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RKC School of Strength

Official blog of the RKC

kettlebell workshop

Frankly, I never thought the RKC II was worth it.

October 7, 2021 By Dan John Leave a Comment

Master RKC Dan John Coaching Robert

And…I was wrong.

That’s what happens when one decides too early on what is right and what is wrong concerning “all things fitness.” I tend to do that a lot.

It’s taken me a while to come around to understanding what the RKC II is truly all about…in the big picture.

My biggest issue was simple: Why? Why do it?

I’m the biggest fan of the HKC. We have three things:

  • Swing
  • Goblet Squat
  • Get Up

Honestly, those are the million-dollar movements of the kettlebell world and are the basis of all the teaching, learning and ongoing progress. You could look damn good just doing those three and move like a (fill in the animal of the week).

The RKC adds the Clean, the Press and the Snatch and that is more than enough for most people in most situations. Not long ago, I was asked what to do for the “perfect” program for older adults (“Hey, that’s me”)…with a SINGLE kettlebell… and I gave this list:

  • Half-Kneeling Presses
  • Hangs from the Pull Up Bar
  • Swings (as appropriate)
  • Goblet Squats
  • Suitcase Carries
  • Get Ups

Keep the reps reasonable and repeatable and you can enjoy this workout long into your journey on this little blue green orb.

Katie Petersen performs a kettlebell squat

So, why the RKC II? Yeah, I know…who needs it?

Turns out the answer is “Me!!!”

Let’s review, in no actual specific order, the three reasons I think you should consider the RKC II besides a bunch of other good reasons (like having “RKC II” after your name).

The first one didn’t occur to me until my last course in New York City. I began to notice an interesting thing as the candidates interacted with each other. No, it was more than just “where are you from?” and all the simple introductions. They were sharing information. They were giving feedback. It wasn’t just the Dan John show: the students were teaching each other.

The goal of all education models is for the lines to blur between student and teacher. As a paid teacher and coach since 1979, I loathe movies about teachers as they only come in two “sizes:”

The all-knowing “guru” who fights the system, loses, but the students win by the brave example.

Or…

Absolute idiots. Every teacher is either having an affair, lazy, dumb or, well, that’s enough for you to get the idea.

Oddly, Mr. Hand is probably the most “accurate” teaching model I have seen in a movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Feel free to disagree.

I feel empowered when the group begins to interact, instruct, and innovate. Sometimes, a drill gets expanded by a suggestion or hint. “We do this and…” Like in improv, it’s all about the “and.”

Unless you are Michael Scott. If you haven’t seen the American version of The Office that won’t make sense. Oh…if you haven’t seen the American version of The Office, watch the first four seasons. You are welcome. He seems to struggle with the basic idea of improv. And…let’s continue.

Here is something I didn’t realize at first: At the RKC II, I have NEVER EVER had someone whine and bitch about the snatch test. I don’t hear the complaints about how unfair this snatch test is to (again…fill in the blank) and how those of us (fill in the blank) should have an easier test.

Everyone at the RKC II has already bought in. They know that they will be tested on the movements. They know they will have workouts in the middle of sessions and spend a fair amount of time in stressful positions learning stressful positions.

Moreover, in that stressful position, a teammate will come over and assist. The position will improve. Notes will be made. We will all be better.

It’s amazing to watch. It’s worth going to the RKC-II to be part of it.

Second, although we do a lot of work in the Pistol and Pull Up, my favorite part of the weekend is the Windmill and Bent Press. As many know, I don’t really use the Bent Press…ever.

But.

The progression up to the Windmill and Bent Press might be the most important part of the weekend. I have a gentle series of mobility and flexibility movements inspired by many schools of movement (with a grateful nod to Tim Anderson and his Original Strength) that brings us up, nearly joint by joint, to the full Windmill and Bent Press movements. We use the floor, sticks, bells and our own human body load to prepare to do this right.

Katie Petersen performing the kneeling windmill with a kettlebellWe spend a lot of time in the Kneeling Windmill position, that moment in the Get Up where the loaded hand is high, the loaded leg is in the windshield wiper position and the supportive hand, knee and foot are in a straight line on the ground, and basically do a lot of drills here.

This position reinforces the Get Up as the KW might be the one of the two most important parts of the whole move, in my opinion. The other is the rolling part at the start. I have often said, and never given credit for my brilliant insight, that if we called this the Roll Up rather than the Get Up most of our problems would vanish in the teaching of this wonderful movement.

The thing I love about the KW is that it is safe. We have four points of support on the ground so we can hinge back, we can press and we can bend to move in this position with a high level of safety.

The progression up to this position gives our candidates time to adjust and wiggle and lubricate enough to be ready to move into our advanced movements. When they go home and teach a roomful of the rest of us, this progression can be used appropriately to get the benefits of the advanced movements without having to worry about some of the problems with using the Windmill and Bent Press.

Frankly, most people’s spines, sides, shoulders, and systems aren’t fired and wired to do these advanced movements on Day One. Or Day One Hundred and One…or…

But they can do the progressions.

Third, we learn the overhead ballistics. As I have noted before, my friend the late great Brian Oldfield used to tell us: “You can’t think through a ballistic movement.”

Maybe YOU can. The best and brightest can NOT.

I teach the candidates to use their ears to listen to the feel moving (and stomping). I have them play around with foot positions to work on an appropriate explosive dip. But then it is time to stop the teaching and start the doing.

