One of the things I like best about being the RKC approach to kettlebell training certifications is that Pavel is always looking to move forward, to improve and make the course better. In fact, he takes it so seriously I’ve been at two RKC certifications held two weeks apart that were nearly unidentifiable they were so different!

As recently as last week there have been some changes made to the course. This obviously changes the way people should spend time preparing for the RKC, or in training their clients who are going to the RKC.

Starting from the bottom at the HKC there will be a couple of changes –

There is no longer a rebate for attending the HKC prior to the RKC.

The major change to the RKC is simple –

It is now going to be tested single bell with snatch weight (24kg for men, 12kg or 16kg for women).

For me, this is a logical step. At HKC level we teach the two hand swing and progress that to one hand at the RKC.

Single bell highlights core weakness in the body that double bell will sometimes hide. As an example, the necessary amount of contraction needed on the opposing side while doing one hand swings is as much as 180% of that needed during two hand swings.

Because the RKC is a school of principles that allow us to use them to increase our abilities at other things, this simple change will instantly have carry over to other sporting events as there is no sport that doesn’t require strong linkage through the core for power production.

Personally, I have always thought that single kettlebell training allowed less training time per session because all of the anti-rotational work I would otherwise need to do will be taken care of simply by resisting the force of a single bell as it moves and tries to perturb my core/ neutral spine. Not only that but the already strong link between FMS and RKC will become even stronger as the key message of the FMS is to reduce asymmetry. Single kettlebell training is still the fastest way I know of to quickly increase a client’s strength and is a method I’ve been using since I first saw Ian King speak about it back in the late 90s.

The current plan is then to teach the basic skill at HKC, refine it and increase the strength requirement for RKC as well as add extra skills and then ad double bell work at RKCII.

In terms of preparation, I’ve already heard many say that they feel that changing to single bell makes things easier. But, let’s look at one massive change the single bell makes –

If you are doing double swings, you’d do ten and have a rest. Using a single bell, you’ll now do ten right and ten left for twenty. Having been at the RKC enough to know how the days go, there is often “punishment” in the form of swings (really used to help you groove your technique). Now, while I haven’t yet witnessed the new RKC, in my mind I can see how instead of sets of ten, it’ll now be sets of twenty. And I can easily see having to do multiple sets of twenty during the days winding up with a few thousand over the whole weekend.

The same will happen for the press, the squat and clean. Instead of five squats and a rest, you’ll do five right, five left. So instead of doing double the load, you’ll be doing double the volume. Now, more than ever you won’t be able to rely on muscling your way through the weekend and GPP and stamina will become far more important. To me, that is an excellent change. RKCs should be lean examples of strength and fitness. Like it or not, a valuable part of our marketing is how we look to potential clients and they will judge us on how we look. Dropping a few kilos via increasing work capacity in your training will have a positive effect on your profit.

While, at this point, I would love to make some suggestions on exactly how to prepare the reality is that I have not yet seen the changes in effect. However, I am on my way over in April to teach and see live what transpires and will then make some suggestions. For now, the best thing I can say is that Dragon Door Australia will be running an RKC Preparation Workshop Series over the six months leading up to the RKC. With a two hour class monthly, as well as homework given to each student to fix their own issues this is going to be the single best way you can prepare for this event. By then I’ll have worked out the best plan of attack and have a program to make sure all the Dragon Door Australia clients have the best possible day they can.