On today’s episode of Vital Metabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Marcus Martinez, Master kettlebell coach for Kettlebell Kings and highly experienced kettlebell trainer. Marcus is a trainer who specializes in kettlebells and kettlebell flow. Marcus speaks about what brought him to kettlebells, how he uses them in training, and why he prefers to stick to a vegan diet.

Episode Highlights: 

• 4:25 - John reads a quick bio for Marcus.
• 5:40 - When did you pick up your first kettlebell and what was your experience like?
• 7:40 - When Marcus started using kettlebells in 2006, there was not much information online to help him learn how to train with them.
• 9:10 - Did you do any other strength and conditioning in your life prior to kettlebells?
• 12:40 - Do your foundations come from the hard-style work?
• 15:10 - How do you apply general principles, or more specific principles, with the thought of sport or just daily life in mind?
• 18:45 - What are some exercises that get us out of the sagittal plane and more into the transverse and frontal planes?
• 24:40 - Marcus’ main reason for starting his Instagram was to show kettlebell exercises and what all is possible with the kettlebell.
• 25:55 - Marcus always makes sure he uses a weight that is significant in a way that is taxing for him.
• 29:00 - Can you explain the difference between a chain, a complex, and a flow?
• 31:20 - Marcus speaks about his experience with Olympic lifting.
• 34:30 - In the classes you teach, do people often have goals? How do you work with those?
• 37:22 - For Marcus, kettlebell flow is a way to play, which helps him mentally and makes it a very different experience.
• 39:30 - Marcus also speaks about how kettlebells help him with grip training.
• 41:30 - Marcus speaks about his diet and being largely plant based.
• 43:30 - For Marcus, being (mostly) vegan has helped him to feel his best.
• 45:13 - Marcus speaks about what his meals look like and his balance of macronutrients.
• 47:17 - The group discusses low-carb diets and why they do and don’t work for different people.
• 50:00 - Marcus answers some rapid-fire questions.
• 53:00 - Marcus tells listeners where to find his courses and follow him on social media.

3 Key Points:

1. Kettlebell flow allows you to move in ways that you wouldn’t necessarily plan.
2. Kettlebell flow can be a way to “play” and make exercise a different type of experience.
3. Diet plays a significant part in your overall health, and it’s important to get the right macronutrients..

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “As soon as you pick up a kettlebell, you realize just the unique anatomy of the bell, how different it is from anything else.” -Marcus Martinez
• “You need to become the expert on you.” -Marcus Martinez

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya
• Marcus: YouTube Instagram Facebook The Kettlebell Difference Living.Fit

On today’s episode of Vital Metabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with kettlebell trainer Jeff Sokol. Jeff speaks about his history growing up in a very small town, the path that brought him to coaching, the importance of a sense of community, and the healing power of being in nature. 

Episode Highlights: 

• 6:10 - What is up with your training and philosophy and how has it changed over time?
• 9:30 - Jeff speaks about his history growing up with parents who were loggers and put low emphasis on education.
• 11:20 - Jeff played football and baseball growing up, but his coaches did not focus much on training.
• 12:34 - Where did you grow up in Washington?
• 14:05 - Was your military experience the driver behind you becoming a coach? How did you get into strength and conditioning?
• 16:30 - The night before he started in the military, Jeff actually spent the night in jail after breaking a table at his mother’s house.
• 18:00 - Jeff talks about the different places he lived while in the military, including Alaska.
• 21:50 - Jeff speaks about how his job with the stage agency made him realize that he needed to make some changes.
• 23:25 - Finding the right coach (Andrea) who helped him perfect the basics is what got him to change his path.
• 24:12 - What got you to start teaching?
• 31:00 - Jeff’s passion built small and started to grow more slowly and organically.
• 33:10 - Jeff speaks about the healing process he went through as he learned to become a coach.
• 38:20 - Are you mostly doing group classes or one-on-one? What is the business currently like?
• 38:50 - During the week, Jeff prefers teaching one-on-one or small group classes instead of large groups.
• 40:00 - Does your training mostly include kettlebells or is it a mixture of modalities?
• 41:40 - How do you get your clients to buy into being stronger?
• 44:00 - Jeff believes that the main focus of coaching should be community, and quality is more important than quantity with his clients.
• 46:40 - Because you love hiking, how do you put hiking in your program and what it means to you?
• 49:00 - The group discusses the healing that can take place while in nature.
• 51:00 - John and James take turns asking Jeff rapid-fire questions.
• 54:15 - Jeff speaks about Sokol strong tv and other places listeners can find him online.

