RKC Vs IKFF, or is there more to it?

As a personal trainer, strength enthusiast and kettlebell instructor who has done both the RKC and IKFF kettlebell certifications I am often asked which one I prefer or which would I suggest for someone looking to gain a kettlebell certification. So in this post I would like to give a little breakdown of each course, the good points, the bad points and my overall honest opinion.

I started using kettlebells for my own training about 4 years ago. I heard about them, googled them, watched some videos, gave it a go...........I was hooked. I loved them.

I showed Keris (my girlfriend and co founder of Fitter London) a thing or two with them and it wasn't long before she was hooked either.

It was here we dicided to look into kettlebell courses in London, we found a 1 day course based In north London and booked onto it. They were both RKC certified trainers so after the research I had done I figured this was a winner. Straight away I realised my technique needed a lot of fine tuning and I enjoyed the feeling of more efficient kettlebell movement.

BUT,

By the end of the day I felt as though corners had been cut and that 1 day simply was not enough to fully understand kettlebell training. I wanted to learn more.

It was here we looked further into the RKC certification. I was at first shocked at the price, it was not cheap and it did not even include accommodation or flights. The next one in Europe was in Budapest in August (2009) and we thought sod it, lets do it. We wanted kettlebells to be a huge part of our fitness business and our own training regimes and figured what better than to learn from the best. We were passionate about them and were prepared to pay the price.

RKC is fronted by Pavel Tsatsouline.

We were all packed and ready to go, so here is my RKC Pros and cons:

RKC is a 3 day certification and I was slightly anxious at what we had in store for us.

PROS:

- RKC is a very thorough training system, every movement was broken down into stages to ensure a full understanding, we were constantly being corrected and assessed.

- All instructors were happy to answer questions and were incredibly knowledgable.

- Everything was clear and very easy to understand due to the very well structured nature of the cert.

- Repetition was a big thing but I love this as it really drummed home the techniques.

- They took a personal trainers needs in to consideration as there was a huge focus on breakdown and progressions to teach your clients. There were also plenty of alternatives for people who struggled with certain movements.

- There were plenty of instructors there so you never felt you were on your own unaware if your doing things correctly or not.

- After each day I had aches in all the right places and felt as though I was learning so much every minute.

- Massive attention to detail.

CONS:

- Before we had even done anything we were asked to perform the snatch test. This test inloves performing 100 snatches in under 5 mins. Men above 60kg used a 24kg kettlebell, men under 60kg used a 20kg, women above 56kg used a 16kg and women below 56kg used 12 kg. I didn't agree with this, I was aware that a lot of preparation before the cert was involved but to perform what I believed was a very technical lift with a predetermined weight without instruction was unsafe and was an injury waiting to happen for some. By the way, someone did get very badly injured and it ended the cert straight away.

- Too military based for my liking. I don't mind a disciplined approach but some of these dudes were just plain arrogant and were dishing out orders like we were in the army. They saw it fit to throw drills at us that were incredibly testing for most and for some unbarable. I love hard work but when my technique is being effected because an instructor loves the sound of his own voice too much it got quite annoying. A bit over the top at times to say the least.

- Practice makes perfect but if someone has not yet developed the strength to perform a certain movement with the suggested weight then its only right they drop weight and perform the movement correctly right? Not here. I believe men should be able to handle atleast 1.5 times there bodyweight on a deadlift but I dont start them on that weight, they practice, they progress and we work up to it. To make someone feel like a failure for good judgement again did not sit well with me.

Conclusion:

Aside from the stated cons, RKC was worth every penny for me. It was jam packed with great information and I was buzzing with inspiration, I coudnt wait to show our Fitter London members everything we had learnt. From start to finish it was well structured and incredibly engaging.

It was during our RKC certification that we kept hearing the name Steve Cotter going around. We had not heard much of this guy so we decided to check him out. He used to be part of RKC but decided to go his seperate way and set up the IKFF certification. I watched some of Steve Cotters videos and all I can say is......WOW. I was in awe of this guy, so fit, strong, explosive and insanely mobile. It wasn't long before I was looking to see when he was next in London.

It was Febuary 2010 and we were booked onto his level 1 course. The IKFF course was half the price of RKC which was great :-). It was 2 days long and I couldn't wait to meet the guy who was so inspiring just through his videos.

Before I go in to the pros and cons I want to highlight that Steve Cotters approach to kettlebell lifting is very different to that of the RKC. RKC has more of an explosive, full body tension approach and IKFF is a more fluid approach with a big focus on reducing tension in order to keep fatigue at bay for as long as possible. The style was completely different, from the general movement and breathing to duration and grip technique.

I have to admit at first this was not what I was expecting but it was not long before I was engaged and loving it.

Pros:

- Completely different style and was really excited and learning what seemed an opposite approach to kettlebell lifting.

