WHAT THE KETTLE PRT MEANS TO ME

In building a community, there is a common ground upon which we gather.  The KETTLE PRT draws out our inner athlete but also pulls people together who share something deeper than fitness.  The nature of the competition may appear extraordinarily challenging for some—and this is no accident.  I can’t tell you how many people I have approached to participate who legitimately laugh out loud at the hilarious notion they could ever do such a thing.  For one, I would only ask someone who I see is ready to light that spark inside, who may not realize how strong they are, who deserves to stand in their power and become their OWN source of inspiration.  That shows up more often and in more people than one might think...at least for me.  

Some continue to laugh, some are simply not interested, and some choose to “Rise to the Occasion”.  I wrote these words on the home page of our website, because this is the truth of what the KETTLE PRT asks of you.  There will always only be person who “wins” first place; and there will always be someone who comes in “last”.  But these are mere details of what is really occurring at our event.  Every person who sets foot into that room has chosen to rise.  Chosen to be better at something than they were before.  Chosen to be motivated and challenged and not give up on themselves because they once felt they weren’t going to be “good enough”. (That feeling, ugh, the bane of our human existence!)  The PRT tells each and every athlete that their best is always enough and deserves to be evoked, praised, illuminated.

The ebb and flow of growing a community can sometimes leave me questioning whether I am doing the right thing…whether my energy is worth the immense effort it takes to coordinate so many people, manage constant growing pains of a website, maintain interaction of the community, and simply pull off the competition itself.  With anything there are ups and downs, and when the business of the PRT faces issues, I can get lost in the fear.  But each event, when the room begins to fill with palpable excitement, laughter, and nerves, all doubts fade away.  I am exhilarated.  I am humbled.  I am reminded why I am here, why we are all here.  We are rising to the occasion to be inspired and in that, to inspire one another. 

There is an undeniable lift in a room when everyone shares an energy that is motivated, excited, playful.  My faith is continually restored by this powerful community as I see the heart of the PRT reflected back to me.  Forming the PRT has invited me to lead in ways that have not been entirely comfortable; and in parallel, the competition invites others to do the same.  We are being tested, not just to be strong, but to be resilient, supportive, inspiring, motivating.  We are stepping up to witness something greater of ourselves.   Each person certainly shines brightly on their own—but you ask anyone in that room, and they will tell you, they shine brighter together.  The support of a community helps us achieve even more than we could or would do separately.  The nature of the PRT draws us into this collective, providing a greater source of energy to tap into and rise higher than we ever expected.  I haven’t done the math, but when I have witnessed every single person in a room PR (achieve a new personal record) in every single PRT event, I pay homage to its truth.  The bigger the dream, the bigger a community I need to support it.

I tear up multiple times each event, without fail, awestruck by the purity of perseverance.  When everything else falls away, the core of each person and what they are willing to give is absolutely breathtaking.  I am humbled to witness the transformation that takes place at the PRT.  To see a room full humans celebrate themselves simply for who they are and how proud they are to be that person, I am restored.  Everyone in that room is a leader by design and if I can help them see even the smallest fragment of their power, the PRT has succeeded its mission. 

Embracing the Messy

My thoughts can often splash onto open canvas like the artwork of a 4 year old, newly introduced to finger paint.  To avoid storytelling tangents, I’ve separated the message I received and wish to share from the personal obstacle in which life presented this opportunity.  Both are important to me, as sharing a very mundane experience is hardly a story; but when genuinely, wholly present, I can touch much deeper meanings as to why I am pulling this experience into my awareness.  Like many adults, lessons learned (and believed) are not rooted in “my way” unless they are experienced.  To consciously seek a lesson from the simplest of encounters is the all-encompassing insight I hope to inspire.  Here is what I came up with…

The Message:

I teach for a living.  It is so ingrained in my being that I can often get lost in this role.  I approach each day, armed with knowledge that I cannot wait to share.  While this is a beautiful thing, it can also trick into a pattern of missed opportunities.  The truth is, I am both teacher and the student, at all times, simultaneously.  I feel this about my work, but to live it is something very different.  It involves a conscious effort to escape the walls of any title, role, and wall of expectation on how I should be.  In reality, especially as a fully capable adult, no matter what relation I have to a person or entity, the walls are ones that I have built all on my own.  In that, they are solely mine to tear down.  That level of responsibility is the very core of awareness, and with full acceptance there is infinite joy.

