Workout Wednesday: The Rich Robins Challenge

Rich Robins is a good actor. He claims to hate working out, yet you wouldn’t know it due to his consistent presence at Seattle Kettlebell Club.

At SKC, we have a 21 Day Challenge, and I'll joke that a level up from that would be called The Rich Robins Challenge, which would include 6 classes a week (SPORT and FIT), a weekly session of barbell exercises, and the occasional handstand.

Along with getting a great workout at SKC, Rich admits to being a competitive person by nature, which is why he enjoyed competing at SKC 2nd Annual Pro-Am in December
PC: Truong Win

“Being from South Florida, working out is kind of something everyone does even from the smallest age. Having said that, I think it’s something that has been ingrained into me; however, as I’ve gotten older, I just want to be able to eat a tub of ice cream without feeling guilty.”

Rich ran track in high school, (he even coaches now too) and after moving to Seattle just over a year ago, he realized he was not a fan of running in an area so rainy and hilly, which is when his friend suggested he give SKC a shot.  

 Rich works for a leadership development and training organization, does stand-up, runs a Podcast, and DJ's with his brother.
PC: Truong Win

Rich appreciate the homey environment SKC offers and that he doesn’t have to plan his workout, yet he still gets a 45-minute session where “you can work your ass off.” He also notes that the classes here are extremely helpful in alleviating stress, and he no longer suffers from lower back pain.

Thanks for being part of the SKC community, Rich!

For more information on SKC's 21 Day Challenge follow this link. 

-Camille Borodey 

Sunday Superstar: Amanda Stanley

Amanda Stanley has worked out and played sports her entire life, but she feels like she has never been a natural athlete.

“I was the kid who got the most hustle award versus the best player,” Amanda said, “so it’s nice to work out at a gym where the community is so supportive and there definitely is a team, but the focus is very much on you as an individual and how you can continuously improve and meet goals that are meaningful to you.”

PC: Truong Win

Amanda initially joined Seattle Kettlebell Club last spring to participate in The 21 Day Challenge.

“It was really nice to have that clear structure where I had to come four days a week, and there was a reward for doing so,” Amanda said.

Amanda started coming to SKC because of the convenience of the gym’s location, but after taking the challenge, she was hooked!

“I stayed for the community. Everyone here is so friendly and welcoming. EVERYONE works out here. There are all kinds of people, and I really appreciate that," Amanda said. 

SKC wasn’t Amanda’s first experience with kettlebells, but she found SKC’s intro class to be much more helpful than classes she’s taken at previous gyms.  

“I felt the intro class to be well structured and accessible. I didn’t walk away from that experience feeling intimidated,” Amanda said. “I felt like I was well prepared to go into KettleFIT classes after taking the intro class.”

Amanda started by taking KettleFIT classes but became interested in the SPORT once she gained more experience with the techniques.  

“KettleFIT classes are so fun. All I have to do is get myself here, and I’ll have a great workout, and it will always be different,” Amanda said. “The thing I love about Sport is that it keeps me focused on a goal, and I can see really tangible progress.”

Amanda credits trainer Dave for encouraging her to train for her first competition, and she lifted at SKC’s Pro-am in December.

“I liked it way more than I thought I was going to. I was super nervous getting up in front of a bunch of people, but the great thing is I felt well prepared,” Amanda said. “The sense of accomplishment I felt afterwards was awesome, and it really encouraged me to keep going and try to lift heavier.”

Since her husband Jarek is an active mountaineer, the couple often spends their weekends hiking, and she credits training at SKC for assisting her hiking abilities.   

“One of my primary barometers of how fit I am is how well I can keep up with him on long hikes, and that’s one area in my life where I can tell the difference,” Amanda said.

With a busy job working in digital marketing, Amanda uses her time at SKC as a form of meditation and self-care. She also notes that working out here has also helped her sleep better.

Amanda and Amy Bates embrace after a competition set
PC: Truong Win

“I never thought coming to the gym would be something I look forward to and would be part of my social life, but I love coming here and seeing the regular crew, and having that community," Amanda said. 

Lastly, Amanda praises SKC’s trainers for being educated and focusing on safety during classes.

