PSA: Even the Kettlebell World Suffers Politics
March 4, 2009 – 7:26 amBare with me on the following story. I realize that I usually focus on the positive, but I prefer to live a transparent business life because people know that they can trust me as a result. So, let’s sift through this garbage… in order to move on to something bigger and better.
Today, I received an interesting piece of mail: a cease and desist letter from Eric Liford and Valery Fedorenko of the World Kettlebell Club. Instead of emailing me to ask me to change the Facebook page which they not only endorsed but asked me for help on when it was created, they decided to send me a legal document “demanding” that it be taken down.
When I was asked to create an official Kettlebell Foundation for the WKC Kettlebell Fitness Program, I gladly did so. I was honored to contribute my mobility and compensation techniques to kettlebell lifters. I even taught the program abroad co-seminaring with Valery with great reviews from Valery and Eric and all of the attendees. Then, Eric asked me to produce a video (at my own cost) of the mobility and compensation programs. If it’s helping people, why not?
But when Eric said that he wanted 50% of all profits from the DVD he asked me to produce through my company, I told him he was crazy. 50%??? For programs that I created from knowledge that I gathered and created before I had even met them!?! I offered the WKC 50% profit on any DVDs they sold to their members, if they purchased a minimum (reasonable) stock and took care of fulfillment themselves. They turned it down and demanded that I give them 50% of any profit made by me on my programs from my company fulfilled by my company. Crazy talk.
A couple weeks later, they said that they no longer wanted to have any advisors to their organization, rather than telling me that they no longer wanted me involved. And took down their advisory board, thus eliminating my involvement as advisor.
In order to recover the $15,000 of investment I had made in the Kettlebell Foundation DVD package, I created an additional DVD on kettlebell technique so that the mobility and compensation programs would make sense to my RMAX audience since they were in general not familiar with kettlebell lifting… and I created a Kettlebell Specialist division for my CST Instructors to diversify their skill set to kettlebells (like I have for gymnastic rings, parallettes, plyoboxes, medballs, monkey bars, sandbags, ladders, etc.)
This series has rapidly become one of the RMAX best sellers, because no one before had created a specific warm-up and cool-down routine, and by specific I mean a dedicated and specifically crafted mobility primer and compensatory release for the rigors endemic to kettlebell lifting. Even long-time professionals say that it’s, “elegant, necessary and time-efficient.”
I haven’t spoken to Eric and Valery in months. And today I received this legal cease and desist… for a FB group that has had ZERO activity in almost a year. Well, now you know that there’s been a name change to the RMAX Kettlebell Foundation. But that’s not the only change….
Two weeks ago, I was asked to be on the Board of Advisors to the International Kettlebell and Strength Training Academy - the official educational academy of IUKL (International Union of Kettlebell Lifting). Other Board Members of the IKSA include: 2x world champion record holder Vasiljis Ginko of Latvia, Sergey Merkulin of Russia (14X world champion), Feodor Fuglev of Ukraine (15x world champion), and Oksana Nikifor (World and European kettlebell juggling champion.)
I’ll be announcing more about the IKSA in the near future, but for now… I wanted to make public the petty political nonsense that goes on behind the scenes. It’s a shame, but the bottom line is… it’s just a weight with a handle on it. I think IGX guys are right: these rabiesballs drive people mad.
Thanks to all of you for your interest in the FB group. If you’re not interested in involvement due to the name and as a result organizational change, then please remove your participation so that you will not be confused in the future by announcements not related to the WKC.
flow thyself,
11 Responses to “PSA: Even the Kettlebell World Suffers Politics”
Unfortunately, when money and prestige are involved, people can get a little nutty. It’s really too bad because that seemed like such a natural partnership.
By Kevin Cooper, D.C., CSCS on Mar 4, 2009
I am going to copyright stone training. After that people will only be allowed to train with heavy stones if I officially give them permission to do so, and it will involve a fee.
By Johan Roelofse on Mar 4, 2009
In my opinion; as a tool , I discover the kettlebells before and CST after…I’ve purchased the DVD series about Kettlebell program (and I still waiting cause of the custom office in Italy)in order to learn more about the aspect of breathing , warm up but specially cool down and compensatory routines that are the real “special part” which probably add some new useful tools at benefit of those who are involved in kettlebell lifting.
All my premise is to say that, off course in my opinion , the part who will loose more in terms of technical and inspirational revolutionary approach shall be the WKC side.
I think that probably more than money and politics the matter is EGO.
By Edson on Mar 4, 2009
Hmmnn…that’s a bummer. I was really excited with where things were going for the WKC and kettlebells, especially once it was decided to include the warm-ups and compensations that you developed, Scott. It was the only thing I’d felt was missing from an otherwise solid coaching Cert…
…aaah well…
….no one said evolution was an easy process.
Thanks for just being honest, Scott.
By Shane on Mar 4, 2009
I’ve watched the fitness industry and seen a lot of bizarre things from the perspective of someone on the outside: people claiming intellectual property over physical exercises, people splitting from earlier affiliations and being threatened with legal action as a result, and kettlebell lifting being treated as a religion rather than a sport or a form of exercise. It’s sad and strange, and this looks like more of the same. This kind of thing comes from the scarcity mentality you’ve identified as a problem–perhaps THE problem–so often. I’m glad that your methods are being picked up within the kettlebell community, even if the original affiliation didn’t pan out long term. There’s far too little health-first fitness out there.
By Glenn Sunshine on Mar 4, 2009
How disappointing… sorry to hear that they pulled that kind of baloney on you, Scott. One of the things I liked about the AKC was that its proponents seemed so much less greedy than the prominent members in the dd crowd. Greed is what makes these people do crazy things, not the kettlebells. At least, as Glenn mentions, your methods are being picked up & applied within the kb community… so some good will survive the split. I do hope that Eric & Valery can manage to learn from this that greed hurts everyone, every time. Thanks for your transparency and for sharing.
By Wil on Mar 5, 2009
I can honestly say that I am more than grateful to you Scott for coming out with this DVD set. Your joint mobility and compensatory programs have done more to help recuperate my back than the weeks and weeks of physical therapy and chiropratic visits ever did.
And little by little, the rest of your programs are starting to creep into my life. (Notice I didn’t just say workouts.)
My 2009 goals… attending the AKC Coach’s Cert here in NY in June which I’ve already paid for. And start to incorporate my recently purchased 15lb clubbells into my sessions.
Thanks again Scott!
By Howie on Mar 6, 2009
WOW that is crazy, and it is a shame. I am sure the new assosiation with the IUKL will be excellent, I just certified as a coach with them in London and the level of instruction was mind blowing! Hope you find the same.
By Matt Kuhlmann on Mar 11, 2009
It was a natural association. One cannot always judge how much money another person needs to do something new. If someone tells me how much I can have, maybe I try and move very slow because “money talks”, not motivationally but in practical realities i.e. real expenses and investments that must be accounted for no matter how much I would like to cater to someone’s expectations. Scott Sonnon is a longterm figure in kettlebells and on speaking terms with just about everybody he has learned from or been associated with. His sport and business ethics are working to a statesmanly standard, I would say. His energy and consistency are inspiring and amazing. All the best, Scott.
By Bob Dodds on Mar 17, 2009
I meant “I try, but I move very slow”, not that I try to move slowly like I’m on strike but that I try to move fast on little money but I can’t because there are realities, bills, expenses, bogging the works. I don’t think Scott’s dvd’s were made in a day.
By Bob Dodds on Mar 17, 2009