3 Key Points:

1. Jeff did not grow up with a strong passion for coaching or training, he found it later on.
2. Learning to train others was a very healing process for Jeff.
3. With clients, a sense of community is very important.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “There was nothing in my early days that led me to my coaching career. Like, zero.” -Jeff Sokol
• “I was healing as I was coaching and trying to become a coach.” -Jeff Sokol
• “It is hands down my happiest place to be. It is, It’s just, out there, taking a walk in nature.” - Jeff Sokol

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya
• Jeff: Instagram Website Facebook YouTube Sokol strong tv

On today’s episode of Vital Metabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Zen Master Bon JPC, an ordained Buddhist monk, who believes in humanity and the power of human happiness. Zen Master Bon JPC speaks about mentorship and his path to becoming a monk, the power of mindfulness and meditation, and the value of compassion and love in the human experience.

Episode Highlights: 

• 3:40 - John reads a short bio for Zen Master Bon JPC.
• 6:30 - What is your motivation for drawing mandalas on the sand, knowing that the tide will come wash them away?
• 9:00 - You first studied to be a Baptist minister, you were a policeman, you were in the Navy and National Guard, how did you become a Buddhist monk?
• 10:50 - He was tired of catching people at the end, he wanted to help people at the beginning.
• 12:50 - Zen Master Bon JPC’s mentor was the one who originally recommended he become a monk.
• 13:20 - What does it look like for a layperson to become ordained? What is the process?
• 15:00 - Zen Master Bon JPC prefers the path with a mentor and guidance, even though it takes longer.
• 17:50 - Zen Master Bon JPC talks about finding his mentor in an airport and learning about the Bon lineage.
• 20:00 - Can you talk more about the sects of Buddhism and how Zen actually started?
• 21:29 - The Zen was more of the Japanese style of meditation.
• 24:15 - Are there certain rules you have to follow in regards to nutrition?
• 24:25 - Other than Tibetan monks, most Buddhists work with “suggestions” instead of “rules.”
• 27:10 - What is your nutrition and lifestyle like?
• 27:20 - Zen Master Bon JPC discusses his dietary preferences and the types of food he typically eats.
• 32:00 - What did your meditation practice look like when you were being ordained, and what does it look like now?
• 34:30 - Zen Master Bon JPC has found that it is best to incorporate his meditation into the things he does in his daily life.
• 36:44 - He also has dedicated meditation times.
• 38:27 - What are some core principles you are trying to instill in the community right now? How can we get better together and individually?
• 40:40 - Become the best version of yourself by sharing compassion and patience.
• 45:45 - Zen Master Bon JPC talks about ways he can find peace with all that has happened recently.
• 47:30 - John comments on how just speaking with Zen Master Bon JPC has calmed his mind and body.
• 49:30 - What are some actionable tips that may help the average person searching for inner peace?
• 51:40 - Look at your space and environment and see what you can let go to simplify your life.
• 57:00 - Zen Master Bon JPC explains where listeners can find him online.

3 Key Points:

1. Most Buddhists work with “suggestions” and not hard-set rules.
2. Meditation can be incorporated into your daily routine, in the shower, making coffee, etc.
3. The power of meditation and mindfulness is what helps us through uncertainty.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Good or bad, whatever we’re feeling, it will pass.” -Zen Master Bon JPC
• “I didn’t go into Buddhism to be a monk, I went into it to discover me.” -Zen Master Bon JPC
• “I was diagnosed with bipolar depression, and I haven’t taken medication in 15 years.” -Zen Master Bon JPC
• “This is all about the human experience.” -Zen Master Bon JPC
• “At the end of the day, I have to believe that within us is truly a place of love.” -Zen Master Bon JPC
• “Buddhists believe everyone is Buddhist, they just haven’t discovered it yet.” -Zen Master Bon JPC

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya
• Zen Master Bon JPC: Facebook Website Instagram Meditations
• [email protected] 

On today’s episode of Vital Metabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Paul Wolkowinski, an Indian Club specialist and owner of Indian Clubs and How to Use Them as well as Indian Clubs Academy, who helps others learn how to train and strengthen using Indian Clubs. Paul explains the history and culture behind Indian Club practice, the different types of Clubs, how he formulates his own workouts, and the physical and mental benefits of training with Indian Clubs.

