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 Facetime In 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!

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

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

November 24, 2020 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

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.

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?

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.

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:

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.
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.”
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?
Walk outside and get some fresh air. Sometimes I feel like Superman. I get recharged and gain strength from the sunshine.
Grab a coffee at my favorite coffee shop and sit by myself.
Read something other than news.
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.
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).
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!
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.

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 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.

How Dragon Door Certifications Helped Me Grow BuitenFit Haarlem

June 9, 2020 By Duncan Berends Leave a Comment

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
Do not allow children to come into the gym. It will keep head count lower and leave more room for clients.
Require clients to wash their hands before and after their workouts as well as wipe down any equipment that they use before they leave.
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).

Work Together And Thrive

February 18, 2015 By Nick Lynch and Lori Crock Leave a Comment

Nick Lynch Lori Crock and Class

Regardless of how isolated, individual and introverted you are, humans are altruistic as confirmed in a famous study called “The Dictator Game.” If we wish to thrive we need to work together.

As a business owner and participant in the fitness industry, I’ve regrettably made the mistake of puffing out my chest with failed bravado. The “grinder” mentality of “I’m right and everyone else is wrong” leaves that individual isolated and angry. The fact is, the fitness industry changes all the time, although some tried and true forms of training remain effective. Kettlebells, calisthenics, martial arts, climbing, carrying, running, swimming and anything else that follows our primal instincts tend to work well.

The point I’m looking to get across, with my friend Lori Crock here, is if you want to grow your business and promote yourself within the fitness industry, it’s best to work together. Larger corporations practice this tactfully all the time!

16% of Americans have a gym membership. 67% of those 16% don’t use it, leaving just 6% of Americans who actually use their gym memberships. Now let’s be honest, how many of that 6% are using kettlebells and calisthenics at the gym? Considering that 6% is primarily made up of giant corporate chain memberships, I would have to guess we’re now looking about .005% of the 6% of Americans utilizing their gym membership for kettlebells and/or calisthenics. Now we have an honest view of what we’re up against, does it make sense to fight with one another?

Clearly if we have such a niche market, it only makes sense for RKC instructors to work together within or community. If you have an RKC within a couple hours distance from you, set up workshops together. Schedule RKC workshops, HKC workshops, and help each other promote them. When working together, you have automatically doubled the growth potential by 100%. Remember, we’re a niche market. Most people have never heard the letters RKC put together in a sentence before.

If a fellow RKC reaches out to work with you, be open to the opportunity to grow your business. If you get a call or email, call or email back, this is the first step towards establishing a trustworthy relationship; it also confirms a certain level of professionalism! We make up an extremely insignificant number within the fitness industry. To make that number more significant, we MUST work together and not against each other.

Team Leader Lori Crock and TL Nick Lynch working together teaching a class in Milwaukee. — RKC Team Leader Lori Crock and RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch working together teaching a class in Milwaukee.

One more time: we make up an extremely small number within the fitness industry. To make that number more significant, we MUST work together.

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” ~Ken Blanchard.

Lori: working together isn’t hard to do. Nick and I are in different states, but our businesses are connected in many different ways.

One of Nick’s students, Andrew Keller, a true inspiration, with an 80 lb. + weight loss, earned his HKC at the October, 2014 certification event I was privileged to host as the owner of MoveStrong Kettlebells in Columbus, Ohio with Master RKC Andrea Du Cane.

Nick sent Andrew our way, and Andrew, now an HKC, worked hard to achieve his goal. Andrew is now a Superb Health Milwaukee instructor and continues to inspire me and many others.

Andrew Keller teaching photo — Andrew Keller, HKC at the Columbus HKC training along side a MoveStrong HKC, Terry Butterworth.

So when I was traveled to the great city of Milwaukee recently for the Progressive Calisthenics Certification (PCC) Workshop, Nick and I met in person and I had the opportunity to co-teach a kettlebell class at Nick’s gym.

Nick and I had ‘met’ online as new RKC Team Leaders, but there is nothing like meeting in person. I believe that it is a worthy goal to try to meet in person the people we are connected with online, so that we are friends in the true sense of the word.

Three RKC instrutors Earn PCC Together — RKC Team Leaders Nick and Lori with Senior RKC Rob Miller at the Milwaukee PCC

While our fitness niche may be small compared to the industry at large, we have a strong brand community and working together delivers many benefits, including:

Increased learning – sharing business practices, marketing, programming and clients.
Deepened loyalty – the more we have connections to individuals within our community, the more we have a sense of belonging and pride in what we do.
Attracting others with results – a strong team delivers results that attract others to the community.
Encouraging accountability – we keep each other on track per RKC standards.
Driving new directions – we challenge each other to think, assess, expand, create and take risks.
Sharing what’s great – why recreate if something is already great? We share content, promote each other and collaborate online and at events.

