Today in Greece I was priveliged to participate in the first international coaching certification course by the American Kettlebell Club.

Along with the knowledge that Valery Fedorenko departs, this course was even more powerful in that it took place at his coach’s amazing gym outside of Athens. Coach Pontelay is the greatest kettlebell coach in history, based upon the number of champions he has developed.

Pontaley is a Master of Sport in 4 different sports. That’s right, 4! Not just someone who claims to be a Master of Sport, but an actual master who has earned the title and has the diplomas and the skills to back it up. Wrestling, Girevoy Sport, Arm-wrestling and Olympic Lifting, and he has coached world champions in each sport, 40 in total.

The man is so incredibly generous with his time and I and all of the participants learned an incredible amount of detailed applications.

This was such a treat for us. I wish that more people who are kettlebell fans and especially those who consider themselves skilled kettlebell instructors would witness what we saw today. They would understand what it means to be a big fish in a small pond, like I realized when I first witnessed true kettlebell lifting expertise when I went to Moscow in 2005.

We saw so many incredible feats, not only by Fedorenko and Pontelay, but also by Pontaley’s students. I hope to have some photos up soon and names to go with these feats, but here are some of them:

A 60KG athlete did 10 1 arm jerks with a 62kg kettlebell; he is the junior world champion for his weight category, and he has not been training for several months because of a car accident he is recovering from.

A 75kg athlete, who I saw perform 145 2×32kg jerks in Latvia last year, did 9 1-arm jerks with a 90kg kettlebell. That is 200lbs with 1 arm!

A 9-year old did 12 1-arm jerks with 16kg; he weighs 32kg in bodyweight!

A 15 year did a full range Olympic squat with 250kg! This young man weighs only 76kg! This is close to an age group world record, if it isn’t the record, and he used no wraps, no suit, no belt and no spotter!

There were many more feats, but here is the most amazing part.

These guys don’t practice the feats of strength that are popular in the US kettlebell community. But, because of their mastery of the snatch and clean and jerk, which are the foundation of the kettlebell lifting system, they are able to do these feats better than those who specialize in them!

Frame of reference is everything. In the small pond of American kettlebell community, it is a big deal if a 300lb man can press a 48kg KB. Yet Valery, at 80kg BW, can press one too, and he doesn’t train for it.

Another great feat–Pontelay performed 4 reps of seated 2×32kg bottoms up press, and several pinkie lifts with the 90kg KB! This man’s grip strength is unreal.

This is a brief report, there is so much more. We all feel very grateful to have been party to this gathering. It was well worth the travel pains to make it here. There is discussion about opening up week-long training camps here in Greece for serious students. I know I will take part and anyone who is sincere about learning from the best in the world will want to take part as well.

This is the real deal, folks. It’s out of the kiddie pool and in to the deep end! It is great to be a small fish in the ocean. I know now that what I am learning is tested and can produce the results I am after for myself and my students.