Scott Sonnon: Born to Fail - Made to Succeed

“The Only Thing Missing From Kettlebell Lifting…”

Another voice of wisdom coming from my student and premier kettlebell instructor, Shane Heins:

“I’m doing Scott’s stuff as part of my program (well, all of my program at the moment).

For about 6 months leading up to November, I’d been training in a Crossfit kind of style, working up to completing the 300 test (as per Gym Jones’ requirements). Felt in great shape and no sense of breaking down during that time (probably because I was doing Joint Mobility every workout to warm-up). With the completion of the 300 test and the attendance of other kettlebell workshops, I decided I would get certified as an AKC kettlebell (kb) coach and focus just on KB’s this year.

I had just finished the test 2 weeks earlier (was in a rest and recovery period) and no sooner had I made this decision then my back completely went out on me. I used to have a bit of lower back stuff (from an old snowboarding injury) but now it went right from my hip up to my upper back. It had pretty much been just joint mobility and yoga (with one impatient burst in the middle) from early December to the Certification in January. I’d pretty much gone into the Cert on what I’d retained from youtube. It was enough to get thru the weekend, but I was back to square one.

So here I was, stoked more than ever to get lifting, seriously prepared for a commitment to the work and I couldn’t do it! I was ready to do anything (in a smart way of course) to get my back figured out so I could start lifting. Because, not only was it limiting my own training, but it was limiting my ability to train others. The tons of yoga and joint mobility I’d been doing had helped to a certain extent, but the transition to the bells just wasn’t happening, it wouldn’t let me go there (and yes I went light). So finally coming to a place where (even after much patience thus far) I really needed to do something that would work, whatever it was, I was willing to listen and do it. I bared myself to the forces that be and a little bird whispered in my ear Intu-Flow®.

Thus far, pretty impressive. Within the first 5 days of doing the beginner program (twice a day), the iron rod that resided in my back, right side, from hip to upper back, dissipated. It reappears every so often (but I can identify why now), but for the most part, non-existent. I was able to start voluntarily releasing the tension in the muscles of my lower back and upper glutes (didn’t realize how much there was before). And after 2 weeks of the beginner program (twice a day), it didn’t hurt to sneeze anymore.

To put a bit of perspective on it, I was a goaltender in hockey, TKD for 11 yrs, joint mobility now for almost 3 yrs, various types of yoga for 8 yrs. And I’m not really what you would call a stressed out kind of guy. So pretty flexible, pretty loose already. Yet, I have never done anything that has, not only given me measurable results in such a short period of time, but felt so natural, so easy and so effective.

Now yes, I still have a ways to go, but I can see where this will take me……

……where it will take all of us as kettlebell lifters and those we train. In fact, when I was at the Cert in San Diego, that was the only thing I really saw missing (joint mobility work). I thought “Man, if there was some regular joint mobility work mixed in with this (just due to the nature of the repetitive movements, over and over, thousands of times), it would be perfect.

I wrote a little post about it on my blog: “The Foundation of Fitness?” if you wish to have a read). That’s why I was so excited when I heard about the Fitness Cert , because it was combining just that, what with Valery Fedorenko and Scott Sonnon putting it all together….together.

I actually see this Fitness Cert as hugely important to the continued evolution of the AKC. It’s not just for those who are going to be teaching KB lifting for fitness, it’s really for all of us, whether coaches, lifters, trainers, competitors because it will provide that key component, that extra move for the one, two knock-out combo. It will make us all that much more bullet-proof for a much longer time to come with big results for a wider range of people, not just the genetically gifted who manage to sneak thru).

Valery and Eric are not dumb (not….that I think anyone…..was claiming you guys…..were). They chose Scott to be a part of what they were building for a reason. And Scott in his own right, what with CST and the clubbells and everything, seeing the value in Kettlebells (and lifting them the way we tend to lean towards) and choosing to be a part of all this. Goodness knows, for anyone who reads your blog Scott, praise for the Kettlebell is sung loud and clear.

And coming back to Valery. When you’ve got a guy with his track record, of accomplishments and of telling us “quit trying to make shit up and just lift them the way I tell you. Trust me, it works!”), to recognize the value of what Scott brings and its value to kettlebell lifting, you know it carries its weight in gold….. or steel……. or steel filled with lead…… or….. you catch my drift.

I am unable to make it to the Valery Fedorenko and Scott Sonnon’s Kettlebell Fitness Certification in New York, unfortunately, but I hope this brings some thoughts to the table for those who are on the fence about whether it’s for them or not. Thanks for bringing all this up Lauri! I think it is important and will naturally continue to be a part of Kettlebell talk in these forums. And thanks ya’ll, for your patience with these posts. Since I’m not lifting at the moment, I don’t often have a whole lot to bring to these discussions with you. This one just so happens to jive with where I’m at.

I’ll throw in one more and just share, from a practical stand point, what I’m doing training wise with the RMAX stuff.” - Shane Heins