Episode Highlights: 

• 6:00 - Paul talks about what first got him started using Indian Clubs.
• 11:20 - Paul talks about how he expanded his range of movements using Indian Clubs.
• 15:30 - After learning many different patterns and routines, Paul continued to build complexity using the Clubs.
• 17:30 - Paul usually started with lighter clubs that are longer before increasing the weight.
• 19:20 - John asks about the history of Indian Clubs.
• 22:00 - Paul also talks about the history of Gadas and practices with them.
• 23:51 - Paul talks about Jori Clubs and their cultural use.
• 26:15 - Paul explains proper posturing when using a Gada.
• 32:00 - Paul discusses the pros and cons of using a longer mace.
• 34:55 - Can you tell us about your exercise routine now?
• 35:10 - Paul explains how his diagnosis of prostate cancer changed the way he trains.
• 39:20 - In the last 3 years, Paul has set the goal of complexity with his patterns, and exploring new ways to teach.
• 40:45 - Paul tries to do 1 hour long workouts.
• 41:46 - When cycling, Paul started to find that his legs would get stuck, but an electric bike helped.
• 42:40 - Indian Club patterns not only help your body physically, but also have benefits for your mental health.
• 44:00 - Many people use grips that are too tight when using Indian Clubs.
• 48:40 - Paul explains an exercise that even people who aren’t trained in Indian Clubs can practice.
• 51:30 - You can find videos for Indian Club training on Paul’s YouTube channel.
• 54:10 - Clubs swing to a beat and lighter clubs swing faster than heavier ones.
• 57:10 - Paul tells listeners where they can find his resources and connect with him.

3 Key Points:

1. There are different sizes with Indian Clubs, and Paul recommends starting with lower weight and longer length.
2. Indian Club training helps keep you young physically and mentally.
3. You can find videos for Indian Club training on Paul’s YouTube channel.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “I’m having to literally day by day look at what I’m like physically and try and read my body as much as I possibly can.” -Paul Wolkowinski
• “The first thing that they [Indian Clubs] produce is alertness.” -Paul Wolkowinski

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya
• Paul: Instagram YouTube Indian Clubs Academy Indian Clubs and How to Use Them

In today’s episode of Vital Metabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Jenn Malecha, certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) practitioner, personal trainer, master transformational coach, and business mentor for FDNs. Jenn discusses how to personalize virtual training, setting boundaries with clients, overall tips for being healthy, and how she coaches others with her business.

Episode Highlights: 

• 5:20 - What is new in your world post Covid?
• 8:20 - What is the line between being virtual and in-person? Is the line less than it used to be?
• 8:45 - There is a way to create a personal experience in a virtual world.
• 11:00 - Creating personalized virtual trainings is an art and takes practice.
• 14:00 - Jenn uses multiple ways to contact her clients and potential clients, including email, call, and text.
• 16:15 - Jenn uses Biochanic with her clients to create custom trackers to send messages to clients.
• 18:11 - How do you work with coaches on creating boundaries?
• 19:40 - Just like you need structure in your workout routine, you need structure in your boundaries.
• 21:45 - When you let policies slide with certain clients, you aren’t doing either of you any favors.
• 22:45 - Know what you will do and know what you will not do.
• 26:15 - If you are a coach, remember that your time is valuable.
• 32:00 - Jenn talks about her past medical struggles, including skin cancer, mold toxicity, and Hashimoto’s.
• 37:00 - When you are too stressed, it’s better to stick to low intensity exercises while you get everything back to normal.
• 41:00 - There is more to being healthy than just sleep, diet, and exercise.
• 42:20 - Don’t try to willpower yourself out of a bad strategy.
• 43:49 - If you are trying to get rid of body fat it’s better to chip away at it over time.
• 45:35 - Jenn talks about the foundations for supplements.
• 50:20 - Eating organ meat can be very beneficial.
• 52:00 - Jenn talks about her business and how she does her business coaching.

