exercise.

In some circumstances during testing, the master instructor has the authority to have a participant take a lighter weight for an exercise ie., a woman on the high end of the weight class may be allowed to use one size lighter for the get-up.  Whereas a man who is very strong may be asked to use a heavier than test size kettlebell for the clean or press to facilitate the correct muscular recruitment and produce the correct technique.

Kettlebell training is a strength and ballistic power production system that focuses on the hips and posterior muscles of the body. The RKC requires participants to prepare and train for the workshop. The average amount of time recommended is 6 months.

There are 3 paths recommended to take as preparation:

  1. Attend an HKC in-person certification
  2. Complete HardstyleFit level 1 and level 2
  3. Train with a certified RKC.

The Technique Test includes the 6 kettlebell exercises that comprises the Hardstyle strength and ballistic training. The rep count is designed to follow traditional strength training rep counts, while allowing ample time to demonstrate the strength/ballistic principles of the system. Both sides are tested to encourage a healthy and functional athlete. Exceptions to testing both sides must be cleared with Dragon Door and the Master Instructor.   And requires a doctor’s written note as to why the participant cannot perform both sides of an exercise or the need to lower the load from the test size kettlebell.

Requirements for RKC

  1. Single-arm swing (10/10 reps)
  2. Single-arm clean (5/5 reps)
  3. Get-up (1/1 rep)
  4. Military Press (4/4 reps)
  5. Double Front Squat (5 reps)
  6. Snatch (5/5 reps)
  7. Snatch Test: 100 reps within 5 minutes with test size kettlebell.

The Snatch Test is as overall physical preparedness test as well as demonstrating the endurance and strength that was needed in preparation for the course. Participants have the option of not taking the snatch during the course but submitting a video at a later date.

RKC certifications allow 90 days to submit a video of any requirements that were not completed at the course. The participant sends the video in to the lead instructor or visits the instructor in person to retest the skill.

Once completed the certification lasts for 3 years, after which the RKC has three options to re-certify:

  1. Attend an RKC at a discount
  2. Submit an online RKC re-cert test
  3. Assist at an RKC

RKC II Certification: In Person Training Only

The RKC II is an advanced kettlebell training program for serious professional coaches and athletes.  The course focuses neurologically and physically challenging lifts.

It is recommended to spend some time at the RKC level and refine those skills before moving on to the RKC II.

An entrance test is administered at the start of the first day of the 2- day course. 5 dead hang pull-ups for men, :20 flex-arm hold for women both with supinated grip. This demonstrates the  participants strength base to perform pull-ups.

The RKC II incorporates two bodyweight exercises the utilize some of the same principles of the RKC Hardstyle strength system. There is a lot of focus on progressions and regressions for all advanced kettlebell and bodyweight exercises. This allows the curriculum to be used with all populations that trainers and coaches work with in their businesses.

RKC Technical Requirements tested at RKC II:

All RKC level one exercises with double kettlebells except for the Get-up and Snatch:

  1. Double Swing
  2. Double Clean
  3. Double Front Squat
  4. Double Press
  5. Get-up
  6. Snatch
  7. 5-Minute Snatch Test

RKC II Technical Requirements: Instruction includes all progressions of each exercise and variety kettlebell exercises.

  1. Strict One-Arm Military Press
  2. Weighted Pull-up for Men; Single Pull-up for Women
  3. Pistol
  4. Double Jerk
  5. Windmill
  6. Bent Press (not scored)

RKC II certifications allow 90 days to submit videos of any requirement that was not completed at the course. The participant sends the video in to the lead instructor or visits the instructor in person to retest the skill.

Once completed the certification lasts for 3 years, after which the RKC II has three options to re-certify:

  1. Attend an RKC II at a discount
  2. Take the online re-cert test
  3. Assist at an RKC II

***

Andrea Du Cane is a Master RKC Kettlebell Instructor, CK-FMS, CICS, and RIST, ZHealth certified, she has a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is also a Pilates instructor. She is the author of several books and dvds including The Ageless Body, The Kettlebell Boomer, and The Kettlebell Goddess Workout.  She has over twenty years of aerobics, weight training and fitness experience, with an additional background in… Read more here.