- Huge emphasis on warm ups and mobility which was amazing.

- Went over exercises that I had never done before such as overhead squats which are fantastic.

- The lay out was incredibly challenging, varied and fun.

- There was no fitness test or wieght requirment but just a big focus on correct and safe technique which was made clear from the start. This was great and took the pressure off which allowed for a more enjoyable experience.

- Great group of instructors who were incredibly knowledgable and well experienced.

Cons:

- I felt that there was less attention to detail compared to RKC and at times quite vague.

- There was not the approach to corrective exercises that I was expecting, it was more of a if this doesnt feel right go lighter type of thing but I was looking for more answers here.

- I felt that due to the longer duration style of this training (a long cycle is 10 mins long) that this style would not go down too well with my clients especially as they were used to the RKC style of training.

To be honest that is all I have for this one as I loved this course and I met some great like minded people there too.

So, which one did I prefer?

To be honest, I can't really say. But what I will say is always keep an open mind, broaden your horizons and never stop learning. I use both techniques from the certs and they go down a treat in classes, on PT sessions and as part of my own training regime.

I don't for a second regret doing either of them, they have played a huge role in my journey as the eternal student and I value both of these courses equally, however I will say in my experience, the RKC approach has been more client friendly and they have responded better to this technique.

My biggest bit of advice is whichever course you choose to do dont get sucked in to the whole cult thing. I believe the RKC system is guilty of this and most RKC instructors believe their method is the only way and nothing else matters. Some even go to the extremes of getting tatoos and all wearing the same trousers which is when it gets a little too much for me. This is a very narrow minded approach and I dont agree with it. IKFF was not like this at all and I liked that.

IKFF for me highlighted the importance of longevity which i had not really considered before this. Mobility is now a huge part of my routine and the more fluid approach to kettlebell lifting is a great way to take a little break from all that heavy lifting and body tension that is involved in most training regimes.

Ideally I'd say if you can afford to, do both certs. I would not have one without the other but that's just me.

Since doing these I have worked with many other great coaches and most recently the awesome Mike Mahker when he was in the UK in Feb this year.

Mike Mahler again had a very different take on kettlebell training and there was a big focus on heavy lifting whilst reducing tension and also explosive power. Personally, this is the style of training I have always enjoyed (Im a rugby player so this makes sense) and I loved every minute of this course.

Mike Mahler's approach was incredibly simple yet highly effective, his hormone optimisation lecture alone was worth the money and his style of kettlebell lifting has complemented the training of myself, my classes and my clients very well.

Working with the best in the industry has taught me a hell of allot and each of the above workshops has provided an even deeper knowledge into an industry and style of training I absolutely love. So get yourself out there, don't stick to one so called style. Experiment and find what works for you, have your own take on it and put it out there. Better yet, don't rely solely on kettlebell training, I love kettlebells but they make up a fraction of what training tools I use for my clients and our classes.

I really hope this post has been informative, as I said I simply wanted to put an honest opinion out there and here it is.

I am still learning and have plenty of other great coaches I would like go work with so watch this space.

If anyone has any questions about any of these courses then please get in touch id be happy to help matt@fitterlondon.co.uk

Listen, learn, practice and improve.

Yours in training,

Matt

P.s check out our brand new website which launched last week www.fitterlondon.co.uk we are very proud of it and hope you enjoy the content. Honest feedback is always welcome.

Yesterdays workout: 16/9/11

Had a beast of a workout yesterday and feeling on top of the world today and raring for some more training.

1) a thorough warm up and mobility.

2) deep squats 5x5reps (first 2 sets were progressively heavier warm up sets)

Supersetted with:

Single arm dumbbell rows 5x8reps with a 4 sec negative (last set was with 3 drop sets to failure)

3) 3 sets of 5 reps of a charles poliquin variation on squats to hit the VMO (these are brutal and my VMO is feeling it today, in a good way of course)

See it here: http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/693/The_VMO_Solution.aspx?lang=EN

4) stiff leg Deadlifts (explosive reps) 3x12rps (the last 4 reps of every set set the hamstrings and glutes on fire)

Supersetted with:

Dumbell shoulder press 3x8reps with a 4 sec negative.

5) cable tricep extensions 3x10 reps with a 4sec negative

Supersetted with:

Reverse grip ez bar curls 3x10 reps with a 4sec negative (feeling the burn baby)

6) mobility and stretch.

Plastered myself with magnesium oil after my workout which is working wonders for my recovery and reducing DOMS.

Bring on today's workout.

Have a great day folks and happy lifting.

Yours in strength,

Matt

Mondays workout: 5/9/11

Awesome workout on Monday with Rich which I can still feel the effects of today. Feels great.

1) squats 2 working sets of death sets (20 reps) these were done to the absolute max with 1min rest between sets. WOW.