3 Key Points:

1. As a coach, you need to have clear boundaries with your clients.
2. Low intensity exercises are more beneficial when you are in a state of stress.
3. Minerals are important to consider when taking supplements.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “In order to perform at a higher level physically, you need structure to your workout routine in order to accomplish the goals that you want.” -Jenn Malecha
• “Healthy is a way of being, not just doing.” -Jenn Malecha
• “In business and marketing, your success is based off of targeting 4% of the market.” -Jenn Malecha

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya
• Jenn: Website Instagram Facebook
• Jenn’s email: [email protected]

On today’s episode of Vital Marabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with the Biohacker Babes, Lauren Sambataro and Renee Belz, sisters who share a strong passion and drive for wellness and to discover our bodies through the world of biohacking. Lauren and Renee start by talking to listeners about biological dentistry before transitioning into metabolic diets, flexibility, and how they incorporate biohacking into their daily lives.

Episode Highlights: 

• 5:30 - Lauren and Renee grew up dancing ballet
• 6:30 - Can you explain what a holistic/biological dentist is?
• 8:20 - Is oil pulling an example of the type of holistic oral care people should be doing?
• 9:45 - Many fillings used currently contain high levels of mercury and it can be dangerous to drill back into them. Silver fillings are actually 50% mercury.
• 10:30 - Renee shares how her dad got into biological dentistry.
• 12:30 - What is your take on dentists going to “primitive” cultures and analyzing their jaw structures, diets, etc.
• 13:00 - Once we introduced flour and sugar into our diets, it started to actually change people’s jaw structures.
• 15:30 - There is research that looks into your genetic lineage to determine which types of macronutrients should be on your plate.
• 16:10 - Renee noticed working with her dad that many vegans and vegetarians had severe dental decay.
• 18:45 - Lauren explains what metabolic typing looks like.
• 20:25 - How do we help people look at their diet objectively?
• 20:50 - Renee likes to focus on fixing what people eat for breakfast before looking at anything else.
• 23:00 - How does fixing the breakfast come into play and do you recommend fasting?
• 25:15 - You need to know how to eat before you start to practice fasting.
• 25:50 - What do you know abou research relating to thyroid hormone?
• 30:15 - Lauren and Renee talk about their background as dancers.
• 34:45 - Did the ballet practice lead into other forms of dance?
• 35:20 - How long were the dance practices?
• 36:20 - How was the transition from being in the dance studio to fitness the way other people think of it?
• 40:10 - Lauren talks about flexibility and movement, and how she always feels the need to be moving.
• 41:19 - Renee talks about how she includes mobility and flexibility into her routines.
• 42:45 - What does daily biohacking look like for you and is it something that is accessible for everyone?
• 47:00 - Getting more time outside in sunlight is an easy thing most people can do.
• 51:10 - Everyone tells their favorite biohacking tips.

3 Key Points:

1. As our diets have included more flour and sugar over time, it has changed our physiology.
2. Metabolic typing can help people determine the best diet for them.
3. Biohacking comes on a spectrum, but it can be accessible to everyone.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “You can see so much nutrition right in your face.” -Lauren Sambataro
• “Let’s take a step back and try to find that healthy balance again.” -Renee Belz
• “We are meant to be outside. We’re meant to see sunshine. We’re meant to connect with the ground.” -Lauren Sambataro
• “I think the world, at large, does not take enough deep breaths.” - Lauren Sambataro
• “Think about all the toxins you can release through sweat. So, just find a way to sweat every day.” -Renee Belz

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel, code: vital20 for 20% off
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya, 20% off during lockdown with pre-orders
• Biohacker Babes: Website Facebook
• Renee: Website Instagram
• Lauren: Website Instagram

During this episode of Vital Metalibic, our hosts talk with Brendan Vermeire. Brendan is a functional medicine consultant, clinical researcher, board certified holistic health practitioner, master nutrition coach, master personal trainer, a USAW sports performance coach, and crossfit certified trainer. Brendan is the owner and CEO at Metabolic Solutions, LLC. Brendan discusses the physiology behind mental health, the correlation between gut health and mental health, and spirituality.

