Transformation Tuesday: Buffy the Kettlebell Slayer

After having her first daughter, Buffy Belt suffered from chronic pain for two years, which led her to put her fitness on hold. While she tried Pilates, yoga, and personal training, Seattle Kettlebell Club was the first gym where Belt found a workout that she could consistently stick to without agitating her pain.  

“The personal trainer (she worked with at a previous gym) pushed me too far and wasn’t really thinking about my body getting injured,” Belt said. “There are just things I cannot do, and Nikolai (SKC owner) has always been really flexible about modifying, while still pushing me without making me feel like I’m not doing a good job.”

 “I bought size 8 shorts this summer, where I bought the 12s two summers ago,” Belt said. “Everything fits so much better.”

With three kettlebell sport competitions under her belt, Belt has enjoyed competing because it has given her the opportunity to set personal goals and measure progress while also being part of a team. 

  

“It’s given me more gratitude and pride for my own body, and I’m able to do so many more things in my daily life as well,” Belt said. “From what I used to get from running 5-10 miles, I get in a 45-minute class.”

Receiving her Master of Education in counseling from Seattle University, Belt works as a school counselor, which she loves, but kettlebell training has supplied her with a different type of outlet. 

“[Kettlebells] is the only thing that I can actually complete. I can never actually complete anything in my job because so much of what I do has to do with other people making choices. This is something I can finish every day, which is huge,” Belt said. “It’s that period of time when I do something that’s just for me.” 

Belt notes that her training has not only helped her gain strength, but she also uses it as a teaching tool for her students. 

"I ask them to do things that are outside of their comfort zone every day,” Belt said. “Modeling that I’m trying this thing that’s out of my comfort zone, but slowly over time I’m getting better, is so much better than me just telling them what to do. I never ask a child to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself.”

When she tells friends about her kettlebell training, Belt says that many have a misconception about how much strain the lifts put on one’s back. 

Photo Credit: Matt Burn

“I couldn’t even hold or carry my kids when they were little for more than a couple of minutes at a time. My core was gone; my back was shot. I’m somebody that had no strength,” Belt said. “I’ve been doing this for over a year now, and I’ve never been injured. I think that says a lot.” 

Although she was doing many solo workouts over the summer, Belt prefers the comradery the classes at SKC offer. 

“Misha (SKC trainer) is my number one workout motivator. If I can get that very serious Russian man to crack a teeny-tiny smile, it just totally makes my day,” Belt said.

In the future Belt hopes to achieve CMS (Candidate for Master of Sport), and this Saturday she will be representing SKC competing in a 5-minute biathlon with 16 kg bells at the IKFF Northwest Kettlebell Championship. 

We believe in you Buffy! We know you'll slay those bells! 

-Camille Borodey

5 Reasons Why Kids Need Kettlebells

With the start of a new school year, parents may be pondering which after school activity to enroll their kids in. From Sept. 25-Nov. 29, SKC will be hosting a Fall Youth Kettlebell Sport Series for ages 11-14. With an array of physical activities and sports to choose from, here are 5 reasons why kettlebell training is a fantastic exercise for kids! 

1.  It Makes Kids Strong and Healthy 
 

Many schools aren’t prioritizing fitness in their curriculum, so kids are spending more and more time at a desk.

“Kettlebells are a great way for kids to get stronger, develop coordination, and build confidence when they’re not able to do those things in school or in play,” Nikolai Puchlov, SKC owner, said.

Working with kettlebells strengthens the posterior chain, which counteracts all the sedentary time. Plus, SKC prioritizes form and safety above everything else. 

“Kettlebell also teaches people how to move their body and lift properly in the first place, so that when they get older, and they’re lifting weights or moving heavy thing, they’ll be able to do that more safely,” Puchlov said.

2. It Develops Your Individual Strengths

 

When you think about sports like football or basketball, certain body types have advantages or disadvantages depending on the person's body type. Also, during puberty years kids are developing at different rates, so adolescence may feel insecure about the changes their bodies are going through. At SKC, our workouts cater to a variety of body types and fitness levels.