Filed Under: Coaching, Fitness Business, Kettlebell Training, Workshop Experiences Tagged With: hkc, how to choose a certification, Kettlebell certifications, kettlebell coaching, kettlebell instructor training, kettlebell training, RKC, SFG, strength training

Is Certification Worth It?

July 13, 2017 By Michael Krivka and Adrienne Harvey 3 Comments

Master RKC Michael Krivka Kettlebell Swing

Education, training, and certification are expensive propositions. Training certifications can last several days and cost well into thousands of dollars—even before adding in the cost of time away from your business and family, transportation to and from the certification, hotels and other extraneous expenses. So, if you are going to invest your hard earned cash in a certification, it sure as heck needs to be worth it and then some! I’m not talking about making back your initial investment, but making back the costs several times over. With those parameters in mind, it makes sense to think twice about seeking additional certifications.

Which Certification Should I Attend?

How do you sift through all of the certifications out there to find ones that you can: a) afford to attend, b) allow you to make back your initial investment several times over, and c) provide you with information that will benefit your athletes today and tomorrow?

Consider these items before attending:

  • Location
  • Instructor
  • Certifying organization
  • Credential status
  • Content
  • Can you use the techniques, tips, correctives, regressions and progressions?
  • Does the certification fit the abilities and goals of your client demographic?
  • Can you immediately apply what you’ve learned at the certification to your current clients?
  • Does the certification provide actionable content or is it too specialized, obscure or advanced for your current (or projected) clients?

While all of these criteria are important to consider—and should play a role in the decision making process—what is the most important thing to consider? Far and above all of these considerations should be the contents of the course and how it applies to your clients.

A good certification will provide you with eighty to one hundred percent actionable material. That’s a pretty high percentage, but it also shows that the certification is dialed in and not just hours of “fluff” or useless content. It also shows the maturity of the content, the instructor and the organization behind it. An ideal certification workshop will have little or no wasted time, and the majority of the time will be spent on training and hands-on work to reinforce the principles and techniques taught.

A poor certification will provide you with very little actionable material; less than fifty percent actionable and a high percentage of theory, conjecture and anecdotes. These certifications are “personality-driven” and are usually nothing more than a handful of tips. The remaining time is often spent listening to stories and fluff to fill in the time.

Along with the RKC and PCC, two examples of excellent one-day certifications which provide near one hundred percent actionable material are the HKC (Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification) and the SCC (Strength Calisthenics Certification). Both of these certifications are tremendously powerful and provide attendees with a high percentage of actionable material that they can immediately apply to their current (and future) clients.

Focus on the HKC

The HKC focuses on a very precise number of core techniques; the kettlebell swing, the kettlebell goblet squat and the get-up. These three techniques are individually very powerful, but together are game-changers for athletes of all levels and clients of any caliber.

The kettlebell swing is the foundational ballistic of Hardstyle kettlebell training. It is the base that all ballistic techniques are built upon. Errors and bad habits with the swing will be transferred to all of the other ballistics, so it is imperative that the swing is base lined and solid. The swing has tremendous carryover to athletics and is an amazing conditioning tool. The swing trains and teaches the athlete how to add explosiveness to movement. It “fills in the blanks” of any client’s strength and conditioning program.

Michael Krivka goblet squatThe goblet squat is the foundational grind in Hardstyle kettlebell training. Squatting, while a basic human movement pattern, has become a difficult competency for most people of ANY age. Training with weight machines and avoiding the movement altogether has only exasperated the problem. The goblet squat will help restore lost functionality in those who currently don’t squat and will create a new baseline for those who are currently training with squats.

The get-up is neither a ballistic nor a grind, but rests solidly in the realm of functional movement patterns that set the foundation for excellent movement and mobility. The get-up is unique in that it establishes linkages across the entire body. It trains the athlete to establish positional and transitional strength from the ground to standing, and develops exceptional mobility and range of motion in the hips and shoulders.

In addition to the swing, goblet squat and get-up there are several other techniques that are introduced at the HKC. These techniques reinforce loading and unloading principles, mobility issues, and bracing. In particular, the deadlift, the RKC plank and the “naked” get-up are taught and examined so that the trainer has an even greater understanding of the three primary kettlebell techniques.