Episode Highlights: 

• 9:00 - What has your life been like? How did you get started and get to where you are now?
• 10:40 - How far into becoming a Navy Seal were you when you got injured and had to be discharged?
• 12:55 - Did you know you had a hernia going in?
• 14:40 - Brendan talks about his experience with depression and mental health awareness.
• 17:00 - Brendan talks about depression as a symptom of other underlying conditions.
• 18:15 - Brendan likes to focus on physiology instead of psychiatry. 
• 20:55 - Brendan has some hope about psychedelics being used professionally to treat depression and other mental health disorders.
• 24:10 - It can take about 20 years for the negative side effects of medication to come to light with the general population. 
• 27:40 - Brendan mentions how we need to change how we are living as a species if we want to continue thriving.
• 29:45 - Life expectancy for humans is going down, for the first time in recorded history.
• 30:20 - Do you see this as a systemic, top to bottom issue?
• 32:00 - John talks about organic vs non-organic food and its possible effects on health and digestion.
• 35:00 - People weren’t able to predict the rise in chronic conditions while we were trying to make life more comfortable.
• 36:30 - It’s also important to consider the collective healthcare implications from the chronic conditions that we are dealing with.
• 38:45 - Why can’t people stop eating certain foods? Are things like depression a symptom or a cause?
• 40:00 - Brendan talks about how highly processed foods are made to seduce our senses and provide instant gratification.
• 42:15 - How do we “wake up?”
• 47:20 - Brendan talks about some baseline, natural supplements that he recommends to his clients.
• 54:30 - Brendan talks about the pros and cons of super-physiological doses of supplements.
• 56:00 - Brendan believes that everyone should take a quality multi-vitamin.
• 57:00 - Is a whole foods paleo-based diet a good starting place for most people?
• 1:00:00 - Our obsession with the human physique is not really natural, and it’s probably not very healthy.
• 1:01:55 - Brendan talks about his company, Metabolic Solutions LLC.

3 Key Points:

1. Be wary of taking medications that you don’t need; sometimes dietary changes are all you need.
2. If you’re not happy with your life, take a look at your belief system.
3. Gut health is the foundation for the rest of your physiology.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “I don’t think ignorance is bliss anymore. I think it used to be.” -Brendan Vermeire
• “We used to be such an intuitive species, and we were connected to the higher vibrations and frequencies. Now we’re just so egocentric and disconnected.” -Brendan Vermeire
• “I would really say that gut health is going to be the foundation of the rest of your physiology.” -Brendan Vermeire
• “How many ways can we overcomplicate eating real food?” -Brendan Vermeire

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel, code: vital20 for 20% off
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya, 20% off during lockdown with pre-orders
• Brendan: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Website

During this episode of Vital Metabolic Podcast, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Dr. Debbie Bright, a doctor of chiropractic who has shifted her passion to functional diagnostic nutrition. Dr. Debbie discusses how she determines the diets for particular patients, elimination diets, supplements, and the importance of having a nutrition coach.

Episode Highlights: 

