The Best Kettlebell Training: RKC Recap
By admin
The past few days has been a whirlwind of emotions.
Excitement. Pride. Pain. Sadness. Love. Exhaustion.
Thank you for all the prayers and emails regarding my grandmother. I am blessed with so many friends. Xo.
But I don’t want to dwell on her passing, I want to catch you up on the training that kicked my butt in all the best ways…
Russian Kettlebell Certification, also known as RKC.
Yup, Friday kicked off RKC training. Something I have been looking forward to from the moment I decided I wanted to train and coach with kettlebells.
Why RKC?
I have been asked this several times since announcing my registration.
The Russian Kettlebell Certification is one of the best (if not THE best) training for those serious about kettlebell fitness.
It was first founded by Pavel Tsatsouline, who has been credited for bringing kettlebells to the US from Russia. So it’s real, not a program where one person learned from one guy, who learned from another guy and then decided to kickstart a certification program.
And EVERYONE that is big into kettlebells, knows of RKC. And you better believe that they will ask if you are RKC certified prior to taking you seriously.
The program is well established, and extremely focused on safety, mobility and of course, proper kettlebell form and mechanics.
For me, I knew that if I wanted to build a program both at my local gym and online, I needed RKC behind my name.
Make sense?
And then there was the part of me that wanted to prove to myself and others I could do it. I knew it would be tough, I would learn a lot and I would be tested. I wanted to prove my strength and passion.
CoreFit RKC Recap
I could literally go on and on about the weekend. But I’ll do my best to summarize.
The certification class was held at CoreFit, a studio style gym that reminds me a ton of my own gym here in Charleston.
Focused on fitness classes like TRX, boot camps, yoga, and Kettlebells (of course), I couldn’t help but to click instantly with the owner, Liz. I pretty much spent every break sharing ideas, asking questions on her business and offering/taking marketing suggestions.
We had a ton in common and I loved her passion for the fitness business. Like myself, Liz doesn’t just run a fitness studio, she lives a fitness life and shares that passion with all of her clients and staff. Awesome women.
If you’re in the Philly area (more specifically Royersford), check out CoreFit. I think I may have even convinced my mother-in-law to give them a try!
Thank you Liz for hosting!
Our class was on the small side, just 6. Which I loved. We basically had private training, making it near impossible to not learn each skill perfectly.
But of course that was due to our coach…
Phil Ross, Master RKC
Our coach for the weekend was the awe inspiring, Phil Ross.
I had actually heard of this man before from reading blog posts at the RKC website, Dragon Door. So when he said his name, I was a little star struck (though I didn’t tell him this).
Martial artist by trade, his focus on overall safety and body mechanics was unmatched to anyone I have worked with before. He spent a large amount of each class teaching mobility exercises and helping me with muscular imbalances (more on this in a moment).
Phil’s passion of the body and kettlebells was noticeable from the get-go and contagious. I have never loved this form of fitness so much as I do right now.
Before I move on to the actual training…
I have to say Thank you to Phil for his patience with the 6 of us and his continued support and motivation. He believed in us from the get go which created a 100% pass rate (something very hard to accomplish, even with just 6 people).
So the training…
RKC Training
It was hard. It was tiring. It was extremely rewarding.
I walked in feeling confident in my skills, after all I have been doing KB’s for over 2 years now.
But after just the first hour, I realized I had A LOT to learn.
Day 1 kicked off with a push-up test which we all passed easily.
Once we all passed the entrance test, we kicked off the real training with mobility exercises, deadlifts and the swing.
It was here, that I learned I had picked up some not so great habits over the years and my form was suffering because of it.
Case and point…
- Bending my arms too much.
- Losing a neutral spine by focusing my head on the same point from start to finish.
- And losing “packed shoulders” due to muscular imbalances.
I was aware that something was “off” with my body… squats have gotten tougher lately and muscles seemed tight. But Dan and I weren’t able to pin point the EXACT muscle group that was causing the issues.
Phil was immediately.
My chest is overtrained and my lats are undertrained.
Combined, it is causing my chest to pull forward, making it difficult for my shoulders to be pulled back and my lats to be engaged.
I worked on this ALL weekend and continued to feel better and better! I see lots and lots of pull-ups in my future!
From the swing it was the clean, which I finally perfected, and shoulder presses.