As kids, we are constantly reminded how much we have to learn and grow, by school structure, parents, teachers, and even our physical size.  There is no question in our mind whether we “know it all” because there is an inherent understanding that we do not.  We are in perpetual studentship until at least the age of 18.  As I get lost in this place called adulthood, almost out of rebellion to academia and authoritarian figures, I began regulating where and when I was willing to learn anything at all.  I may take on new work or enroll in a class here or there; but this is just a microcosm of the lessons trying to reach me, constrained by the limits of my own coarsened mind.  Softening these walls takes heaps of patience, unyielding compassion, and at all costs, humor.  Part of my growth as a conscious human is to remember how seriously fun it is to learn new things and to expand how that looks. 

As adults, we can forget that we still do not have all the answers nor do we need them.  I personally find people more likeable when they are revealing to whatever so-called vulnerabilities.  It is called authenticity.  I am the first to admit I have patterns of behavior that are holding me back, avoiding vulnerability--like being caught in a detrimental brain-loop that weaves inauthenticity, filtering over every thought and action to some degree.  The difficulty is how to identify these patterns.  When I am “in the loop”, I cannot see what is the self-inflicted pressure and what is my truth.  In the quiet, it becomes clear how I want to approach each day--waking up with that starry-eyed, child-like knowing that I will learn something new and magnificent, especially from the muddiest parts of my day.   I am choosing to enroll as a student of Life, in which every day is a master class and every moment, a lesson.

In a world where I play teacher all day (as a trainer, wellness coach, nutrition counselor, etc.), I have to be creative in how this occurs.  I am not sitting as pupil with the structure of a time and place that the learning will be done.  The transmissions are happening constantly—in the disagreement with my partner, the discussion with a colleague, the unraveling stories shared by friends and clients.  Every person and encounter in my awareness is, in truth, a teacher I have asked to be here.  Where I expect to learn the least, whether because of judgement or utter oblivion, often holds my greatest soul instruction.  I am not necessarily going to gain knowledge from the surface delivery of a person’s words or viewpoints.  What I am looking for is how I feel, how my mind and body react, how I face this reaction, and what it means to me.   The insight is gained by approaching each interaction with curiosity, a child-like wonderment to how I can grow right now, right here…and then here…and now over here.  How beautiful it is to enter into each conversation with a willingness to learn something.  It is how we find joy even amidst the suffering.

And so back to the all-encompassing truth…learning and growing is the core of human experience and does not end after childhood.  The very nature of this tells us that we have room to grow, always; that we are not expected to behave perfectly; that we have a continual opportunity in every single, precious moment to become better.   When I am not looking forward to something in my calendar, I can rest assured, it will bring with it something instrumental to my growth…as long as I am listening.   

The Experience:

In this exact moment, I am bordering on a concussion after slamming my head into a very immobile, steel rod; which incidentally presented a very interesting space for me to learn something as well as relay it.  I am mixing up letters and writing a few things backwards, but with slow, gentleness, I am finding my way back to normalcy.

Immediately upon collision, I fell back into the pain and consciously witnessed the beginnings of my body’s patterned reaction:

• ·         Pain at point of contact
• ·         Tears welling-being fought down-welling up again
• ·         Victimhood-hoping someone asks if I’m OK and maybe dotes a little (and further into the victimhood spiral, if not!)
• ·         Body armor-saying I’m fine when I really don’t feel fine but wanting to appear tough (which in reality, is still part of the victimhood game)
• ·         Fear-that I might have really hurt myself, that I won’t be able to complete my day as planned.

The reaction that flashed all of these thoughts were clearly my body’s patterned faceoff to pain, whether physical or emotional.  It being such a minor injury, it was a perfect opportunity to witness the thoughts and not feed them.   (I will attest to emotional opportunities being far more difficult to navigate but also, very powerful teaching tools).  In the throw of reaction I asked to shift my perception of the present situation.  I have been here before.  Those of you who know me are not surprised that I have rammed my head into a blunt object! But how can I do it differently?  How can I unwind this unconscious reactivity to go into a well-processed responsiveness?  Instead of being flooded by the emotions the trigger activated, I sat quietly, breathed slowly, and allowed every thought and feeling to arrive.  With all unfavorable situations, there’s the initial shock, no matter how big or small.  The thing that triggers is often arbitrary.  In this case it was a literal rattling to my brain but it is more often someone’s words or actions that leave my feathers ruffled. 

The awareness practice is to pay attention to how I am being triggered not what triggered me—how it pings, pokes, jabs, or guts—and to lean into that mess with open arms.  This desire to find peace in the pain is the gateway to softening.  The usual reaction, the tensing into my own well-established body armor, is just a loop within the pattern I am trying to escape.  While it is apparent my head hurts, the deeper awareness is to feel everywhere that is reacting, physically and emotionally—to be with the nauseous stomach, twitching eye, shaking hands; to honor the victimhood emotions rather than stuff them down or spew them out; to gently observe my thoughts without judgement and also transmute them out of the fear and insecurity from which they arose.

