I did it! Yours truly became a Certified Hardstyle Kettlebell instructor over the weekend and I cannot even begin to tell you how absolutely THRILLED I am to have the letters HKC attached to my name now. It has been a very long and very hard journey to get myself back to the level of conditioning I needed to take on a certification like this. For those of you who may not be familiar with what it means to be a Hardstyle Kettlebell Instructor, I want to take the time out today to explain what you have to do to pass this certification and what you can do with this certification once you have it in your hands (note: in this blog post, I am assuming that you, the reader, have a basic knowledge of kettlebell training. If you are confused by any of the terminology I am about to unveil or have questions about the specific exercises I am about to discuss, please feel free to email me at janelle@primalburgher.com. I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about kettlebell training).
There are three fundamental movements you must master in order to become a Hardstyle Kettlebell Instructor. Those three exercises are swings, get ups, and goblet squats. You will be required to demonstrate how to properly do each exercise in front of a Master Level Russian Kettlebell Instructor. I had the pleasure of demonstrating my fundamental movements in front of a kettlebell God, Brett Jones (and believe me, that also made me ever more nervous. Not going to lie). There is also a strength test that you must pass in order to become a Hardstyle Kettlebell Instructor. For women, you must pass a 15 second flexed arm hang test using a pull up bar and men have to do 5 dead hang pull ups on a pull up bar. Finally, you are critiqued on how effectively you are able to teach the fundamentals of kettlebell training to others as well as how to effectively identify and correct poor form patterns in your trainees. This is an 8 hour certification workshop that is physically and mentally demanding. Having gone through the process, I can tell you that this is a challenging day that will not only have you huffing and puffing, but also a day that will have you writing down pages upon pages upon pages of notes. The amount of information you will learn about training, troubleshooting training, breathing techniques, and how to execute proper demonstration to your clients is immense. Hell, I felt like I was in one of my old graduate classes again. It really is that intense. But, do not let the intensity of the certification stop you from going after it. The HKC has some awesome applications in the real world. In fact, you can use this certification to further your physical therapy business, to aid in your chiropractic business, or, if you’re like me, to launch your career as a personal trainer. The sky is the limit with the HKC and it is the perfect beginner training certification that will initiate a solid understanding and appreciation for all things kettlebell.
Speaking of personal training, many of you are probably wondering what I have in store now that I am a certified kettlebell instructor. While I would like to say that this Burgher is open for business, there is something else I must take care of in order to have the ability to train yinz independently. I am enrolled and currently studying for my personal training certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. In order to truly be able to teach on my own, I have to a)know the physiology, biology, and other nerdy science stuff behind physical fitness and b) get my liability insurance taken care of as soon as possible. I realize that this has already pissed a number of you off, but SORRY! One step at a time. The good news is that I’m a fairly intelligent person and at the rate I am going now, I should be certified by the end of October so I can FINALLY teach on my own. Again, sorry for the delay on my private sessions, but due to my ever growing list of writing projects, training for my HKC certification, and answering the bazillion emails I am now receiving my studies were placed on the back burner for a good few weeks. Hey, I’m a busy woman and I am also human. I am not perfect, and sometimes I truly wish I had the time to handle everything on my plate all at once. That’s the thing about life. Sometimes it gets a little crazy, and you then have to take a step back, slow down the pace, and prioritize things. It happens!
The good news about this though is that I AM co-teaching with RKC II Kerry Swick at Pittsburgh Kettlebells. For those of you who are in the Pittsburgh area, please be sure to check out the schedule on the Pittsburgh Kettlebells website. I will always be available for the Kettlebell Basics course and I plan to be available for the circuit sessions throughout the week and on the weekends. Again, please be advised that I cannot take on my own clients just yet until after my final exam with NASM. I will keep you all updated once that portion of my life is finalized, I promise!
I want to end this blog post with a big thank you to everyone who congratulated me over the weekend for reaching my entry level Kettlebell Certification. I feel like one of the luckiest HKC’s out there because of having the IMMENSE SUPPORT from my friends, family, and my own amazing personal instructor (Seriously Kerry, YOU ROCK!). I have also been fortunate enough to have gained a wealth of knowledge before ever having made it to HKC by training with some of the top trainers in the Kettlebell industry. Guys, you know who you are and thanks again for everything! Your support has been unbelievable, and if I had the chance to hug you all I would teleport myself all across America to do so! I mean it! YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!
So…what’s next for me? Other than the NASM certification and the further teaching experiences I have lined up (and yes, the eventual establishment of my own clients. IT WILL HAPPEN I PROMISE!), yours truly will be doing a lot more training to gear up for the next Kettlebell Certification. That’s right folks, it doesn’t end here for me with the HKC. I have given up a lot to become a personal trainer and have dedicated my life now to follow my dream to passing the grueling requirements needed for the Russian Kettlebell Challenges. After some serious debating over whether or not to certify in 2013 due to some issues that arose in the kettlebell world, I have decided to stick to my guns and not give up my dreams of having RKC attached to my name. I have come too far along my primal journey to give up that goal, and in a little over six months, I plan on having those three letters attached to my name and inked in my skin. I am moving a head full throttle to pass the RKC certification program through Dragon Door. Believe me, I will be eating smarter and training harder so I can enjoy that blissful moment of becoming an RKC. I will not back down from this goal, not after everything I have been through in these 25 years of life.
Attention Vienna Virginia, YINZ AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET!
Love Always,
Janelle
