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 

Kettlelove:Couple Shares What They Love About SKC

Married for 18 years, Christine Lindquist and Nick Moody were no strangers to fitness before they joined Seattle Kettlebell Club. After 7 years of competing in full distance Iron Man Triathlons, the couple was in search of something they could do together since Nick had some knee issues caused by running. With their background in competitive training, they’ve loved that SKC and kettlebells have allowed them to continue their fitness journeys and set new goals. 

            However, SKC members already know that we are much more than just a gym, so the couple shares what exactly makes training here so wonderfully unique. 

Fun Fact: Nick and Christine got married in Vegas and had an Elvis style wedding!

1. The Intro Class is Awesome!

            “It was super professional. We were so impressed with the intro session and how thorough Nikolai was with everyone making sure that everybody could do everything in a way that was safe, and they felt comfortable,” Christine said. 

2.      Classes Continuously Keep Them in Great Shape

            “[Training here] is complimentary to what we did before. I would do weightlifting on my own, but it wasn’t really focused. You’d go in and kind of get lost, and you get locked down in a narrow routine of what you can do,” Nick said. “We took some classes too, (at other gyms) but it wasn’t the same.”

PC: Truong Win

3.      There’s a Place for Everyone at SKC

            “Anybody could walk in here and feel like there’s a place for them, and that they’re not going to be intimidated or disrespected,” Christine said.

“Everybody is nothing but supportive of each other,” Nick said. “Everybody is genuinely excited when you’ve done something you’ve never done before. There’s a comradery with completing challenges together.”

4.      The Coaches and Program Prep Make Difficult Goals a Reality  

Nick notes that along with gaining strength, working out here has helped them both build confidence and break fitness barriers.

“Moving up to a ten-minute event is a big deal,” Christine adds. “The first time we competed we watched people do ten-minute sets, and we couldn’t believe it. Then we went through the [KettleSPORT] training cycle, and obviously it was to get us fit for ten minutes, and everybody in that training cycle did a ten-minute event, and they all did great! Now we gotta set some new goals.”

PC: Truong Win

5.      Overall, SKC is the best place to work out!

“We love the club. It’s just so much fun” Nick said. “It’s the best place I’ve ever had a membership to.”

“I think the thing that’s been really fun is to see what Amber and Nikolai have been able to make happen in a really short period of time. I cannot imagine any business owners working harder than they do. There’s always something new that they're working on. It’s just constant. They do not rest. It’s really impressive!” 

PC: Truong Win

      Have a partner or friend you want to share some kettlelove with? Nick and Christine are on our Kodiak Membership, which is a shared membership for two people. SKC memberships are month-to-month and have zero starting fees. Sign up 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 

  

Member Praises SKC for Lacking "Gymtimidation"

Millions of Americans suffer from gymtimidation, the fear of facing judgment at a new gym.  This fear leads many to avoid the gym all together. However, Seattle Kettlebell Club is a gymtimidation free zone, and long-term member Patrick Heraghty can vouch for that. 

“I think people are often fearful going places where there's a competitive nature, and they don’t feel comfortable,” Patrick said. “I’ve always felt welcome since the day I walked in the door.” 

Patrick gave Planet Fitness and CrossFit a try back home in New Hampshire, where he worked as a traveling nurse, (he now holds a position in Seattle) but he found it difficult to keep his fitness consistent. Now, he has been with SKC for about a year and a half, and he says his first impression of the classes were that they were the challenge he’d been looking for noting that his stamina and endurance improved tremendously in his first three weeks of swinging kettlebells. 

  

“The coaches were very friendly and helpful with your technique,” Patrick said. “Even though I was a total beginner, I didn’t feel out of place.” 

Patrick is an avid hiker, so one of his favorite parts of moving to the PNW has been the easy access to trails in the area. 

“Seattle Kettlebell Club has really conditioned me to do more challenging hikes,” Patrick said. “I wouldn’t be able to do the hikes I do now without this place.” 

Since March of this year, Patrick has lost 17lbs. 

  

“I like that there is going to be a different workout every time I come, and that each time slot has regulars. If you go to different classes, you get to meet different people,” Patrick said. “Even if it’s a really hard work out, you feel like everyone’s going through it together, and the coaches are all fantastic.”

Outside of the fitness world, Patrick enjoys cooking and going to music shows (his favorite venue is the Paramount). He’s loved his past three years in Seattle, and he feels fortunate to be a part of SKC’s inclusive crowd. 

“I’m part of the gay community, and it’s just very diverse here- people of all genders, colors, and sizes,” Patrick said. “You don’t feel like you’re walking into a place where people are going to treat you like a weirdo. You have people all tatted up, you've got guys next door, soccer moms-It’s great!” 

Feeling some gymtimidation still? Our Kettlebell Kickstarter is now Buy one get one free. Buy the $99 intro package for yourself and get one for a friend! For more information click here. 

-Camille Borodey