rkc

How To Get Outside Your Comfort Zone – And Succeed!

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I just got back from the RKC in Philly at 1am Monday morning. It’s hard to believe it’s already Friday morning and we’re gearing up for the Pavel/Dan John workshop.

I know it’s a little delayed, but a big hearty “Congratulations!” to all the newly minted RKCs and a shout out to my Team – Great Job!

I really love RKC weekends. The major reason, besides getting together with close friends, is that I get to watch the transformation of people from mediocre kettlebell users to skilled kettlebell users and high quality instructors. The RKC Candidates literally become different people right in front of our very eyes.

That got me thinking – Why do these individuals succeed?

Here’s why I think.

  1. They challenge themselves.
  2. They’re open to learning.
  3. They’re not afraid to fail.
  4. If they do fail, they see it as part of the process of success.
  5. They don’t quit. Ever.

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. They challenge themselves.

It’s said that if you’re not growing, you’re dying. The RKC candidates all wanted to become better at the very least, at using kettlebells. At most, they’re expanding their abilities. They’re not sitting still. When you sit still, your world shrinks. You become less of an asset to yourself and to your world, or sphere of influence.

2. They’re open to learning.

Many of us, get set in our ways. We close down our minds and stunt our intellectual and physical growth. This upcoming weekend, I get to be a student of the physical game again. I’m going to the Pavel/Dan John workshop in Philly. And I’m really looking forward to learning new ideas and concepts in a workshop setting. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been a student. I am only too aware that I don’t know everything but it doesn’t stop me or stunt me.

And it didn’t stunt the RKC candidates this past weekend. They showed up and wanted to be better. Whether they passed or failed, each individual took something new home with him or her – something new about how his or her body moved (or didn’t) and how to best use a kettlebell in many different situations.

3. They’re not afraid to fail.

This is a biggie for getting outside your comfort zone. You can’t be afraid to screw up. It’s part of the learning process. You have to know what you’re doing wrong in order to do what’s “right.” Just because you fail, does not mean you are a failure. Yes, there was probably about the usual 30% failure rate at this weekend’s RKC. It’s a hard, demanding course. But these people aren’t “failures.” Each one learned something new and has the opportunity to still earn his or her RKC status.

4. If they do fail, they see it as part of the process of success.

This is the easiest way to get outside your comfort zone and succeed. Yes, it takes a radical mind shift for some of us, but as long as you get there, you’re fine. Again, failure is necessary for success. In case you missed this in the previous point, you absolutely must know what is “wrong” as part of knowing what is “right.”

Thomas Edison was asked how he felt about failing at making a light bulb 1000 times. His response was something along the lines of “Now I know 1000 ways not to make a light bulb.” It was all part of his mind set.

5. They don’t quit. Ever.

Ok, here’s a personal story. I’m not getting any younger. I’ll be 38 at the end of this year. I’m enamored with the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. It’s just plain amazing to me. The speed, strength, and sheer athleticism displayed in this sport is phenomenal. I’ve been chasing success in this sport since 1995. I’ve tasted small victories but still long for more. I’ve spent the past 8 years rehabbing various injuries. This year has been a great one – I’m injury free and making rapid progress.

Now certainly I don’t share any of that with you to brag, but rather to share with you a long process in case you’re facing lots of setbacks. Getting back to Thomas Edison: After his workshop burned to the ground, he was asked by a reporter what he was going to. His answer was “Rebuild it of course!”

The greatest thing about RKC weekends is seeing a bunch of sore, tired, aching candidates who keep going and succeed. And, it’s usually a long term process. Many candidates train between six months and a year to be able to complete their RKC.

What’s Holding You Back?

Take a good look around at your situation. Things may not be going right for you. Things aren’t optimal. Circumstances, I find, rarely line up for a “perfect time.”

Challenge yourself to do what you really want to do. You’ll be uncomfortable. And you’ll probably fail. But who knows, you could be the next Edison – the inventor of the next lightbulb.

It’s That Time of Year Again…

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I can’t believe it’s been almost five years. Time flies, whether you’re having fun or not. For the most part, it’s been fun.