This business excites us and our students inspire us. The RKC methodology is sound and many of us have built our businesses around it. So we already have a lot in common.

With more than 50 percent of small businesses failing within three years, and gyms second only to restaurants in this regard, it makes sense to work together to share knowledge, business and marketing practices, programming, hard lessons and successes, and even clients, to succeed in this business and to raise the standards in the fitness industry at large.

Are you in?

***

RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering University (MSOE). He owns Superb Health Milwaukee, a kettlebell studio in Milwaukee, WI. Most recently, he became an RKC Team Leader. He has 13 years of full-time training and coaching experience and a lifetime of wellness education. Nick lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Natalie and son Weston.

Lori Crock, RKC Team Leader, FMS II and MovNat MCT II, owns MoveStrong Kettlebells in Dublin, Ohio where she teaches small group kettlebell classes to all ages and fitness levels and continues to be amazed, inspired and educated by her students. Her email address is lori@movestrongkbs.com

What It Takes To Be A Better Trainer In 2015

January 7, 2015 By Annie Vo Leave a Comment

Annie Vo Double Kettlebell Front Squat

Recently, I saw a greeting card that said, “Treat your body like it belongs to someone you care about”. What occasion was this card for? This statement couldn’t have come at a better time. For me, the holidays are a time of reflection of the year’s events, a time to debrief, reflect and begin settling plans for the next year. I began thinking of how I treat my body, and if my treatment was in accordance with the way I would treat the belonging of a loved one. Further, how do my clients treat their bodies and what role do I play in that in the gym and beyond? It is easy to fall into routines where the actions begin to lose purpose—the reasons you do what you do can begin to become a bit unclear.

Am I doing everything I can as a personal trainer, small business owner and member of the community? Are there things I can improve? What are those things? How about you, dear fitness professional colleague? Could you or your gym offer more services, programs, classes or events? How is it going? Is it easy to find you or your business? What do people think of your business? Are they having a good experience and achieving results?

Annie Vo Double Kettlebell Swing

How do you know the answers to these questions?

In short, you don’t always know, but you can begin to find out through thoughtful analysis. We often ask our clients to log their diets, workouts and activities that effect their mood or energy level (or anything else that affects their gym performance). Do you do that for your business?

Calm down! Nobody is accusing you of not trying! The question is about how you can improve. For those who immediately answered, “Yes” to the question above, I encourage you to use your superior skills and intellect to be creative and dig a bit deeper. There is always more to be learned, offered, shared and sought.

Can you take a client somewhere you haven’t been?

Take a long, hard look in the mirror. Have you made strides in improving emotionally, intellectually and spiritually…? Personal training is exactly what it sounds like—it’s personal. When a client selects you as a professional, they entrust you with their body. You must take that role seriously. Just think about it. Someone talked to you for a few minutes (ok, maybe an hour) or saw some of your pictures online and have now decided to pay you lots of money for your ideas—ideas that directly affect their body and wellbeing. First, you must be able to listen. It sounds easy but listening requires the ability to hear the words being said while interpreting them in the way that they’re intended to be understood. The information must be taken in without your personal judgments or biases. Once you have properly identified the goals and needs of your client, then you can begin the personal exchange of your services and expertise with their participation.

Most likely, what you ask your clients to do are things you also do yourself. We have all had the experience of attempting to teach something we did not fully understand—only to quickly realize we couldn’t fully explain why that exercise was valuable, or effectively troubleshoot it.

I get it, but instead of avoiding the exercises or workouts we’re not familiar with, I would ask you to do just the opposite. Learn more about those unfamiliar exercises and workouts, and become good at them. Extend yourself beyond your comfort zone to gain more experience and understanding to share with your clients.

Annie Vo Goblet Squat 2014 has been good to me and my business. Precision Athlete has grown in clientele and notoriety far beyond what I could have imagined when we opened in 2011. I was also recently promoted to leadership in the first professional organization I had ever joined, the RKC. The RKC and kettlebell training solidified my career choice as a personal trainer back in 2011. I had been wavering between following the path that seemed like a natural fit at that time—becoming an attorney—versus moving more seriously into personal training. Kettlebell training in the RKC inspired a deep sense of pride in learning proper technique, understanding the mechanics of the body and providing the tools to help me excel as a fitness professional. The RKC methods and teaching styles are a mix of rigorous practice, attention to detail, proven science and a touch of class. The RKC also granted me access to the most experienced and educated trainers in the industry.