“Instead of someone feeling ashamed about being a little bit heavier, they’ll be able to move those bells a little easier and feel good about the size that they are, and a tall and skinny kid will lift with a little more leverage, and they’ll feel good about being tall and skinny, so it’s a huge confidence booster,” Puchlov said. 

3. It’s a Full Body Sport that can be Done Inside 

Those who live in dense city areas may not have access to open spaces and parks, so kids are spending a lot of time indoors. 

      Because of the lack of outdoor activity, at a young age kids are almost immediately exposed to cell phones and tablets, and it forces them into a bad position where they’re hunched over with their head hanging forward and shoulders slouched. Along with that, kids spend hours every week sitting in a classroom and studying, which also leads to bad posture. Every kettlebell exercise counter that and strengthens opposing muscles.

4. It Helps with Stress and Anxiety 

“That’s why I got into fitness. Kettlebells have a calming effect since when you’re doing them, you can’t really think about anything else, so it really stills the mind. It’s almost meditative,” Puchlov said.

5. It Teaches Discipline and Goal Setting 

While many fitness practices tend to focus on pushing your body to its limits during every workout, one of the main focuses at SKC is setting small and obtainable goals. While kids will be getting an effective workout, they won’t get burnt out because they’ll reach small milestones over the course of the program versus trying to do anything too physically daunting too quickly. 

And even though kettlebell training teaches consistency and goal setting, our workouts still change every day, so kids won’t get bored with the same old routine. 

Click here sign your kids up today! 

-Camille Borodey 

Motivation Monday: Fitting in a Nuun Workout

Emily Baird, Laura Braziel, and Emma Kesler, all three employees at Nuun headquarters, make it a point to swing into SKC once a week to get in some strength training to supplement their more cardio based fitness hobbies. Emily and Laura are both runners recently completing a half marathon while Emma is an avid cycler. 

  

What is your favorite part about coming to Seattle Kettlebell Club? 

Emily: “It’s really nice to do something completely different than anything I’ve ever done before. It’s not like normal weight lifting. It’s a lot more fun but still a great workout.”

Laura: “I like it because it’s always a challenge. It doesn’t ever get boring.” 

What are your other fitness hobbies, and how has kettlebell helped improve those hobbies?

Emily: “Most of my workouts are geared around running, and I tore a ligament in my ankle last year, so getting back into running was really hard, but when I was able to run again, I was faster than I had ever been. I think coming here really helped even though I wasn’t running.”

Emma: “I’m a cyclist, and I record each of my rides. I definitely see the speed gains, and my hill climb is faster after doing kettlebell.”

If you were trying to convince a friend to give kettlebells a swing, what would you tell them?

Laura: “I would tell them to do the 21-day Challenge. It encourages you to come in consistently. Having that short-term commitment really encourages you to get with the flow.”

Emily: “As someone that tried to get into traditional weight lifting, this is a lot more fun than just going to a gym and lifting weights. If you go to any gym, you’ll see people lifting wrong, so it’s nice to have someone to teach you how to do the moves correctly, but also have the instructor there to make small corrections if you’re slipping out of form."

Emma: “Before I came here, I assumed kettlebell was a bunch of Russian guys with no necks. I was surprised to find out that it was all very practical strength. I really enjoy the intro class that carefully shows you the forms, so you’re taking care of yourself and not injuring yourself.”

What are some of your future fitness goals?

Laura: “We’ve actually talked about doing one of the competitions.” 

Emma: “My fitness goals aren’t specific right now. I just want to get stronger and endure more. I always think of the zombie apocalypse and if it actually happened, could I outlive everybody else?”

Emily: “We just got a new dog, so one of my goals is to teach him to run without stopping, so we can both survive the zombie apocalypse with Emma.”

Do you three have anything you want to add, just about kettlebells or coming here?

Laura: “It’s a nice marriage of being at Nuun and being able to do kettlebell because I can feel the difference.”

Emma: “It’s really nice because Nuun encourages exercise. It’s also super convenient being able to do this during our lunch break.”

Emily: “It’s the best kind of lunch break. Obviously, I’m physically tired after class, but then I go back to work, and I’m energized for the rest of the afternoon.”

You can purchase Nuun at SKC! 

-Camille Borodey