Lauren Brooks has established herself as a leading voice in Kettlebell training and fitness trainers and its been great getting to know her over the past 5 years and watch her audience grow.  If you are looking to start a KettleBell training program, we can’t recommend Lauren and her On The Edge fitness and training enough.  We recently interviewed Lauren about her start in fitness, KettleBell Training and hand protection.

1)How did you get started in the fitness industry, what drew you in?
I got started during my college years as a Kinesiology student at San Diego State University. I’ve always been curious to see what the human body is capable of achieving with intelligent training and hard work. I was fascinated in testing various protocols on my own body and watching my body transform. The passion I carried then expanded in to wanting to help as many people as I could. Creating programs came naturally for me and the results I achieved with myself and clients continued to astound me. Not just the physical aspects of training but the mental aspects. 

2)What do you find about a KettleBell workout that is superior to other workouts?
Kettlebell workouts is the gateway to unconventional training. It takes you out of the mindset of training the conventional way with machines as if you’re body is a collection of body parts. Instead you get to bring your body together and work it at one unit. The body weight skill paired with loading it with a kettlebell can create the most perfect workout when designed properly. I’m also obsessed with pull up bars and suspension training. Having access to all of these modalities can take your body to places you didn’t think were possible.

3)There are a lot of purists who don’t believe in gloves or hand protection when working out, what are your feelings on training gloves, or hand protection?
I use to be a purist! I understand the purist ways and why they feel this way about not wearing gloves. Bare hands are optimal! However, when you’re a small girl with small hands and you want to lift big things like heavy barbell deadlifts, weighted pull ups, and heavy kettlebell swings, your hands take a huge toll. Even if you’re a big guy the hands take a beating. Especially people training for snatch tests and doing pull ups and deadlifts all in one plan. Why stop your training because of painful hands? Why not train in comfort if you can? If your hands are ruined then this means one thing. Lost training time. I rather bust out hand protection from time to time so I can do the things I love without having to take time off or perform less than.

4)What are some tried and true methods you’ve seen for sticking with a training plan?
First method is joining a group. If you can have a group waiting to train with you, you will surely stick to your plan. Second method, find a training partner. You will not want to let your training partner down if you told them you’d be there at a certain time. Creating accountability is key! For many other ways that work, check out my article published at the Onnit Academy called Shut Up and Train. This has seemed to help people! 

5)What is some advice you’d give to any other personal trainers or folks just entering the fitness industry?
Surround yourself with other trainers and coaches that are doing what you want to do. Become as educated as you can in the area you want to specialize in. Make your message about your students, not just about yourself. Lastly, share your story. Everyone has a story and there is a reason you want to dedicate your life to helping people. Developing this rapport will make you much more successful at getting your message across. Last but not least, practice what you preach!