Focus on the SCC

Like the HKC, the SCC focuses on a very specific group of techniques: push-ups, pull-ups, squats, inversions, leg raises and bridges. Even though these techniques are well known—at least superficially—they are infrequently fully explored or understood. At the SCC, these seemingly simple techniques are taught, examined and developed in such a way that a trainer can apply them to any training situation with any client. Key elements of the SCC provide trainers and instructors with the knowledge, tools, and cues to help even the most de-conditioned clients begin their calisthenics journey. Likewise these same elements can be used to continually progress the same basic exercises to elite levels. Body awareness, muscular tension, and coordination are common threads throughout all the drills taught and coached at the SCC.

SCC Austin Group Photo 2017

Push-ups: While nearly everyone has performed a movement called or presented as a push-up, few have really been taught how to do the push-up in a way that will safely and effectively build usable strength. The SCC teaches participants how to coach this powerhouse movement from the ground up. Far from just being an “upper body” exercise, participants are shown how a properly performed push-up engages the whole body.

Pull-ups: The SCC brings this challenging-to-general-populations exercise down to earth. Get your clients of any level started towards this empowering strength and confidence-builder. Even if a client is very de-conditioned, they can still get on the pull-up bar to begin the powerful lead-up drills taught at the SCC.

Squats: As in the HKC, the essential human movement–the squat–is taught in great detail and is regressed and progressed for nearly anyone who walks through the door to train with you. Desk jobs and sedentary lifestyles have robbed many people of their human birthright to squat. The SCC can teach a trainer how to get their clients past bad habits and movement difficulties over time. Basic bodyweight squats have the potential to improve your clients’ quality of life, strength, and injury resistance.

Inversions: Let’s face it, many of our clients will be very uncomfortable getting “upside down”. The SCC teaches several important steps to ease our clients into these healthy, fun, and empowering positions. Crucial cues even experienced trainers may not know will be introduced for headstands and handstands along with gentle alternatives for clients who may not yet be ready.

Leg raises: the leg raise family both on the ground and from the bar are taught at the SCC in great detail. While all the movements taught at the SCC engage the midsection (aka the core or the abs), the leg raises really focus on the area. Desk-bound and sedentary clients often find great relief after conquering the first few steps of the leg raise series. Building a strong midsection—and giving your client the “ab focus” they want (which helps keep them coming back) has so much more benefits beyond an aesthetically pleasing six-pack.

Bridges: While the full bridge is taught, the real gold with the bridge series lies in the earlier steps. Instead of breezing past these powerful mobility and strength enhancers, the SCC teaches the details of these steps. How many of your clients have tight hip flexors and forgotten glutes? The bridge series can be a surprising secret weapon. The very first step is a game changer!

Programming principles and creative modifications are taught for all of the movements in the SCC. Likewise the manual includes sample workouts which will no doubt give you many ideas for creating group and individual programs. When you go back to the gym on Monday to lead your clients or groups, you can bring a new plan of attack.

Adrienne Harvey Senior PCC, RKC-II Push-Up

Summary

At the beginning of this post it was stated that you should be evaluating a certification by looking for one that provides a high percentage of the material being actionable and applicable to your clients. If you look carefully at the content of the HKC and SCC you will see that fully one hundred percent of the material will benefit your clients. This includes clients who previously have experience training with weights or were competitive athletes in the past. It also includes clients who have never had any training, or enough time has passed, that the training is in the distant past and all the skills need to be dusted off and reintroduced. All of techniques can be scaled or modified to meet the needs of your clients, by either making them easier or more difficult, and all contribute to their overall athleticism, mobility and movement. In addition, most of the techniques can be modified or scaled to help work around common injuries/complaints i.e., back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, etc.

Before you decide to spend your time and money on any certification be sure to take some time to evaluate what actionable and applicable skills you are walking away with. Are you going to get skills and understanding that you can use daily with your clients? Bottom line: look for certifications that will allow you to help all of your clients (in a number of areas) as well as give you skills that will help enhance your reputation and increase your income.

Join Master RKC Michael Krivka and Senior PCC, RKC-II Adrienne Harvey at the upcoming SCC/HKC workshop in Gaithersburg, MD February 2018, or look for an SCC/HKC combination workshop weekend in your area.