If I’m really listening, I am being required to slow down.  Literally, I need to slow down so I don’t run into things!  On a shamanic level, I am seeking guidance from any and all things that enter my field of awareness; and must slow down to appreciate the simple truth that magic is in happening every moment.  I am fully responsible for pulling any incident into my field of awareness, accident or not.  In being a witness to my experience, situations are no longer “happening to me” but “happening for me”.  

When I allow the undesirable thoughts to show themselves, I can actually watch the loop rather than participate with it.  I become a student to the moment.  I am accepting myself in this conditioned-response, although I want to change it.  To fully and inwardly acknowledge my reaction, no matter how childish it feels, is the first step to making that change possible.  Emotions are like waves that rise and fall, and if I wait them out, the water eventually stills.  I am OK.  I am held in this space of my own awareness.  And when my awareness is a pure field of love and acceptance, I don’t have to search for the silver lining.  Everything I require has already arrived.  

How I Improved my Barbell Deadlift with Kettlebell Training

by Katie Petersen on July 8, 2015

 

I like a lot of different exercises, but my all time favorite is the deadlift. I think it is one of the best movements for building overall strength. The most weight you’ll ever move or transfer through your body happens in a deadlift. The sheer power, strength and pride of deadlifting can be intoxicating!
I am not a powerlifter, but like many of us, I want to be as strong as possible. Since “strong” only shows up when we are mentally and physically connected, how do we get there? We must learn (and continue relearning) proper technique—then practice it a lot. I often want to do EVERYTHING I can to work towards my goal, so I will read books, watch videos, and test numerous techniques and programs. I have even had the great fortune of working with world-renowned strength coach, Marty Gallagher. But, the RKC system has yet another “trick” you can use to continually make progress. Implementing a practice of the RKC-I and RKC-II skills will not only improve your work with kettlebells, but will also fortify your strength and awareness in heavy barbell grinds like deadlifts.  I want to share my story of how setting specific goals, adhering to a dedicated program, and working from an RKC foundation can skyrocket your strength in any lift.
The Beginning
My deadlift day is Monday—I look forward to it, fear it, and plan to conquer it every week. This obsession began on January 1, 2014 when the deadlift first challenged me to be better, stronger, and most importantly, smarter.
A few months before, I had started a 10-week program with a 1RM goal of 250lbs. I don’t know what my true max was at the time, but I had never lifted more than 225lb (I could achieve 2 or 3 reps at this weight). I had been deadlifting for years, so this wasn’t an absolute beginning. But until now, I hadn’t stuck to a specific program, I mostly practiced the method of “go heavier next week”. It wasn’t until Rob Miller introduced me to an Ed Coan 10-week protocol, that I found myself finally sticking to a plan. I loved and needed the structure.
Seven weeks later I was supposed to hit 235lb x 2, which seemed impossible even for 1 rep. I tried it on New Year’s Day, so I was a little hungover, tired, and a little less inhibited. If it didn’t go up, I could chalk it up to not being rested. This took away some of the pressure, and I stopped seeing failure just as negative feedback. I confidently gave the 235lb lift everything I had…and failed, but it MOVED.
Everything changed in this moment—and I was determined to lift that weight. My body told me that I had the strength. I walked away for 5 minutes, thinking, “You are stronger than this; break that bar in half; pack your shoulders and jump off the ground! Crack your hips through that bar like it’s the heaviest kettlebell you’ve ever swung!”
As I stepped to the bar this time, I vividly pictured a dramatic life-or-death situation like being trapped under a car. This fear became an opportunity for courage, and better yet, POWER. It was survival! While this might sound extreme, it worked. (Now my set up includes the following visualization: While I lock into the bar, I concentrate inside my body, seeing every vector pull into alignment. I coil every space between the muscle fibers tighter and tighter until I am busting at the seams with potential energy.) That day, after one last huge inhale, I drove my feet into the ground then I exploded upward with focused intention. The 235lb flew upwards for 2 reps with no problem. I got 240 that day and walked away proud. Then things got serious.
I realized there was more missing from my routine than just a super solid deadlifting program. I needed to call on my RKC training in the same systematic way for my strength to flourish.
The RKC Connection…
Double kettlebell front squats are an obvious choice for leg strength; but holding heavy kettlebells in the rack also forces a major flexed lat/stabilized shoulder position. You won’t get this same upper back/shoulder work with a barbell squat. As most of you know, the lower you go—and the heavier the weight—double front squats make your abs very sore.  But this will soon improve how much force your core can transfer in any “ground-up” lift like the deadlift.
The strict pull-up, as taught in the RKC-II, maintains a braced core (hollow ab/neutral pelvis) while the load on the lats increases through the pull.  These mechanics reinforce the same lat/ab tension line that must be sustained in every deadlift rep.
One of my favorite tools, the Turkish get-up, unlocks an insane amount of body awareness. It harnesses shoulder stability by drawing on total uninterrupted lat tension—also needed for the deadlift. Plus all the overhead kettlebell movements help cement the packed shoulder position—overhead walks, presses, windmills, snatches—and they bolster a steel-pillared core that can act like a rip cord when necessary. Speaking of rip cord, snatches, double snatches, and swings continue to challenge explosive capabilities (while developing lat strength and control).
While these kettlebell movements were in my workouts, I had not defined any real goals for them in a while. It was clear that kettlebells were reinforcing my barbell movements, so increasing the load with my kettlebell exercises should help add weight to my deadlift.
I decided to work on the following kettlebell goals for the next 10 months:
Max out:
Iron Maiden: 24kg 1-Arm press, 1RM
24kg Pull up, 1RM
24kg Pistol squat, 1RM
32kg Turkish get-up, 1RM
275lb Deadlift, 1 RM
Volume:
24kg Double kettlebell front squats, 8 reps
Strict pull-ups, 10 reps @ bodyweight
20kg Snatch, 100 reps under 10min/gain control of 24kg snatch
I did not plan to attack all these goals at once, but some of the movements worked well with my current deadlift routine, so I added the following 3x/week (my bodyweight @132lbs):
Day 1
Rounds x Reps
5 x 1 Get-up, R/L, 24kg
5 x 10 1-Arm swings, R/L, 20-24kg
Day 3
5 x 1 Get-up – 20kg
5 x 10 Kettlebell snatches R/L, 18-20kg
Day 5
1 x 3 get-ups R/L (consecutive), 16kg; 2×2 get-ups R/L (consecutive), 20kg; 2×1 get-ups, 24kg
5 x 10- Two-arm swings, 32kg