Thanks to the dedication of my clients over the years, I now have years of experience with hundreds of people. With the numerous seminars I have attended, conversations with trainers and business owners and compulsive reading, I have now become one of the RKC instructors I used to look up to. I must now give back—now more than ever, I have to refine my skills, seek more mentors and expose the gaps in my education. There is much more reading and many more conversations, seminars and training ahead…

Taking responsibility for your end of things is difficult professionally and personally. Norwegians have a verb that describes this feeling, gruegleder (pronounced “grew-glay-der”). It means to look forward to something while simultaneously dreading that same thing. This evaluation process is both rewarding and difficult because there will undoubtedly be areas where we all fall short.

So, do you treat your body like it belongs to someone you care about? Do you care about you? Do you care about caring about you? If you do, then it should be no problem to be generous and understanding with yourself about your shortcomings. It should be no problem to delight in the process of improving your skills and experience—or to take on new challenges. It will only serve to improve that thing you care about so much and support, RIGHT? If you can do that for yourself then you can extend that to your clients and your business.

Re-invest yourself in understanding why you do the things you do. Be aware of what motivates you. Be an active participant in your own life. Be credible both personally and professionally. Don’t wait until 2015 is over. Do it now.

***

Annie Vo, RKC Team Leader is co-owner of Precision Athlete, (http://precisionathlete.com) where she trains groups and individuals. She can be contacted via email: annie@precisionathlete.com, or the Precision Athlete Facebook page: facebook.com/precisionathlete.

Kaizen–The Ancient Japanese Art of Continuous, Incremental Self-Improvement

November 5, 2014 By Florian Kiendl 6 Comments

Florian Kiendl Beast Kettlebell Swing I was introduced to this term years ago when I worked as an IT Consultant for a German automotive supplier. I learned that it was this ancient Japanese concept that transformed Toyota from a small and inefficient car manufacturer into the de facto worldwide industry leader in production efficiency and accuracy. Today virtually all major car manufacturers use the Just in Time concepts invented by Toyota to produce their products. These concepts can save tons of money in production costs while maximizing quality at the same time.

At this point you might think: “And what has this to do with me? I’m a fitness professional!”

Think again! What kind of results might a simple concept—with the power to turn a young company that started out producing the cheapest and most error prone cars on this planet into an industry leader in a few short years—produce if applied to your business or training?

Interested? Then stay with me.

What is Kaizen?
The roots of this concept lie deep in the Japanese culture. It has enabled people to create some of the most magnificent works of art and craft in history. The approach is simple and yet extremely efficient in itself.

Instead of working their butts off until a project is finished or has completely failed (as most westerners tend to do) the ancient Japanese would regularly sit down and assess the process of creation and make minor adjustments along the way. This way they can gain a much deeper understanding of the task at hand, enabling them to complete it easier with better results.

Kaizen and the Hardstyle Kettlebell
For us as Trainers…

Applied to training this might be the idea of starting out with a given program and adjusting it little by little to create the most effective version of that program along the way—instead of running a full cycle of it then looking at the results and starting over with a completely new program if they are less than satisfactory.

Kaizen is about digging deep into the process and learning how to execute it in the most efficient way during the process, rather than assessing the results and making adjustments afterwards. In a way this fits nicely to our Hardstyle approach for kettlebell training. Instead of banging out as many reps as possible and adding as much weight as possible to any given move, we try to improve the technical execution of the exercise to make it as powerful and crisp as possible.

The biggest problem with Kaizen for our western minds is that it takes more effort to track the improvement because the changes are incremental. If you improve your swing, making it more powerful while keeping the weight and reps the same, it is difficult to assess your progress. In contrast, if you step up in volume or weight, the progress can be easily seen by anybody. However, my experience tells me that stepping up in volume or weight too fast can hinder your progress—especially with the ballistics.

What can Kaizen do for your Business?
The biggest impact of using the Kaizen approach will be to your business. Whether you are an independent trainer or a gym owner you will profit from it by:

The almost automatic adaptation to changes in your environment.
You can avoid reorganizing your business, which can be a pain and will always lessen your income.
You will have the systems in place to respond quickly to your customer’s needs
Your employees will feel like they can actively influence their work environment and will be happier and more productive.

