20070228

Back from the dead, with a shaved head. . .

Yoga. Oh, yoga. How I have come to love thee, yet you still taunt me. Mocking me from afar in the form of perky, fake-baked sorority girls and well maintained Cougars. How you, the missing link to my fitness quest, have beckoned me yet not welcomed me over the last few weeks. Do you know that I have not touched a kettlebell in 12 days? Do you know that I have dedicated the last three and upcoming four weeks to you? You sweaty, glistening beast.

What up y'all? I have been so, so busy these last few weeks. I have been lurking on the forum , late at night, after tons of good advice has been administered by forum experts, and wanted so badly to get back in the swing of things. And today, it begins.

January 31st, four weeks ago today was the last class I held in the adjacent studio of the Yogalife Institute in Devon, PA. The room I rented for kettlebell classes of 5-10 people was being painted and decorated, turned into a Hands-On Healing studio/meditation room, and Wednesday nights from 1730-1930 were no longer available. Consequently, students of the two classes I held were displaced. Inconveniently, that same week, I cancelled my only AM class I teach (held at Platoon Fitness in Bryn Mawr, PA) due to poor attendance, and things were bummin'. For multiple reasons kettlebells just never caught on at Platoon Fitness, or, at the least, I never caught on. So I have this group of displaced peoples (15 women) who's week was thrown into upheaval because their midweek classes were taken away, calling and emailing me a few times a week asking me if I had another spot for Wed. KB Classes.

I was out pounding pavement trying to find a spot, none of which were appropriate/available, when a PT client and class regular recommended I try a large health facility owned and op'd by the U Penn Health System. After two phone calls and getting the right person on the phone, we were set. They have a conference room that the aforementioned client told me houses weekly Yoga classes (again with the yoga) and was usually empty in the evening. I inquired about this with the Conference room scheduler, and she was more than willing to let us use the room. And what's more, it is FREE! It does not cost a dime to rent this space. I pay 35.00 USD/Hour at the Yogalife Institute and Elite Athletic Club to use their studios (not bad when the trainees pay me 15.00/head) and usually pay about 1000.00 USd/month in rent between PT and Kettlebell Classes (Why don't I get my own gym? Cause my credit is all banged up). So to have replaced a class that was postponed, in a bigger room with better parking, for free, was quite a bonus. I am offering the employees of this U Penn helathcare facility one free class in return for thier kindness.

What else is going on? Glad you asked. The reason I have not been available to blog/forum post is because I have been workin' it. I made it rain the last few weeks. Trip out:
All the groundwork I laid in 06 has begun to pay off. All of the free demonstrations, articles in various publications, brief TV clips, and Guerrilla Classes (taking my advanced swingers to random outdoor locations to get smoked and Be Seen) have given way to solid attendance in every class this year. A woman I met last year brought 4 people to an intro class, and forwarded my information to the owner of the gym she trains at. Last night the owner called me and left a voice mail saying that she wanted KB classes at her gym. Ditto another female trainer who set me up with the GM of the gym she is a member of. This week I meet with him to discuss the possibilities. Beginning in two weeks I will be teaching a class at the fitness center of the Willow Grove Joint Reserve Base (Naval Air Station) to Marines, Sailors and civilians. And one more thing, Rob Lawrence RKC contacted me about getting together for an SST and a UST. He asked if I was interested in counting/motivating and possibly testing with him. I said, of course, F Yeah, and took a reverse engineered training program from him. My PR in the SST is 202, and he says that I could smash it if I want. And yes, I want.

So things are good. hopefully I can blog more often this coming month and keep learning/teaching through the forum. If you don't see my name up on the threads, it doesn't mean I'm gone, it means that y'all have already done an outstanding job, and I'm simply observing.

Three Cheers for the 'Ol Ball and Pain
William Williams

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