• 4:50: Dr. Debbie is also a certified kettlebell instructor.
• 5:25: Why did you get into chiropractic? What was your life like as a kid?
• 5:55: Dr. Debbie largely works with millennial-aged women, helping them lose their next 7-21 pounds in 21 days.
• 6:55: What did running track and field bring into your goal of becoming a chiropractor?
• 10:35: Dr. Debbie talks about her experience with exercise intolerance and adrenal burnout.
• 11:20: James, how do you structure training with your clients to help them deal with burnout?
• 13:25: James believes people need to do more focused training.
• 14:15: Can you tell us about your life between running track in college and deciding to get a doctor of chiropractic, and why you decided to switch to functional medicine?
• 15:40: After getting her doctor of chiropractic, Dr. Debbie got a master’s in nutrition and human performance.
• 16:50: What is the reason you wanted to help people at this deeper level?
• 17:30: Dr. Debbie describes her experience with one particular patient and how her chiropractic knowledge alone wasn’t enough to help him 100%.
• 23:07: What is your process like for determining what foods to eliminate with patients?
• 25:25: What would you say is the average timeline for someone to correct diet-related health issues?
• 29:00: Weight loss causes the entire body, such as the liver or the skin, to get healthier.
• 31:35: What’s it like gaining compliance from your patients?
• 34:00: Dr. Debbie mentions how many millennials are eating inflammatory foods all day long.
• 35:45: When you eat some “crappy” meals and weigh more the next day, is it just the water weight?
• 36:15: Dr. Debbie talks about the importance of the liver in inflammation and weight loss.
• 38:25: When you take on clients, you are very specific on their dietary outline. Can you explain their specificity with this?
• 40:00: If people are too inflamed, lab testing is not the best practice. It is better to let their system cool down first.
• 44:02: Can you talk about how you use supplements and what works to heal the gut?
• 45:45: Dr. Debbie’s 5R approach - remove, replace, re-inoculate, repair, rebalance.
• 52:10: What are some big things that you would tell pretty much everyone to do.
• 52:20: Sleep 7-9 hours every night, eat to support your hormones (healthy fats, fiber, protein), exercise, get stress under control, look at your inner circle.

3 Key Points:

1. If you stick with the plan laid out for you, it takes 21 days to correct diet-related health issues.
2. The elimination and reintroduction diet is the best way to determine what foods are inflammation triggers.
3. Supplements are very important, but it is important to have a coach and testing so you know you are taking the right ones.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Weight loss is just a symptom of a healthy body.” -Dr. Debbie Bright
• “You can’t exercise out a bad diet.” -Dr. Debbie Bright
• “If you were to cheat on the weekends and on every major holiday, it ends up breaking down to being like 45-46% of the year.” -Dr. Debbie Bright
• “The gold standard, even above lab testing, is the elimination diet.” -Dr. Debbie Bright

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Dr. Debbie: Twitter Instagram Facebook Millennial Health Website 
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel, code: vital20
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya, 20% off during lockdown with pre-orders

During this episode of Vital Metabolic Podcast, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Franz Snideman, founder of FS Athletics and Primal Speed. Franz speaks about his athletic history with running and sprinting, how he uses kettlebells while training his clients, the importance of trainer adaptability, and what he sees for the future of the profession.

Episode Highlights: 

• 4:47 - Today’s guest is Franz Snideman, a master kettlebell instructor and a high-level sprint enthusiast.
• 7:34 - What was it like back in 2002 when you were getting certified in kettlebells?
• 8:00 - It wasn’t structured like it is now, but it was unique and different. It was a game changer for the industry.
• 8:38 - Was it like an underground movement at that point? Or do you think it was a natural progression of fitness?
• 10:21 - Kettlebells opened up the world to using other tools such as Indian clubs.
• 11:00 - James feels that kettlebells are the best and most versatile tool for overall fitness.
• 12:35 - What was your early athletic career like?
• 15:45 - Can you tell people who Paul Chek is?
• 16:00 - Instead of focusing on muscles, he emphasizes focus on movement patterns.
• 18:30 - John speaks on the importance of having a mentor.
• 20:45 - The main goal is to get people moving.
• 21:00 - At the end of the day, is your client getting healthier and are the building blocks of fitness in place.
• 22:00 - Strength does not necessarily equate with performance.
• 23:40 - Franz needs multiple types of training to keep his body where he wants it to be.
• 25:55 - Transitioning into kettlebell training, did you notice anything with your speed?
• 26:50 - Kettlebells are great for teaching athletic qualities, even to non-athletes.
• 28:11 - All exercises have a risk factor, it’s the job of the coaches to determine whether the reward factor outweighs the risk.
• 28:55 - The goal of training is to continue training, and if you’re injured you can’t keep training.
• 31:00 - Take into account whether a certain style of training is appropriate for that individual person.
• 33:10 - What do you think about the current state of the industry with personal trainers?
• 33:50 - It’s very easy for people to get their message out, which has its pros and cons.
• 36:30 - James feels that right now is a great opportunity for coaches and trainers to be part of the solution to the health crisis.
• 37:45 - What are your plans for the future?
• 38:40 - Franz feels that a big part of his future will be integrating diagnostic testing and lifestyle behavior modification.
• 40:40 - It’s an exciting time with a lot of ambiguity, but Franz is staying optimistic about the future.
• 43:00 - Do you have any advice for new coaches starting out or current or new clients who will be training with you? 
• 45:55 - It’s important to know who you want to work with, but also who you don’t want to work with.
• 47:00 - Do you have any new and exciting projects coming up?