***

Michael A. Krivka, Sr. – Master RKC: Michael A. Krivka, Sr. is a Washington, DC native who has been involved in Kettlebell training for over a decade and is currently a Master RKC and member of the RKC Board of Advisors and the RKC Leadership Team under Dragon Door (where he has been listed as one of the top reviewed RKC’s in the world for the last five years). He is also the author of a bestselling eBook entitled “Code Name: Indestructible” and is in the process of finishing up several other eBooks on Kettlebells, body weight, and the integration of other tools into an effective strength and conditioning program. Mike has traveled extensively throughout the United States teaching Russian Kettlebells to military (USMC, USN, USA and USAF) and law enforcement personnel (FBI, DEA, USSS and CIA)… read more here.

Adrienne Harvey, Senior PCC Instructor, RKC-II, CK-FMS, has been RKC Certified since 2010, and RKC Level 2 certified since 2011. Kettlebell and bodyweight training have been crucial in Adrienne’s personal quest for fitness.  A core member of the PCC team, Adrienne loves sharing her knowledge with small groups and individuals. She also loves to develop recipes and workout programs to further support performance, body composition, and of course—FUN. Go to http://www.giryagirl.com for more information about Adrienne.

Filed Under: Coaching, Fitness Business, Kettlebell Training Tagged With: Adrienne Harvey, calisthenics, certification, Coaching, fitness instructor, hkc, instructor education, kettlebells, leadership, Michael Krivka, personal training, SCC

The Fitness Program of the Future—Now!

July 5, 2017 By Kirk Adams 3 Comments

Kirk Adams, RKC Get-Up

I’ve been in the fitness industry for almost 18 years. Most of that time has been spent looking for answers to age old questions:

  • How can I best help my clients reach their goals?
  • How can I get my clients to workout more consistently?
  • What are the best tools and exercises to get them the most effective results?

There are many sources for answers—and many great systems producing outstanding results. About eight months ago, I was fortunate to join the Dragon Door family when I passed the RKC Level 1. It was an amazing weekend filled with learning, challenges and camaraderie. Since then, I have taken RKC Level 2 and have been fortunate to assist with an HKC and RKC Level 1. While these experiences have taught me many things, the most important is that what Dragon Door has to offer—specifically in the RKC and PCC—is exactly what people and the fitness industry need!

To get the most out of a fitness program, make progress and reach goals, it is important for people to work out as consistently as possible. Just the thought of having to travel to a gym before or after work—then spend an hour or more fighting over equipment—is enough to keep even the most dedicated person from sticking with a fitness program.

Kirk Adams, RKC Push-Up

An ideal fitness program—the fitness program of the future—would be short, portable, and use minimal equipment. Kettlebells and bodyweight training check all three of those boxes. Get-ups, swings, and complexes like cleans and presses offer so much “bang for your buck” that you can get a great workout without committing much time at all.

With a few kettlebells and maybe a pull-up bar, you can create a workout program with almost endless variety and challenge. These exercises are also extremely portable. Whether you’re at home, the office, or on the road, it’s easy to get in your workout—and there’s less room for excuses.

Kettlebell and bodyweight training reinforce several of the most positive aspects of the fitness industry. Most people would benefit from mastering and strengthening basic movement patterns with exercises that focus on improving their ability to squat down, lift, push, pull, and carry weight. This more functional approach can help people easily accomplish daily tasks and with less pain.

Kirk Adams, RKC Goblet SquatIt’s important for a successful training system to be appropriately challenging for everyone—no matter where they are on their fitness journey. Some of the best elements of both the RKC and PCC Workshops are the built in progressions and regressions for each exercise. Whether it’s someone’s first day of training or they’re an elite level athlete, these systems have safe exercises and workouts which will challenge someone to improve. This is an excellent way to bring more people into a fitness lifestyle and encourage them to continue training for a lifetime.