“I’ve noticed a big difference in the mentality of the trainers here. I’ve never had anyone tell me to go up in weight here. It’s very much at my own pace, which is super empowering,” Amanda said. “You don’t feel pushed or rushed into anything. That being said, they are also very supportive and encouraging.”

Long Term Fitness Enthusiast Finds Her Sport

With a career as a running, strength, and conditioning coach, much of Leah Kangas’s life has revolved around fitness, but with kettlebells she says she’s finally found her sport. 

“I think I may have had a crush on the gym for a while through social media and YouTube and maybe a crush on the sport. It just took me acting on it a while,” Leah said. 

Photo Credit: Truong Win

After college, Leah began ultra-running (longer races than marathons), and she dabbled in other fitness practices. Kettlebell training originally appealed to her because of the healthy mix of strength and endurance the sport offers. 

Leah joined SKC back in August to do some private sessions with Nikolai, (SKC co-owner) so she could learn the technique and programming of kettlebell sport, but she quickly grew to love the gym’s environment. 

“It was clear how much he cares, and how much the other coaches care, and there is a solid community here,” Leah said. “Everybody introduces themselves and seems to root for each other, and that seems really special. This gym is so newbie friendly and welcoming.”

Leah’s first competition was at Seattle Kettlebell Club’s Pro-Am on. Dec.1^st 

“I wasn’t sure how I would like standing in front of people like that, but it was actually a nice challenge to stay in the zone with technique and breathing,” Leah said. “It was a fun experience to have and succeed at. The training cycle was put together so well, so I felt super prepared and confident going in.”

At the Pro-Am, Leah completed a 10-min biathlon (jerk & snatch) with 8-kg kettlebells, and she hopes to compete with 12-kg bells at her next competition. Leah was one of many SKC members competing for the first time at the pro-am, and she praises the gym for being so inclusive. 

Along with coaching athletes, Leah is also a massage therapist: Photo Credit: Truong Win

“It was super fun to just see all the newbies competing. I think that’s such a skill for a coach or a coaching community to have that many people comfortable enough to step up and try something different,” Leah said. 

Leah’s experience has taught her that many athletes can over-train, so she notes that she appreciates that classes at SKC are 45-minutes, and she’s able to get an effective workout without overdoing it. She also notes that the sport has helped her balance her fitness, work, and social life, and she feels fortunate to have so much support in and outside of SKC.  

“I feel like a lot of people in my work life have felt really supported by me for so long, so my friends and my client base were so excited to see me compete. I’ve been teasing that I was going to do this for so long, so they were just super excited to see me so excited,” Leah said.  

You don’t have to be an aspiring athlete to swing kettlebells; we cater to people of all fitness levels! Sign up for an intro package today!  

-Camille Borodey 

How To Make and KEEP Your Resolutions!

1) Make Specific Goals

Meaning if you want to get in better shape, what steps do you need to take to work towards that goal? It might be as easy as committing to go to one group exercise class per week. Make your goals as specific as possible!

Hailey has a blast teaching KettleFIT classes

2) Choose Measurable Outcomes

Make goals that have a clear outcome, and decide how you will measure your success. It isn’t enough to say “I want to get fitter.” Choose a specific benchmark. A goal I have is that I want to be able to do 10 complete pushups without stopping by May 12th. 

3)   Get a Partner! 

Find someone in your circle of support with similar goals/resolutions who can help motivate you! Perhaps you have a friend that can come with you once per week to that class or can hold you accountable when you're struggling to make healthy choices.

Ruben offers Truong a fist bump after a challenging set.

4) Come Up With a Plan

I don’t mean for how you will achieve success. Come up with a plan on how you will handle road bumps, so it's more difficult to make excuses! What is your plan of attack for when you go on vacation or when you know you have a busy week ahead?

5) Write Down Your “why”

Why did you initially set this goal? Write it down somewhere, and when the going gets tough, refer to this to remind yourself why you shouldn't quit. Obstacles will come, and it can be easy to get discouraged, but those who are successful are prepared and can handle the road bumps accordingly. 

Need help getting started? There are still spots available for Saturday's Intro Workshop. Sign up for an Intro Package now! 

-Hailey Walker