Charleston Kettlebell Club- A Great Combination of Teaching, Practice, and Art
The Charleston Kettlebell Club is carving out a unique niche in strength training. Their small class sizes and personal attention is much more than a mantra. The staff at the Charleston Kettlebell Club are fantastic teachers. Are they fantastic teachers or fantastic trainers? I’m not sure of the correct term, and sometimes a title is only as good as meeting the responsibility that comes with it. So, whether the correct term is teacher or trainer these guys are beast at what they do (current definition of beast = a good monster that is highly skilled vs. past definition of beast = a not so good monster that will eat your face off).
What makes the trainers/teachers at the Charleston Kettlebell Club beast? Well, have you ever studied a crumb? Wait, why would you study a crumb? The point is that these guys will take you on a trip that is “An inch wide and a mile deep.” They’ll tell that during a grind or a ballistic movement every muscle has a responsibility. They will remind you to “Crush your grip” when necessary as if the bell or bar is a part of you. They’ll say, “If you fail, fail with integrity,” and they will add the encapsulating quote, “This is practice.” They are beast because they have made strength training a study in art. They encourage you to do it right and then explore how you can do it more right. Yes, the classes can be physically challenging at times, but the bigger challenge these guys task us with is more mental than physical. They are beast because I don’t leave class wondering if I have enough energy to drive home or if I will be able to lift the fork to my mouth for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but instead I leave class wondering about my engagement, my breathing, my posture, and ultimately my focus. They are beast because they have figured out to train/teach an individual how to explore art through his/her own body.
Artist are always in pursuit of the unfamiliar. The desire to pursue lives because the rises, plateaus, peaks, and even falls have a glimmer of light. What I found fascinating when I joined the Charleston Kettlebell Club and I continue to find fascinating, is that my body always wants to go back and do it again. I have never had to force myself back to the club. My body likes it. It feels stronger where I need it to feel stronger. The kettlebell practice seems to be organic for the human body, and the articulation, technique, and practice is an environment that encourages natural growth. I’ve heard the guys say, “This is your practice.” They invite us to be the artist, and the role they play is to make the pursuit healthy, invigorating, fun, and enlightening.
Rénard Harris is originally from Moss Point, Mississippi. He received his doctorate in Teacher Education from the University of Tennessee. As a professor at the College of Charleston he teaches Social Studies and Middle School Organization and Curriculum. His research interest is exploring people, places, and events through story with a particular interest in marginalized individuals and groups.