Kristin Dankanich When did you first become interested in Kettlebell training? I first became interested in kettlebell training in 2011. At the time, I was battling with weight gain and really ready to make a change to be more active and find something new that I enjoyed doing as my main exercise regimen. After talking with a good friend, who was equally frustrated with her body, we decided to look into starting kettlebell training. We had both heard about the positive calorie-burning workouts and I liked the idea that I’d be getting stronger and learning a technique vs. just walking mindlessly on a treadmill (how boring…). Why did you decide to enroll at the

Dragon Gym. I first decided to enroll after doing some research on the internet and finding that The Dragon Gym offered kettlebell training right in my own backyard! The instructors seemed knowledgable and friendly, so I was anxious to give it a try. Steve Maze did an incredible job with my orientation and made me feel comfortable with my abilities in executing the foundation movements. I also got to watch a portion of the group kettlebell class to see what I was in for! At the time, the 20 class punch card made it an easy decision for me to commit to a bulk of classes up-front after my initial orientation. And after those 20 classes, I knew right away this was the place for me! I’ve been a member here now for 3+ years. How did you get involved with teaching/becoming an instructor? I’ve always had a natural tendency to want to teach others, and really took to Diana Volante’s teaching style and care in explaining the intricacies of each movement with her students. I talked with Diana after class one day and expressed my interest in becoming a certified kettlebell instructor… Read the whole thing here: http://bit.ly/1k5mqvI

            Simplify. The secret to a good exercise program is to strip it down to its fewest, most fundamental components and leave it at that. A program should contain no unnecessary workouts; a workout no unnecessary exercises. Simplify, simplify. Any exercise program will improve in direction ratio to the number of things you leave out of it that shouldn’t be there. So ask yourself, what is the LEAST amount you need to do to hit your goals. Then do that. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Do not turn into an hour what can be done in thirty minutes. And don’t spend thirty minutes when you can

get away with 15. SIMPLIFY! Do the right things

(be effective) and do things right (be efficient). Lift heavy, eat broccoli, swing a kettlebell, and go for a brisk walk. Simplify. Be consistent, and maintain an unflagging focus. Repetition, as they say, is the mother of success. Variety, on the other hand, is the mother of mediocrity. Do what works, and do it repeatedly. Simplify. Over-complication is the enemy of progress…but over-simplification is the enemy of precision. So get it as simple as it needs to be, and no simpler.

I have shared this story with many of my students and some of the new members, but I believe it is worth retelling, because it’s worth a few minutes of your thought. When I started at Dragon Gym over 5 years ago, I

knew nothing about exercise, I had no clue what nutrition was and I was over 70 lbs overweight. I was an Executive Assistant at the time for four executives in a pharmaceutical marketing research company and they decided to start a “Biggest Loser” competition. For me the comfortable option would be to join the competition, have one person in the whole world actually know

what I weigh (aside from my doctor) and then jog and walk and maybe join a gym with a treadmill and keep my insecurities to myself. What actually happened is the very reason I am here at Dragon Gym to date! I told one friend of mine that I was insecure, unhappy, broken down and disliked my physical status…she extended to me an opportunity to work on all of those things! My friend, Becky invited me to come to Dragon Gym and take a kettlebell class with her and I fell in love with kettlebells and this atmosphere. Everyone in my class was working on something and no one was pointing fingers at someone else. I built friendships with other people that I would likely never know all because we all have a mutual love for bells at Dragon Gym. Just the other day I trained with the first friend I made here from almost 6 years ago. She used to text me or Facebook me when I missed a class to make sure I wasn’t giving up. Since I started here, I have many more friends who are like-minded in their priorities of health and wellness. I became a better professional, friend, life partner, sister, daughter, employee, but most important the version of me I always wanted to be! I would have never set foot in Dragon Gym, if it weren’t for that one friend that invited me and the other friends that stayed training with me! To date I have trained my Mom, my siblings, my extended relatives, my fiancé and my soon to be stepson with bells/martial arts. WHY? Because I want them to be healthy, live optimally, stand beside me and feel as strong and confident and clear-headed as I do every time I train here. I want them to have longevity and functionality and perseverance for life; and for me, it all started HERE! So if you have a friend, family member or a soon-to-be “partner in wellness,” that needs a point in the right direction or a stiff kick in the rear, don’t let them go! Ask the people you care about to join you in your wellness endeavor and help them get healthy too! “If you don't take care of your health today, you will be forced to take care of your illness tomorrow!” Dr. Deepak Chopra Be Well ~ Diana