When I used to work for Microsoft as an IT Consultant, they had the policy of reorganizing the entire company every other year. Aside from the obvious—adapting to a fast changing market environment—the idea was to keep the company (and especially the employees) agile and hinder the growth of rigid structures. However the reorgs where a pain for most the employees and often did not make a lot of sense. Even a small business like a garage gym can be quite complex and it can be difficult to predict the side effects of a major change. By keeping the changes small and confined, you can avoid disturbances and more easily observe which changes are effective and which are not.

Take advantage of the Kaizen approach in 5 easy steps

Step 1: Know your Destination
This should be clear but every so often I meet trainers who do not think about what they want to achieve. We are an industry of enthusiasts, who do what we love. People whose first priority is making money work in banks or sell insurance contracts. Don’t get me wrong, doing the things you love for a living is the best thing you can do for yourself and your environment, but if you do something for a living it must sustain your lifestyle. Training 10 people in your garage gym is a nice pastime but it won’t pay your bills.

So, you need to be clear about where your business should be next year, the year after, or in five years. Knowing your destination gives you the means to navigate through the chances and risks of your daily business and eventually arrive somewhere.

If you are a trainer in a gym, you might have the feeling that this is something you don’t have to worry about. But please follow me on a little thought experiment. First take a moment to sit down and ponder the ups and downs of your daily job. Now try to picture yourself in 10 – 15 years doing the same job you do today (considering factors like family, children, getting older). If this is a pleasant thing to imagine, then congratulations on having the job of your life. If not, you need to decide where you want to go from here.

FlorianKiendl Double Kettlebell Press

Step 2: Embrace Change
There is a German saying that goes like this:

“If the wind of change is blowing, some people build walls – others build windmills”

Make sure you belong to the latter group. For many of us it is quite unsettling that everything is constantly changing. If that is the case for you, think of it this way—the only thing that is truly constant is CHANGE. If you expect and anticipate changes to happen, you can probably profit from them. If you try to keep things as they are today, it is only a question of when you will be overtaken by reality.

Step 3: Take time to analyze your situation
This is hard, but absolutely critical. If you are like me, sometimes it feels like everything happens at the same time and you have barely time to react to the most urgent demands. However you can succeed in the long run if you are reactive mode. It is absolutely critical that you make it a habit to regularly assess your situation. Only this can give you the power to improve your situation and avoid problems.

Actively ask for feedback. Whether they are your clients, employees, or business partners actively ask them to tell you what they like and what could be improved.
Make sure your clients have the means to give you anonymous feedback. If you wait until they are prepared to tell you to your face, you have probably lost them as a customer.
Have a regular meeting with your staff to you ask them for their take on what’s going on. In this meeting you should also collect ideas about what could be improved.
Take time to ponder the information you’ve gained on a regular basis. Have a scheduled time at least once a month to review all the information. This can be a done on your own, but if you have employees or coworkers it may be more productive if you have them with you.

Appreciate all feedback whether it is good or bad.
All information you gain about your business is valuable—whether or not it makes you feel good. If you follow the steps I laid out, you will soon realize that negative feedback is actually much more valuable than praise. Praise is good for marketing, but moaning and groaning improves your business.

As an RKC Instructor you will be used to receiving good Feedback from your Clients, but do not fall into the trap of assuming the few who tell you are otherwise are weirdoes or moaners – they are probably those clients who trust you most and want you to succeed.

Step 4: Act
Whenever your sources have brought something which can be improved to your attention, determine if you have the means to improve it. In many cases, it will not take a big budget or much planning to implement smaller improvements. Go for the quick wins first instead of the big projects. The bigger the change, the more risk is involved.

Florian Kiendl Board Breaking

Step 5: If you do not act, explain why.
To gain the information you need to steer your business, you rely on the people around you. It’s in your best interest that they continue sharing their opinions with you, and they will continue to if they feel their voices are heard. There is nothing more frustrating than sharing information to help the business improve only to see no improvement or reaction . Make sure you spare the people around you this frustration.

***RKC Team Leader Florian Kiendl is a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and runs a Martial Arts Gym in a small town close to Munich (Germany). He made it his mission to help his students to improve their movement and overall health. In his search for ways to overcome the movement restrictions of his students (and his own) he found the RKC and now works together with Master RKC Robert Rimoczi and others to help as many people as possible to gain back their Strength and Agility.

He writes a regular Blog at blog.kettlebellgermany.de and offers workshops all over Germany teaching the RKC Kettlebell exercises: KettlebellGermany.de.
If you have questions or comment on the article feel free to email him at florian@kettlebellgermany.de