Oh and don’t think it was all just do a few reps and move on. No, we would learn, practice and then do a workout. We completed 2 workouts on Day 1.
By the end of first day, my hands were sore and my legs spent.
The Snatch Test
Day 2 was B-I-G. The day all of us were dreading!
Several more exercises (love doing get-ups and felt totally on game here) and snatches.
So many snatches. Over 100.
RKC is famous for their snatch test. Each person is given 5 minutes to complete 100 snatches of a prescribed weight (done by how much you weight).
It’s nerve-wracking!
My hands at this point were not in great shape. Calluses were beginning to blister and the thought of doing a single snatch sent shivers down my spine from the pain.
But, this is right of passage and I was’t alone in this. So I had my hands taped and I mentally prepped.
Two by two, we walked up for our test (Phil was counting for one, and Liz for the other).
Rock music played loud and the “GO!” was given.
My kettlebell was a 14-KG, which I wasn’t too nervous about. I had focused training with a 16-KG so that the 14 would seem light.
I was on point feeling great when suddenly, around 20 reps, I felt my tape come loose. I had to set the kettlebell down and rip the tape off my hands as quickly as possible. With the adrenaline pulsing, I didn’t feel my calluses until around rep 40 when I felt my skin pull away and actually saw it fall to the ground.
I gave a distressed look to Liz, who was encouraging me to keep going, so I did. It didn’t hurt, just took me by surprise.
I finished all 100 reps with around 15 seconds so spare and felt ecstatic.
Forearms burning, lungs aching for air, I have never felt so energized. And that would be my hand right after the test. Can we say manicure?
Out of 6 of us, 4 passed that day.
The Best Training Tactic
Day 3, the final day… kicked off with high energy and excitement!
The ladies who had not passed the day before, re tested and both passed. It was amazing to watch and encourage them on.
Because there were just 6 of us, we really bonded as a team. I miss all those people already!
Day 3 kicked off with skills tests. Demonstrating, again 2 by 2, all of the skills that were crucial to proper kettlebells:
- Single Hand Swings
- Cleans
- Squats
- Get-Ups
- Shoulder Press
- Snatches <— Yes MORE snatches!
Another test down and only one more to go…
Actually training.
What I really loved about RKC is that it wasn’t just about the exercises. We learned about program design and actually implementing everything with real clients.
To help really hammer it in, Liz had 6 volunteers come in. We were paired up and given 45 minutes to interview, write a workout (warm-up; workout; cool-down) and run through it.
It was so much fun! It’s always nervous to be a trainer in front of other trainers, but so helpful in building confidence.
Time flew by, and my volunteer walked away saying it had been a great workout. SWEET!
So we were done?
Nope…
Champions Workout
One final test…
Phil kicked our asses in 20 minutes with what is known as the “Champion’s Workout”, it’s a right of passage for those going through the program.
You’re already sore from days of training, hands are burning, but you’re excited because you know this is it. This is graduation!
Our workout left me a sweat mess, my face at times scrunched in pain, but it was doable. And it was awesome.
I’m a RKC Instructor
Phil and Liz called each of us aside to discuss our performance and give us our “diploma”. Being the hugger I am, I gave each a big hug, and thanked them for everything.
It was an experience of a lifetime. And now, I can call myself a real RKC Instructor. It feels good. Really, really good.
Final Thoughts
This was the best training program I have ever been through. I can’t say enough amazing things for the information, the coaching, and the atmosphere.
My group was amazing, and we all succeeded because of each other’s support and motivation. Shout out to my group: Vicki, Stacey, Carey, Nick, and Greg!
Thank you Phil for your commitment and passion. You guys, check out his “Kettlebell Workout Library Program”! I purchased this at the end for the vast amount of workouts and exercises! My goal is to do EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Thank you Liz for your encouragement, knowledge and mentorship!
And finally… I can’t not leave without mentioning my mother-in-law. I stayed with my in-laws and she went far and beyond taking care of me.
She made the best lunches and dinners aimed to help fuel and recover my body. I don’t think I’ve eaten so well in years.
When I wasn’t at training, she made sure I was resting. I felt so loved! Thanks Mom-B!
And that’s a wrap! As for running… I didn’t run a single mile. More on that Friday!
My MIL made me a salmon sandwich one day which was to die for! Capers, grilled salmon (left over from dinner) and just the right amount of seasoning. I have to remake it.