Superset the following:

2) close grip press ups 10 reps with a 5sec negative and explosive press x 3 sets (harder than they look)
reverse grip barbell rows 10 reps with a 5 sec negative x 3 sets (my lats feel great today)

3) supinated grip wide pull ups 3 sets of 8
Leg extensions 10 reps with 5sec negative x 3 sets

4) cool down and stretch

Again just stuck to the 3 supersets as well as the death sets to ensure focus on reps and go for quality over quantity. I feel great for it and highly recommend everything play around with their rep ranges and tempo of reps for great results.

Have an awesome day.

Yours in strength,

Matt Whitmore

Today's workout: 2/9/11

Yet another awesome workout today with my training partner Rich. Even if my Deadlifts did not feel as good as previous weeks I didn't let it get to me although was hoping to beat my PB but there is always next week.

Here is how it went down:

1) warm up and mobility work

2) Deadlifts 3 warm up sets followed by 4 working sets of singles (1 rep max) with 3 mins rest between sets

The rest were performed as supersets.

3) front squats 4 working sets of 6 reps
Pull ups 5 reps with a 10 second negative on each (these were brutal and my lats felt huge, infact if jumped off a building I think I could of glided :- ) with 90secs rest

4) cable tricep extension 3 working sets of 12 reps with a 4 sec negative
Hammer curls with fat Gripz 3 working sets of 12 reps with a 4 sec negative with 60secs rest

5) cool down and stretch

Big well done to Rich for smashing his PB on his Deadlifts, awesome stuff.

Feeling good now and looking forward to 2 days of rest and recovery in preparation for another big session on Monday morning.

Bring it on.

BOSH.

Have a great day,

Matt

Two-Finger Single Arm Kettlebell Swing (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 6)

Hey Guys and Gals,

So last time round I hit you with a bit of 2 bells in one hand action and this week I want to stick with using kettlebells to advance you in your journey towards superior grip strength. I introduce - The 2 finger single arm kettlebell swing.

You may remember the 2 finger barbell deadlift I shared with you a couple of weeks back. As mentioned, training your fingers individually is a great way to improve your grip strength. The great thing with using the 2 finger grip on the swing is that it's incredibly demanding keeping a hold of an object that you are explosively swinging away from the body. This is why it is very important to start light to condition yourself properly and only progress when it feels comfortable to do so.

Whatever you do, DON'T take 1,2 or 3 finger grip work lightly as it's incredibly demanding on the fingers, ligaments and tendons but when done properly they are absolutely awesome grip building exercises.

As always mess around with the rep ranges depending on your goals. I like to go nice and heavy (as usual) on these with a 5-10 rep range but feel free to increase the rep range for more grip endurance.

Also, works great with double bell work (a kettlebell in each hand), inside the leg swings or Mike Mahler style outside the leg swings.

Give it a try and as always let me know what you think.



Have a great day,

Matt

The Double Kettlebell Single-Arm Swing (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 5)

Hey fellow lifters,

I thought I would mix things up this week and throw some awesome kettlebell exercises your way that will add some serious strength to your grip.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, adding thickness to the bar or object you're lifting will immediately challenge your grip in a completely different way. That's why this week I'm sharing with you the double kettlebell single arm swing. The technique remains the same as the traditional single arm swing with the only difference being that you will be holding two kettlebells (I know Im Stating the obvious but just to be clear). Whether you're a kettlebell sport kinda person or you prefer the hard style swing it works well for both.

It's important you get a really firm grip on the 2 bells before hiking the kettlebells back for the first rep and please don't be afraid to chalk up, it makes a huge difference to the lift.

I like to perform these as heavy as possible for anything between 5-10 reps for nice and explosive reps, however feel free to mix up the rep ranges to cater for your goals. 20-30 reps if you are looking to improve your grip endurance.

Throw this into your regular routine and I guarantee it will add great value to your kettlebell lifting. Using just 1 kettlebell will feel like a piece of cake.

Give it a try, enjoy and I look forward to sharing the next installment with you soon.



Have a great day.

Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,

Matt

The Suitcase Deadlift and Progressions (Grip Strength Development Series Part 3: )

Hope you have enjoyed the videos so far and found them useful.

Staying in line with deadlift variations for this series, this week I want to look at the suitcase deadlift with you. I have shared the thick bar deadlift hold and the single arm deadlift, which are two very effective movements, but this is one of my personal favourites in grip strength builders. I know some of you may be thinking that the suitcase deadlift and the single arm deadlift are pretty much the same but you are very wrong.

