Why I swallowed my pride and finally got certified as a kettlebell instructor?

Posted: May 10, 2023

When my clients and I first started kettlebell training in 2002, we all had bruises on the back of our wrists and shoulders. (From the bells slamming on them.) It frustrated me because as a nationally qualified Olympic lifter and former college strength coach, I couldn't figure out how to stop it. This in spite of studying ''The Russian Kettlebell Challenge'' book and VHS tape. (Remember those?) Plus, I had other issues I couldn't reconcile: 1?? I couldn't perform the 2-Hand Swing without lower back discomfort. 2?? In my personal training business, we were using an overly-complicated, physical therapy-based training model. And it took forever to get the results we wanted. It even started costing us clients. And I was frustrated. That ''Skinny Russian Dude,'' Pavel Tsatsouline, could get ''Grandma Betty'' safely swinging a kettlebell in about 10 minutes. So, in 2005, I plunked down the $1500 to attend the Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certification course in St. Paul, Minnesota.