CK-FMS…So Many WTH's And AHA's To Mention!

This was undoubtedly the most well-spent time and money I've ever doled out on my training career. The CK-FMS or Certified Kettlebell - Functional Movement Specialist workshop was above and beyond what I was expecting (which was pretty high before I went). The combined knowledge, breadth and presentation quality of Brett Jones, MRKC and Gray Cook, RKC was outstanding!

There is really too much to put into words about the weekend, but I will sum up a few of the main takeaways that really hit home for me.

In America, we have traditionally neglected basic movement patterns, thus reinforcing poor movement (i.e. exercise) on top of a dysfunctional body. Why are we training ourselves and others through pain and immobility? Because that's just what we do! We don't know any better! Well, the CK-FMS has provided the tools to reprogram basic movement function, eliminate the bugs in our motor program and correct the nasty asymmetries we tend to compensate for that WILL lead to future injur(ies).

If we step back in time between our birth to 18 months of life, we see all the basic motor movement patterns displayed in perfect and beautiful harmony. From raising the head for the first time, to rolling over, to crawling, squatting, dead lifting and walking….it's all there! And all this with a giant noggin atop a miniature body with almost no musculature. Kind of miraculous when you think about it.

The Functional Movement Screen is such a good compliment to the RKC system as it's a no-frills, objective, quantifiable test that lights up a person's mobility and stability strengths and weaknesses. The approach of using kettlebells to correct asymmetries and poor movement patterns is an amazing concept which was immediately applicable in myself and my clients as soon as I got home.

I'm still in process of digesting the weekend, but one of the coolest things about this event and the RKC certification I went to in Oct. 07 is the community of people who are drawn to this way of life and school of thought. The camaraderie and relationships built during the process are worth the price of admission alone. I met so many people in the kettlebell community who I consider mentors and inspirations…RKC's, RKC II's, Senior RKC's, Master RKC's and the man himself, Pavel. I've only read about many of these people, visited their websites and blogs, seen their videos and purchased their products and now we're all in the same boat….coming together to learn and collaborate how to be better at what we do. It was truly an awesome experience and I will remember this weekend for the rest of my life!