Training consistently and reaching your fitness goals is always harder when you go it alone. Having a community by your side with standards that hold you accountable help increase your chances for success. Dragon Door has built that community through its courses, books, and instructors. A community gives people somewhere to turn to when they have questions or need support along their journey. Dragon Door has also set standards for basic and exceptional levels of fitness based on gender, age and weight. These standards are excellent training goals. These goals and community accountability can help everyone stay consistent with their training even when personal motivation drops.

The most successful fitness programs have a few things in common: consistent workouts which can be done any time, anywhere and exercises that improve our ability to move well and get stronger no matter our current fitness level. But, people also need a community for support and standards that motivate. That’s why I’m excited to be part of the Dragon Door family. They’ve provided me with the knowledge and tools to help myself and my clients be better tomorrow than we are today!

 

***

Kirk Adams, MS, RKC is the Head Performance Coach at Golf & Body NYC

Filed Under: Fitness Business, Motivation Tagged With: accountability, calisthenics, community, fitness, fitness program, goals, hkc, kettlebells, Kirk Adams, pcc, RKC

How to Replace Expensive Equipment with Kettlebells

June 21, 2017 By Laurel Blackburn 4 Comments

Laurel Blackburn and Adrienne Harvey Diy Fitness

I started my boot camp business in 2005 on a little patch of grass in front of a gymnastics gym. I didn’t have much money and spent what little I had on a few bands. Our workouts were mostly bodyweight with a few exercises done on the picnic table in front of the gym.

I had to be creative and think outside of the box. Before the TRX came out, I was already doing many of the exercises with beach towels wrapped around trees. I also bought PVC pipes and filled them with sand to use for presses, squats and deadlifts.

As my business grew, I spent almost all of my money on purchasing more equipment. I bought some kettlebells, I picked up logs on the street, and used whatever else I could find as exercise equipment.

Slowly as I earned more money, I bought more equipment. Once we moved from the patch of grass into an 800sqft space, I bought a few more kettlebells, some medicine balls, and I had a friend build a pull up bar.

After a year, we outgrew that space and I moved to a 2,100sqft building—then we moved up to my current 5,000sqft location. Now, I was able to buy a lot of equipment and I spent a fortune on stocking my gym. Every cent I made went back into the gym as I bought more equipment.

As a fitness professional and gym owner, I constantly receive tons of catalogs in the mail full of equipment to buy. I started looking at how I could use what I had to replicate new exercises but at a fraction of the cost. Soon, I became a regular at Home Depot and Lowes!

I found that I could replace everything from sleds to the popular earthquake bars dirt cheap.

A couple of months ago, I went to Orlando and met up with Adrienne Harvey. I packed my car with name brand portable sleds, my earthquake bar, kettlebells and my homemade equipment.

Adrienne and I filmed exercises using my expensive equipment and then filmed the same exercises with better options using my homemade equipment and kettlebells.

I wanted to show gym owners and exercise enthusiasts how they can get creative on the cheap by using kettlebells and a few items from a hardware store.

Here is what I used to make the equipment I used for part 1 of this series.

For sleds:

Lowes SmartStraps 2-in x 20-ft Tie Down ($19.98)

Watch the video, go to the hardware store, grab some kettlebells and get creative.

I’d love to hear how you’ve improvised, created new exercises and workouts with your kettlebells.

Stay tuned for part 2. I will show you how to make your own earthquake bars at 1/8th of the cost.

 

****

Senior RKC, Laurel Blackburn owns Boot Camp Fitness and Training and Tallahassee Kettlebells.  Look for Laurel at www.bootcampstogo.com or www.tallahasseekettlebells.com.

In her early fifties, Laurel is out to prove that age is just a number. Her goal is to motivate and inspire people everywhere, both young and old that strength, flexibility and mobility can get better with age. Follow her adventures on her blog: www.SuperStrongNana.com.

Filed Under: Fitness Business, Kettlebell Training, Tutorial Tagged With: creative fitness, creative training, DIY fitness equipment, DIY sled, fitness equipment, Kettlebell, kettlebells, Laurel Blackburn, Senior RKC Laurel Blackburn

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Dragon Door Publications / The author(s) and publisher of this material are not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any injury that may occur through following the instructions or opinions contained in this material. The activities, physical and otherwise, described herein for informational purposes only, may be too strenuous or dangerous for some people, and the reader(s) should consult a physician before engaging in them.