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RKC School of Strength

Official blog of the RKC

RKC-II 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

RKC: The Community of Fitness

May 10, 2017 By William Sturgeon 4 Comments

RKC-II NYC at Catalyst With Steve Holiner

I recently assisted at an RKC Level Two certification in New York at Catalyst Sport with Master RKC Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner. This was a unique event—of the ten candidates in attendance, Steve knew all but three of them. Seven had attended the previous RKC with Steve or had worked with him in the past. In a matter of minutes, Steve approached these three new faces and made them feel as welcome as if they were long lost friends. I love and admire the sense of community and belonging in the RKC.

The workshops offer more than just a learning experience for candidates wishing to understand how to coach and teach kettlebells, everyone also has the opportunity to learn from other coaches. The RKC is a great way to grow your network and learn from other professionals in the field. Each time I have either assisted or attended an RKC workshop, I have always been able to learn something useful from someone else in attendance. I’ve learned new drills to help correct common flaws, or a different cue to coach an exercise. Everyone will have a different perspective on teaching, even if the end result is the same. Learning from each other is very beneficial because it gives you more tools to add into your coaching tool box.

Along with the coaching aspects of the weekend, strong relationships develop between all the candidates and instructors. The instructors and assistants are at your side throughout the weekend to help better yourself. We are never intentionally trying to fail you, we want to make sure we are delivering the best possible education. We want to help you become the best teacher you can be, so you can better serve your clients. I am always amazed at how willing the instructors at RKC certifications are in giving candidates opportunities to ask—and answer—any questions they may have about coaching, programming, client interactions, business and more.

The RKC is a mentally and physically challenging weekend, but what stands out is how supportive everyone is of each other. During the snatch test you will be encouraged by your colleagues, because they want you to succeed. Then, during the coaching drills, you will interact and help each other learn, which is great since backgrounds range from coaching, training, physical therapy, chiropractic, and sometimes even psychology. Regardless of these different backgrounds, the setting allows you all to interact as equals—we are all here to learn and become better. This is an environment of great knowledge and solid support. This is what we should bring back with us when the weekend is over.

When I went through my first RKC in 2014, I specifically remember going through the graduation workout and hearing one of the candidates I had worked with that weekend yell out “Keep it up guys, you can do this, we are in this together!” (Cue High School Musical soundtrack). Those words have stuck in my head since that day. That challenging rite of passage was tough, but knowing that everyone else was experiencing it too encouraged me to succeed. Even before the grad workout, hearing the encouragement from my peers during my testing was comforting. If I hadn’t passed that weekend, I would have been completely okay with it because I would have still left with a lot of knowledge and many new friends.

William Sturgeon's First RKC Workshop

Many people still think that the RKC has a military style of training, but we have separated ourselves from that image and now have a greater emphasis on education and practical purpose. Our focus is to educate and help people. Instructors and assistants will not be impressed by a 3:30 snatch test or a 44kg kettlebell press, but they will be impressed by how well you demonstrate an exercise and how well you can coach. The other feats are impressive, but they do not show us how well you can teach.

There is a greater sense of belonging when you treat the candidates as family, just like Steve did with the candidates he didn’t already know. Most new candidates come in with big knots of fear in their stomachs because of the testing. But when the instructors take the time to get to know the candidates while being sure to teach in the areas where they need help, the stress of testing lowers automatically. When you find a community that welcomes you with open arms and a willingness to give you everything in their power to help you succeed, you know that you are in the right place. We want to set up all of our candidates for success, so we take the extra time to review techniques or drills so everyone fully understands.

The RKC community has some of the nicest, most helpful people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. When I started the process of opening my facility, Restored Strength, I reached to some RKCs who own their own businesses, and they were willing to take the time to answer my emails and phone calls. Some of these people I have only met on social media, but I also knew them as a part of the RKC community. Without hesitation, everyone I reached out to responded to my questions, and shared what had and had not worked for them when opening their facilities. Where else can you speak to nationally known coaches and get advice like this?

When I assisted at the RKC-II Steve taught, he offered to host me at his place for the weekend. We’ve known each for a few months because he has been coaching me online. He invited me to assist him and offered to let me stay with him. This is the type of community that’s a family with the same goal in mind: helping others. It really connected with me when he said, “It’s amazing how many people I get to reach. If I work with ten coaches and they each work with thirty people that means I have connected with 300 people in some way”. The power to teach and influence this many people is tremendous.

Becoming an RKC is more than just earning a certification, it’s about becoming part of a family with a common goal in mind: educating the world with proper kettlebell training. We spend hours with strangers who become friends with the shared experience of becoming educators in strength. You are never alone while earning your certification, you have the support of a strong community which wants you to succeed more than you know. We all return from these weekends with many memories and stories to share. Each time I have had the privilege to assist, I end up with more friends to add to this extended family.

****

William Sturgeon, 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: Kettlebell Training, Workshop Experiences Tagged With: kettlebell certification, NYC workshop, RKC, RKC Community, RKC Workshop, RKC-II, RKC-II Workshop, Russian Kettlebell Certification, Steve Holiner, William Sturgeon, workshop experience

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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.