Robert Performs Double Kettlebell Overhead PressesI like doing the Double Clean and Double Jerk for a single rep. Every twenty seconds…for twenty minutes. As many know, my favorite assistant coach is Coach Repetition and few people are still asking questions after minute ten. Learning ballistics demands high reps. Learning ballistics demands some time between reps to regather and reload. At the RKC II, I have the time to teach…and we use it.

The ballistic work at the RKC II often gets the candidates reviewing how they teach the basics of the swing, snatch and clean. I know, it’s my fault that the 10,000 KB Swing Challenge became a “thing,” but, you know, at the end…people know how to swing!

You need some reps to learn ballistic work. When I follow up with the RKC II candidates, they often note that we all forget this basic truth about ballistics.

Let me repeat that: you need a lot of reps. Without fear of redundancy: you need a lot of reps. Do I need to repeat that again?

So, there you go: go to the RKC II.

Filed Under: Kettlebell Training, Workshop Experiences Tagged With: advanced kettlebell training, Dan John, Is the RKC-II worth it?, kettlebell training, kettlebell workshop, RKC-II, RKC-II Workshop, RKC2

New Fury. New RKC.

November 4, 2015 By Steve "Coach Fury" Holiner 17 Comments

NewRKCCatalystInstructors

I am not tactical. Though I’ve done some work with the Marines, I’ve never been in the Armed Forces. I’m not an operator. The closest I get to tactical are my 5.11 backpacks.

Do tactical pull-ups make me tactical? Nope.

Recently, I taught an RKC Workshop with Master RKC, Josh Henkin at Catalyst SPORT in NYC. The group bonded quickly and in a fantastic fashion. Early on, it was obvious that something special was happening at this certification but I couldn’t quite place it at first.

My first RKC was five years ago. That experience had an incredibly positive impact on my life, and it’s what got me here. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I loved it. But with all of that said, I wouldn’t do an old RKC again. Current day Coach Fury would have walked out the moment someone told me to take my kettlebell to the bathroom. Yes, that happened.

As a middle-aged father of two, what does carrying a kettlebell to the bathroom teach me? Punishment swings and carries? The polite version of what present-day Coach Fury would say about that is “No thanks!”

I can only imagine how actual present/former military personnel felt about these drill sergeant tactics. The RKC is a system of strength and education, so why were we trying to be some faux-military group? While I don’t have an answer to that, I fully admit to buying into it at the time. Fortunately, I’ve grown as a person—and so has the RKC.

Punishment swings, carries, and taking the kettlebells to the bathroom haven’t happened in years, and that’s a testament to the growth and evolution of the RKC. Due to the continued efforts of the entire RKC leadership team, we are purposefully blazing a new path. The NYC RKC is exactly the type of event I would want to attend. The new RKC community is exactly the type of group where I want to be a member.

Education comes first, not intimidation or fear. From a psychological standpoint, the former style of intimidation does bring a certain amount of respect to the material and the course. However, I think there are better ways to achieve the same effect.

RKC Workshop at Catalyst SPORT

The participants at the RKC workshop we held at Catalyst SPORT were an incredibly diverse and open-minded group. This group included local coaches, enthusiasts (like I was at my first RKC), a pack of DVRT instructors, and people who had previously certified with a different group who wanted to see what we were teaching. Josh Henkin and I quickly set the tone for the weekend. People came in nervous and scared. After all, we still have the snatch test, and we still work hard—we’re just not jerks about it! We do our best to get people to relax so they can focus on the material, instead of just thinking about the five minutes of snatches.

Our hosts and assistant instructors, Jason Kapnick, Joe Boffi and Kathy Dooley were stellar as well. All of us freely answered any questions and delivered tips, cues and suggestions without ego or intimidation. We used to wonder why people used to be afraid to ask questions… well the old days of 100-swing punishments may have had something to do with it! But, this RKC weekend was all about the candidates, not about us. In return, the attendees gave so much more back to us. There was so much heart in the room—it was honestly emotional!

RKC Workshop at Catalyst SPORT

I never assume myself to be the best coach in the room. And if I am the guy who knows more about kettlebells in the room, that doesn’t make me better than anyone else. All the attendees registered, paid and spent their time to be there. So, I’m going to deliver a positive experience and do my best to show them why I love the RKC.

I know that I am not alone in this, the RKC is more than a system, more than an organization, and more than a team. We are a family.

We are the new RKC.

New RKC instructors at Catalyst SPORT

I’m very proud to be a part of this change. John Du Cane, the entire leadership team, and all the new RKCs are part of our progression. I want to thank everyone for their role in our growth. It’s exhilarating to see it happen. The RKC has evolved and so have I.

Sign up for a course near you.

I hope to see you there.

-Fury

***

Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner’s superhero headquarters is Mark Fisher Fitness in NYC. Fury’s a Senior RKC, a DVRT Master Chief, and an Original Strength Instructor. He is available for classes, semi-privates, instructor training and programming at MFF. Check out coachfury.com, facebook.com/coachfury Instagram @iamcoachfury and Twitter @coachfury for more info.

Filed Under: Coaching, Kettlebell Training Tagged With: Catalyst SPORT, Coaching, kettlebell workshop, New RKC, NYC, RKC Workshop, Steve Holiner, Teaching, workshop experience

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