We gave it to Hanguk Hard Style!
The second and final day of our Seoul RKC Prep Course went over smashingly. As with any training workshop that's taught in an immersion setting, it's inevitable that you'll see serious jumps in the skill levels of the attendees. From barely swinging 12kg KBs with questionable form to snatching 24kg KBs, it was a pleasure to see once again why the RKC's Hard Style method stands in a class by itself.
While the language barrier certainly didn't facilitate things, it wasn't insurmountable either. We had a couple of people in the audience that were fluent enough to translate accurately, as well as a translator with a physical therapy background.
And once again, I'm thrilled that SrRKC Jon Engum is with me on this trip. This having been his 9th trip to Seoul, his familiarity with the layout of the city, his comfort with Korean culture (manners, food, & some terminology), and his teaching style are great assets to have. He & I teach in ways that fit together perfectly, and the flow between the two of us made the tagteam teaching feel both easy and powerful.
The comments we heard repeatedly right after the workshop from Kettlebell Korea CEO Kenneth Lee were that the participants were simply blown out of the water. They not only learned how to tap into strength that was lying dormant, but also learned a tremendous amount of detail about Functional Movement training and applications for RKC-style kettlebell training in the prevention and rehabilitation of injuries.
Before the workshop started, I took a second to share some of the simplicity and effectiveness of Kalis Ilustrissimo that Prof. Roy Harris taught me with one of the American attendees using sticks to demonstrate. Hunting the hand and hacking the head, I nullified every attack that came in with superior footwork and positioning retirada-style and returned with the salto to the face or neck. The military academy professors were watching carefully.
I also had a chance to get my throw-on with Korean Judo superstar Kim Kyoung-Han. I can't remember all of his titles, but I believe he won the Asian Games and some other major international tournaments. During the lunch break, he showed me one of his favorite combos, and I showed him one of mine. Kim's girlfriend, a champion fitness model, is pictured above perfecting her Press.
Day 2 started with a quick review of the Turkish Get-Up and quickly moved into the Clean, Front Squat (& variations), Press, and Snatch. I took the first 2 for the morning shift, and Jon bat the ball out of the park with the second 2 after lunch.
The Q&A session at the end led to some outstanding questions (ranging from training youngsters and the elderly, differences between kettlebell sport and Hard Style, and training with injuries), which then led to some strong answers.
The wrapup Korean BBQ dinner was absolutely delicious, and with a bit of Baek-Se-Ju to wash it down, we capped a great weekend.
Now, on the morning of our last full day in Seoul, it's almost a bittersweet moment. But it'll be great to be back at home in LA with my family, friends, teachers, students, and patients.
Next on tap... Riverside Kettlebells - April 5th!
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