by Elizabeth Upchurch | When my mom passed away from breast cancer, I began to overindulge, longing for the comforts I had before she was gone. I hardly ever exercised and I never said “no” to any calorific treat. I was twenty-four years old, forty pounds overweight and miserable with my self-image. I had to take control of my life…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
One of the greatest things about my involvement in Kettlebell Sport over the past two years has been the opportunity to travel across the US and abroad to attend various meets and competitions. Even though the commitment to travel has been challenging as a mother, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Leaving home is not only an essential part of being a competitor in this sport, but also an important catalyst for cultivating time for my own interests and sense of well being. I think many mothers have a challenging time prioritizing their own needs, and I’m certainly no exception…

by Surya Voinar-Fowler, IC Kettlebell Girl
Over the last couple of days I have had the opportunity to reflect on the rich experience of competing at the WKC Championships last weekend in Chicago. One of the many reasons I love Kettlebell Sport is that it is as much a mental sport as it is physical. Each time I compete I learn something new about myself, the sport, the critical importance of technique, and how to be a better competitor. I am learning that there is both an art to training as well as an art to competing…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
Interested in learning to lift kettlebells? It’s vital that you first learn some of the technical aspects of kettlebell lifting in order to safely begin your program. In this exclusive instructional series for Athleta Chi, the first foundational movement we’ll cover is the one-handed Kettlebell Swing…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
The morning of March 13, 2009 was like a scene out of an Elizabeth Gilbert novel — all the right ingredients for a perfect departure: no traffic on the Bay Bridge, printed boarding passes, and my son reaching out for mama’s big hug at curbside drop-off. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but wonder (and worry) if I would be the only girl attending an intensive WKC International Kettlebell Sport Camp in Greece…

For the first time ever, Kettlebell Sport was a featured event at the largest sport and fitness expo in the country. In true form, the ICKB Girls walked away with more national championship titles…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
I keep this post-it on my cork board as a reminder of how far I have come. The 30% refers to my body fat seven months after my son was born. In the spirit of the new year and renewing our healthy lifestyle, let’s talk about how some (not all) of us relate to food…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
One of the most challenging aspects of my training for kettlebell sport has been wearing multiple hats as both competitor and coach. At our recent meet in Colorado, I had a hard time balancing it all. We stepped into the professional biathlon division for the first time as a team. On the surface, everything looked great…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
It’s been a busy day—full of deadlines, clients, emails and of course, mommy errands. Did I remember to buy his teething tablets? Who knows… I know one thing for sure though—despite those dreadful bags under my eyes, I can’t rest tonight because it’s my night to train. An upcoming kettlebell competition looms…

by Mayachela (Maya) Garcia, CSCS
I never anticipated how much weight I would gain while growing a 9 pound boy for ten months. I planned on being one of those girls we all see on You Tube and running laps during my last trimester, but in reality all I could do was walk in straight lines…