3 Key Points:

1. Having a mentor as a trainer can be incredibly beneficial in growth.
2. As a trainer, you need to meet your client’s individual needs and necessarily stick with your personal favorite training style.
3. Looking toward the future, trainers have a very important role to play but they will need to be adaptable.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Absolute strength definitely does not equate with better performance.” - Franz Snideman
• “If there’s one thing I’m really good at, it’s learning how to match exercises for people’s current capabilities.” -Franz Snideman
• “The most important thing for a trainer is education.” -Franz Snideman
• “We don’t need more trainers. We need more trainers who are passionate and really good at what they do.” -Franz Snideman
• “If you want to be a good coach and you want to treat it as a profession you have to take it seriously.” -Franz Snideman

Resources Mentioned: 

• James: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John: Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Franz: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Sponsor: Kettlebell Gains Apparel, code: vital20
• Sponsor: Great Lakes Giriya, 20% off during lockdown with pre-orders

During this episode of Vital Metabolic Podcast, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with Kelly Manzone, who is an expert on training with kettlebells and clubs. Kelly talks about how she incorporates movement into her training, the importance of creativity, and how to get started with circular training.

Episode Highlights: 

• What inspired you to add kettlebells into your training?
• Kelly was the first to bring kettlebells into the New York Sports Club she was working at.
• Kelly battled infectious colitis for 3 years after a severe bout of food poisoning.
• Kelly sees kettlebells as a way to fill in the missing gaps.
• Accessory training doesn’t mean you have to lose your background, whatever that may be.
• How do you utilize these tools with your clients?
• Kelly uses different tools with different clients on a case-by-case basis.
• John mentions that training is not just about traditional approaches, there is an art behind it.
• How does working on stability vs mobility look in your training?
• Kelly is hypermobile, so she does feel like she works more on stability.
• When you are training with kettlebells, what are you thinking about?
• When Kelly is training for herself, she does it more intuitively, but she does have days where it is really structured.
• Kelly also talks about how she uses kettlebells with her clients and ways to be creative.
• Kelly likes to work on skill-based modalities with her clients.
• Kelly mentions that, with skill-based modalities, clients have to be trusted to practice on their own. They can’t only practice once or twice a week. 
• How do people get started with circular training?
• Remember that your body is a moving unit. People have always been moving, pulling, pressing, etc. long before it was formatted by an industry.
• Kelly is more active on her Instagram.
• Kelly feels that there is too much comparison within the industry, and that it’s completely fine for people to have different training styles.
• It’s important for trainers to understand their strengths/weaknesses and areas of expertise, and know when to refer to someone else.
• Do you have anything else to share? 
• Where can people find you?

3 Key Points:

1. Kelly believes that creativity is a very important part of the training process.
2. With skill-based modalities, you have to be willing to keep working on them at home.
3. There does not need to be so much competition in the fitness industry.

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Movement is its own language.” -Kelly Manzone
• “I’ve never been able to put myself in a box and describe exactly what I am. It’s because I’m constantly curious about what’s on the other side.” -Kelly Manzone
• “I train a lot of type-A personalities, and I want them to tap into feeling.” -Kelly Manzone

Resources Mentioned: 

• James’ Facebook Instagram Twitter
• John’s Facebook Instagram Twitter
• Kettlebell Gains Apparel code vital20
• Kelly’s Facebook Instagram Website [email protected]
• https://www.indianclubsacademy.com/