HKC - The First Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification
An honor to be assisting at the very first one!
When I found out that the HKC was in the works many months ago, I knew that I wanted to be front and center for the momentous occasion. Any chance to be involved with Pavel and the other Master and Senior instructors is a chance to learn, learn, learn! My goal was to bring the HKC to the Northwest, so I called John Du Cane and negotiated a spot at the table. So, on September 26th, I found myself checking HKC candidates in at the door, handing out manuals and name tags, posting team lists, picking up garbage, answering questions, and generally being as helpful as possible. Other than Pavel, the Master and Senior instructors in attendance, there were very few RKCs, as they hadn’t really planned on needing assistants… but boy they were wrong!!! As there were 120 students, all of us RKCs present became assistants immediately. I was lucky enough to be chosen by the amazing Geoff Neupert, Senior RKC.
It was Dragon Door's first ever HKC, or the Hard Style Kettlebell Certification, a one day trainer certification held in Minneapolis/St.Paul. All the big guns were there, starting with the Chief Instructor himself, Pavel Tsatsouline, who taught the entire course. There were 120 students, and 10 team leaders made up of all the Master Instructors (Brett Jones, Kenneth Jay, Andrea Du Cane and Mark Reifkind) and most of all the Senior Instructors – an incredible opportunity to learn from the very best, as this was, and will be, the only HKC certification to have them all in attendance.
The HKC is devoted to just three exercises, the Swing, the Turkish Get Up, and the Goblet Squat. The goal for the students to be able to teach as certified kettlebell instructors in these three movements. Not all present came to teach, some came for their own edification, but most were already trainers and wanted the cert. The cert is a skills based cert, where you have to show you can perform the movements to a very high standard, as well as teach them. Even though the work load for the one day was perhaps a paltry 300 total swings and one somewhat unpleasant goblet squat workout (the ol' wake up and pay attention please kind) there were plenty of hopefuls that were totally unprepared for the days events, though it was not that rigorous as compared to the RKC certification (which is a 3 day event and is very very rigorous).
Every single one of the students I talked to afterwards was completely excited to be a newly minted HKC, or a hopeful with a video to produce (in order to complete their certification), and everyone had the RKC as a goal firmly in sight. I estimate that perhaps as many as 30% may have failed the course, which is in keeping with the statistics for the RKC certs in general. Most mentioned that THAT fact alone made them feel that the RKC, and thus the HKC were more 'real' and valuable than other certs on the market. It truly is a skills based cert, which translates into more knowledgeable trainers – trainers who actually can do what they are teaching…!
What I also heard from more than a few was that the RKC had seemed completely unattainable to them, but the HKC was an easier first bite to handle. Whether they passed or not, their experience was positive and left them wanting to know and to achieve more. Personally, I had four clients that attended this first cert, and all did very, very well… They all passed with flying colors, and were over prepared, though NONE of them could have made it through the RKC at that point. They are already working hard to get ready for their RKC certs next year, and I have designed a RKC prep class for them that is meeting twice a month until they go for their RKCs. (If you’re interested in attending, please contact me at andrea@kettlebility.com)
As an assistant at the HKC, I saw that there was a quite diverse population, from very experienced to novices, young/old, etc. I was, however, surprised by the general lack of conditioning over all, be they trainers or not. But then, I think we need to continually remind ourselves that the level of the trainers that are RKCs in general, and by virtue of that, my clients and my/Kettlebility’s students, are much much higher than the general population by far!!! Way to go!!!
The weekend was a total success, was fun and invigorating for all involved, and it is very cool to be able to revel in the possibility, and the hopeful reality, that our RKC/HKC system of strength will one day become the acknowledged cornerstone of current movement and fitness.
If you are interested in attending a HKC certification near you, go here to find the most up-to-date information: HKC Workshops Worldwide
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