I made my decision on pretty much two things:

  1. Out of sheer frustration
  2. And a chance to make new friends of like mind and be a part of a bigger community

Out of Sheer Frustration.

I just couldn’t figure it out. I just couldn’t do it. I mean, I could do the other exercises – the single hand lifts – the 1 H Swing, the Snatch, the Clean and Press, but I just couldn’t do that frickin’ 2 H Swing.

I mean, c’mon, really? Really?!

I could Clean and Jerk 160kg and Snatch 130kg, but I couldn’t Swing that frickin’ 32kg kettlebell with two hands without my lower back hurting??!! And that skinny former Commie could? You’ve got to be kidding me…

Well of course by now, you’ve probably figured out that I’m talking about the RKC – The Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor Certification. It was life-changing for me. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be writing this blog post today, or any of these other ones, if I hadn’t ponied up the cash and gone to the RKC in June of 2005.

Another frustration was that I had abdicated my reason and submitted my intellect and intuition to someone who had some letters behind his name, but had no real experience at the weight pile. (I have got to quit doing that!) I had gotten involved in the NASM and the whole thing had devolved into a corrective exercise mess. The really interesting thing about Pavel, was that he wasn’t interested in neuromuscular stabilization training, or whatever level 2 in the OPT model was called. He could get Grandma swinging a kettlebell safely in roughly 5 minutes. And I was jealous. Yup, I said, it – jealous. I was bound to the freakin’ model.

And then there were the bruises. We just thought they were the stripes you earned from using kettlebells. They were badges of honor. But it turns out we were just doing our Cleans and Snatches wrong. Bruises on the wrists and shoulders may be “cool” for guys, but quite frankly, many women didn’t appreciate having them. (One or two did…)

Man, I just had to figure these things out, but couldn’t do it on my own. It’s like Bugs Bunny said – “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”

A Chance To Make New Friends And Be A Part of A Bigger Community

This was very intriguing to me. I have pretty much always been a lone wolf – do it on my own. But for some reason, I was literally drawn to the RKC. I guess it was because of the fact it was a bunch of people who were into lifting heavy stuff, but not in your traditional way. There were a bunch of people who were, well, hard – as the Brits would say. It was comprised of powerlifters, fighters, martial artists, and soldiers and the occasional athlete.

Plus, I just had to see what this darn Commie knew – it wasn’t all just marketing, was it? It just couldn’t be – although I was interested in the “tree-swinging traps.”

No, it definitely wasn’t all marketing. It was just downright hard. It was three days of sweating – or not sweating in my case – all black in a 98 degree Minnesota heat wave – lifting, heaving, and learning – lots of learning.

Back in those days, we used double bells for everything. I mean everything. And I absolutely loved it. It reminded me of wrestling practice, only easier.

Brett Jones was my Team Leader (back then we just had Seniors) and he put us through this brutal – absolutely brutal – workout with burpees, side-stepping swings, cleans and presses (Remember that Brett, you bast*rd, if you’re reading this?) and it was with double bells. And I was dumb enough to use double 32s. Stupid. I had to stop cause I almost had heat exhaustion – you know, you’re out in the sun and you feel that tingly creeping heat up the back of your neck? Ahh, good times!

And I made some really good friends because of that weekend – like Brett Jones, Dave Whitley, and Jeff O’Connor. And of course, I’m now part of a great community. Somehow, I fooled them all and now I get to teach at these weekends. I literally get to travel around the world and show people how transformative kettlebells, and more particular, the RKC School of Strength are. Last summer I got to go to Hungary, this summer I get to go to Denmark. How cool is that? (And I even have a book coming out on training with kettlebells!)

This has been some ride, I must say.

And now it’s your turn dear reader.

It’s your turn to transform your life.

It’s time for you to create lasting and wonderful memories.

It’s time for you to find out what you’re made of physically and mentally.

It’s time for you to literally become a better man or woman.

It’s that time of year, between February and October, when hundreds of men and women all over the world decide they want to become an RKC.

It’s time for you to join us, to join me, in our community – are you up for it?