The Journey

Practicing a new deadlift stance at the Purposefully Primitive workshop, March 2014

I successfully completed the last 3 weeks of my deadlift program with addition of the above kettlebell routine. The next “cycle” was several weeks of higher volume but lighter weight deadlifting while building up my presses, pull-ups, and front squats. I waited to start my next deadlifting cycle until after Dragon Door’s Purposefully Primitive workshop that March which was a unique opportunity to work with Marty Gallagher, one of the world’s greatest lifting coaches.
My plan was not perfect and underwent many changes. I reignited the original 10-week Ed Coan program with a new 1RM goal, smarter technique, and a kettlebell strategy. Setting goals across the board kept me committed and focused all week long, not just on deadlift day. I am happy to say I surpassed all of the goals listed and am setting new ones. In fact, I was able to perform a 1 arm press and strict pull up with the 26kg kettlebell just a few days before writing this!
With more aggressive goals in any lifting modality, you may need to recast the numbers from time to time. I consulted with Marty this past May and am now working toward a 340lb deadlift with his plan. While I am making my weights each week, 340lb is still a relatively terrifying number! If I miss any of my upcoming weekly goals, I may have to lower the outcome goal to 330 or 325lbs, but this is just part of the journey. With a set framework and a measurable goal, you are far more likely to continue making genuine progress.
While this blog post centers on the deadlift, integrating the RKC system into your workouts will increase your strength in all of your lifts. Combine RKC skills with a sound, goal-based training program, and you will unlock a new world of strength potential. The journey becomes less about the lifts and more about the power we learn to access.

Katie practices new cues from Marty Gallagher; warming up with 225lbs for 6 reps:

https://youtu.be/xrHeZLS-o90

***

Katie Petersen is an RKC Team Leader, PCC Instructor, and also holds nutrition/training certifications with Poliquin, Precision Nutrition, and NASM.  She owns Active Evolution, a successful training and nutrition counseling business in Chicago, working with both online and local clients.  Katie also has a niche clientele of fitness competitors (bodybuilding, bikini, figure), as she has several years experience as an nationally ranked NPC Figure Athlete.  For online or personal training, visit her website, www.activeevolution.net or email Katie directly at petersenkatie1@gmail.com. Subscribe to her YouTube channels, Katie Petersen RKC and We Train Chicago to follow her training videos and tips.

Double Snatch

Turkish Get Up...practice your technique!

10min BLAST w/a Kettlebell Ladder

Katie Petersen 44kg(96lbs) Swing