Motivation Monday: Heath Hayden Finds Strength in Kettlebells

Heath Hayden has always been super strong, which is why their wife suggested that they give kettlebell training a try. Although nervous about taking the Intro Classes, Heath now comes to Seattle Kettlebell Club 4 times and week! 

“I came in with chronic back pain, and after a month I realized my back didn’t hurt anymore,” Heath said. “I have more flexibility and more mobility, and I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my abilities to move about and do physical things.”

PC: Truong Win

Heath takes both KettleFIT and KettleSPORT classes at SKC. They enjoy SPORT for the technique training and FIT for the variety of exercises.

"It seems like Seattle Kettlebell club is constantly adding variety into movement, which I really appreciate," Heath said. "This is the only workout that has worked for me for probably a decade in terms of consistency. I think it’s largely because of the variety, and the instructors are really dedicated to helping improve. I just learn something new every time I come.”

Heath has also participated in SKC’s 21 Day Challenge on multiple occasions.

“I like that it’s a small period, and I like setting goals for myself. I think actually with doing the 21 Day Challenge, I’ve gotten more into goal setting, and I’ve never been into that at all," Heath said. 

Training for competitions is another way that our members set goals, and Heath competed for the first time back in December at SKC’s 2^nd Annual Pro-Am. They praise other members and the trainers for helping them come to the realization that competitions are much more about each lifter’s personal goals than they are about competing with others. 

Heath had a whole crew of supporters during SKC's last competition.
PC: Truong Win

And while Heath's fast progress and high class attendance is enough to prove that they love SKC, we can all admit that once in a while we need a little extra motivation to get to the gym after a long day’s work. 

“I think part of the effort is just getting here, but there have been times where I’ve not wanted to come and forced myself to be here. Then I came, and I felt 100 times better afterwards,” Heath said. “Forty-Five minutes is the perfect amount of exercise, but it’s also good quality exercise. Usually I just tell people, ‘it’s only 45 minutes. You can get through anything in 45-minutes.”’

PC: Truong Win 

Speaking of work, Heath is a librarian at Bellevue college and the chair of the LGTBQ Task Force on campus. When they aren’t swinging bells at SKC, Health enjoys aqua aerobics and exploring Washington. They also note that training with the SKC crew has improved their overall quality of life. 

“I really love Seattle Kettlebell Club. I love coming here. I love the members. They are so friendly and nice. Everybody’s always checking in with me; the instructors are really awesome too, and I just love the community feel," Heath said. 

 -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 

  

Come for the Kettlebell Fitness, Stay for the Kettlebell Sport!

Most of the 22 members who represented Seattle Kettlebell Club on Saturday, September 24th at the 2016 IKFF NW Kettlebell Championship first came to SKC in search of a better alternative to the typical gym, having little-to-no previous experience with kettlebells and definitely no interest in competitive kettlebell lifting.  

Kettlebell Sport Class at Seattle Kettlebell Club

I absolutely love it when members lay down their disinterest in competing during one of their first visits to The Dacha (our nickname for the gym; it's a Russian term for a vacation home).  They have come to reap the rewards of the kettlebell swings and turkish getups they've heard about; they have yet to know more.

I am particularly fond of a memory from early August, 2015; it was right before I was leaving to compete at the OKC NorCal Open in Berkeley.  That's when Wendell Dyck (who came to us originally as a personal training client and is now dedicated to our sport classes) told me with fervor he was not competitive and would not compete.  Here's Wendell just over a year later, competing in 20 kilo biathlon at his 3rd competition, having even traveled to Canada to compete last May.  Judging by his face, turns out he really doesn't hate it ;-)

Wendell Dyck between sets at the 2016 IKFF NW Kettlebell Champs.  Ellie Taylor warms up in the background.

It's not really surprising that the people who found a kettlebell gym appealing in the first place keep an open mind and are provoked by challenge.  Before long, they find themselves surrounded by other members who are doing kettlebell jerks and snatches and thinking "I can do that.  I want to do that."  And while they still may never find themselves on a competition platform, now they're here to play... Kettlebell Sport class it is.

--Amber Puchlov
co-owner Seattle Kettlebell Club

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Click here to learn more about kettlebell sport

2016 IKFF NORTHWEST KETTLEBELL CHAMPIONSHIP

SEATTLE KETTLEBELL CLUB TEAM STATS

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Kettlebell Sport Core-6 Intro Workshop Enrolling Now

Seattle Kettlebell Club - 817 Hiawatha Place S, Seattle WA 98144

Kettlebells are Good News for Bad News Bears

I've always been Scrappy.

As a young boy I was the one challenging the bully or the bigger kids - even though I wasn't very big. I felt a certain amount of responsibility for the kids who did not have the confidence to stick up for themselves or were the ones who got picked last in sports. When it came time to choose teams,  I didn't mind choosing last because I was going to pick the underdog anyway.  For whatever reason, I had something to prove - and even if we didn't win I wanted to give the overconfident kids a run for their money - and we did!

Looking back, I see that for some reason I've always had a certain tenacity that works with the ability to find the winner in people and put them in a position to win.  Maybe it's because I felt a bit like an outsider myself; being a sort of latchkey kid... the son of a single dad and without a mom.  Whatever it is, I had it when I was little and it stuck with me as I started Seattle Kettlebell Club.   Like when people told me if I left the gym I was Personal Training at that I would never succeed... Thanks, Mike, you motivated me!

Now I get to meet people of all walks of life who want to start using kettlebells because they need to get in shape.  Often, I'll notice a new member might not have great posture, might have a weak handshake, might generally exhibit less than ideal confidence which is reflected in their physique.  I'll find out later they waited a long time or were really hesitant to join, which is funny because within a few weeks I'll already start to notice the difference.  He stands up straighter, acts more outgoing and seems generally happier while telling me the competitions seem cool but aren't his thing.  Cut to four or six months later when I can't get him to take training days off before his first competition.

These are not your typical athletes.  These are often the kids who got picked last or never even wanted to play, and here they are in their 30's and 40's getting in to something athletic for the first time in their lives and killing it.  Now they have the courage and skills to step up, and when they get on the platform, something amazing happens - they win!  Without fail, our members win!

Team Relay at SKC's BOLT Kettlebell Competition April 23rd, 2016

Roughly 90% of our members had never heard of kettlebell sport or even used a kettlebell when they joined Seattle Kettlebell Club, but close to 30% of our members have now participated in at least one competition, and 100% end up winning; because we set our goals accordingly and follow the plan.

The humbling aspect of the sport tends to attract people without big egos who are ready to listen and ready to work.  Which means we have a great community and have a lot of fun together and this is also a no BS gym. We don't have time or room for gimmicks.  Come on in.  You'll find functional equipment that makes you stronger and healthier surrounded by the proud underdogs-turned-athletes who appreciate that.

www.seattlekettlebellclub.com

Nikolai Puchlov