The biggest difference here is the positioning of the bar, rather than having the more comfortable central grip of the single arm deadlift we now have the bar to the side of the body. Straight away the lift becomes more technical and also tests the grip from a whole new angle not to mention a far greater impact on the abs and obliques (awesome way to hit the midsection without a sit up in sight). We are now taking a grip with the thumb pointing forward away from the body. When developing your grip strength it is so important to hit it from all kinds of angles and continuously test it's boundaries through different thumb and forearm placements.

Our aim here is to test the grip and take our hand strength to a new level. However, do not forget this is a technical lift and we do not want to compromise our form for a heavier poundage. Start by really getting the feel for the lift, get your technique right before adding more weight to the bar. Approach this lift just as you would a regular deadlift. Get low, pack the shoulders back, engage the lats, remove slack from the bar, take a deep stomach breath in and rip the bar from the floor BOSH

I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one or nice and heavy singles with 3 minutes between sets.

As a progression, you can either:

- Use Fat Gripz or a thick bar.
- Add a hold at the top (30-60 secs. You may have to reduce the poundage here).

As always, straps are banned, only the use of chalk is allowed. Your grip strength will never get better with the use of straps so ditch em now,man up and get a grip.

Enjoy the video and please get in touch if you have any questions at all. Look forward to your response.



Have a great day,

Matt

My primal journey part 2: by Steven Costello

Progress

So I’ve been living and breathing Paleo for 6 weeks now. The first two weeks were tough … no coffee, carbs, and sugar brought unimaginable mental pain. Remember I loved coffee, carbs and sweet food. But now the Paleo principles are a way of life.

Go heavy or go home

Matt’s prescribed exercise regime was tough (see below). So tough that I nearly cried the first time I did it. It was depressing how weak I was on the pull-ups. I could only manage three! My goal is to torch my belly and build muscle, which means going heavy on the weights. But form is crucial and mine was bad. Personal trainers may be expensive but think of it as an investment rather than a cost … they’ll get you there in half the time. Matt’s plan was right for my body type and he took the time to correct my form.

Freedom to roam

Part of the plan involved becoming a Fitter London Freedom Pass holder which means that I’m now physically and mentally tortured 3 times a week. But the classes are addictive; you’re pushed to the limit in every session, the classes are packed, the music rocks and there’s a great energy in the room. This energy gets you through the pain. And as Matt once said to me, “Pain never killed anyone”.

Matt’s Regime

Mon: Compound

Week 1: 3 x 12 – 15 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 2: 3 x 10 – 12 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 3: 3 x 8 – 10 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 4: 3 x 6 – 8 reps (90 secs rest)

This involves 4 supersets:

1. Incline DB press / dead lift
2. Flat DB press / pull ups
3. Front DB squats / DB row
4. Lunges (DB in each hand) / barbell or DB curls

Tues: Kettlebells for Strength & Bodyweight Conditioning

Weds: Rest

Thurs: Kettlebells - Cardio and Core

Fri: Rest

Sat: Kettlebells for Strength, Size and a Six Pack

Sun: Rest

After 6 weeks of training four times per week I have noticed significant strength gains. I can comfortably do a 32kg double arm swing, shoulder press 20kg on each arm and my recovery times are improving.

Measurements

My body fat dropped from 23.7% to 21% after 3 weeks. I was hoping for more but Keris explained that 0.5-2% a week is the norm. I also dropped 10mm from my waist, which shows that the diet can work in a short amount of time.

The main stumbling block is my belly. It’s still there and doesn’t seem to want to leave my body fast. This points towards high cortisol levels from stress so I’ve been told to make a conscious effort to sleep more, get down time from work, always train early and take magnesium at lunch and in the evening.

I knew this challenge would be tough and it’s at these times that you need to dig deep. Having Matt and Keris is also invaluable in helping me overcome the stumbling blocks.

So a little patience and perseverance is going to be needed. I’m also taking weekly photos and measurements of myself i.e. waist, chest, bicep and quads. Mini results every week is the only motivation I need.

In the next next blog

I’ll explain what supplements I am taking, when and why. I’ll also go into a bit more detail about my diet.

Friday 15/7/11 strength workout.

Had an awesome workout yesterday with my pal Rich. Both managed to pull off some PB's and we left the session buzzin. Here It is:

1) Trigger point therapy and mobility for 15 mins

5 sets of 5 reps using 2-3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2-3 heavy work sets depending on the poundage. We went heavier on our Deadlifts this week so reduced it to 2 work sets, I will go for 3 work sets on that poundage next week. 3 minutes rest between sets and supersets. Supersetted everything except for the Deadlifts.

2) Deadlift

3) bottom position squats
Single arm Dumbell rows using fat Gripz

4) weighted pull ups
Weighted leg lowers

5) finished with a little play on muscle ups and managed our first ones ever :-) it was a proud moment.

Was a great session, give it a try.

If you have any question at all regarding strength training, nutrition or kettlebells please get in touch at matt@fitterlondon.co.uk

Have a great week.