The Greece Experience
I was asked the other day how long I have been involved with the kettlebell. I thought about it for a minute and even though it was for a few years, I said about 6 months, since July 21st 2007 to be precise. That was the day I was fortunate enough to enter Pandelis Filicides gym in Athens, Greece. that was the day I was exposed to what kettlebell methodology was all about. Prior to that moment I was only using a ball with a handle and didn’t have a clue about what was truly possible with the kettlebell and more importantly, myself.
I wanted exposure to what I thought was GS training and had seen a magazine with Valery Fedorenko’s picture on the cover. I had no aspirations to compete but I thought the experience would be valuable to me in my business and overall understanding of the kettlebell. I looked up the American Kettlebell Club on the internet and saw there were certifications available. I signed up for one and while online later that week I saw that Valery was going to reunite with his Coach in Greece and the AKC was going to hold a cert at the same time. I emailed the AKC and asked if I could switch my cert location and they were kind enough to switch it for me. My 12 year old son had just spent the entire school year studying about Greece and I thought what a good opportunity for both he and I. Education for both of us, so to speak-little did I know just how true that was to be. I didn’t want to leave my son alone while I attended the seminar and I asked if it was ok if he attended the cert also. He is a healthy, well behaved young gentleman so I knew he wouldn’t be a problem and Eric Liford was kind enough to allow me to register him for the coaching seminar. He said Valery started when he was 12 and it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for my boy.
My son Cona and I flew to Athens and took a cab to Loutraki, the town where we were recommended to stay. It was beautiful. The hotel was wonderful and the staff very friendly and kind. We spent a few days just walking around town, eating the food, swimming in the warm, clean waters across the street from the hotel and just trying to absorb so much culture. Greece is amazing.
We met Valery and Eric the night before the cert at the hotel. I was surprised at how down to earth both men were and how good they were to my son. All the participants met in the lobby at 8:00am the next morning. It was great to see Steve Cotter as I hadn’t seen him for a while and to meet the other participants from all over the globe. None of us knew what we were in for or even what to expect to be honest. A shuttle came and off to the gym we went.
The gym was a massive industrial building divided into two main areas. One side was all wrestling mats, the other had numerous Olympic lifting platforms, arm wrestling tables, a kettlebell area and assorted weight lifting equipment. There was a very long partition that separated the areas and it was covered in pictures of Coach Filicides students over the years. We even found a picture of young Valery when he won his first title!
Coach Filikidis came in and we were introduced to him. He was a powerhouse of a man and despite the language barrier very friendly and cordial. There were no lifters present as we as a group all wondered when the lifters would show up to train. A group of young teenagers showed up shortly thereafter and we all thought they must be neighborhood kids coming in to look at the gym. We couldn’t have been more wrong.
None of us had any idea what we were going to witness. Coach Filikidis translated to Valery that his boys wanted to show us a few things. The first thing we saw was a 170lb teenager jerking a 200lb bell with barely a grimace. With that one 7 rep set I realized everything I knew was wrong. Young boy after young boy got up on the platform and performed the impossible-easily. None of us could speak for none of us except Valery had ever seen such a display of technical mastery.
By virtue of the boys age it hammered in the concepts of proper methodology-how else could boys this young get that strong? In that one moment I knew and realized I would never be able to return to my prior self-imposed limitations. I wish life showed you this more often so you had no doubt as to which direction one should take.
Valery and Eric began the cert and throughout the day Coach Filikidis and all his athletes would assist us in learning good technique. Coach Filikidis’ boys would come into the gym to train and put a quick show of strength on for us that never ceased to be beyond belief. Coach Filikidis gave us a lecture that Valery translated and one point stood out in my mind to this day and shaped how I would coach from that moment forward. He said it’s the Coach’s duty, his responsibility, to further the sport at all times and to build champions. If that’s not your intent, you’re not coaching.
My son spent time arm wrestling, wrestling and kettlebell lifting with high level athletes all day and never felt out of place or intimidated. The training atmosphere was second to none and allowed you to immerse yourself in the knowledge with no fear of looking bad. Effort was acknowledged and egos were non-existent. At the end of the day Coach Filikidis gave us commemorative plaques. He said Valery was his first world champion and it was a homecoming of sorts for him and all of us to come together. My son received the plaque and the coach hugged him with genuine affection. As a dad it almost put a tear in my eye to see my son so proud.
My life has not been the same since. Because of what I saw I know that with good technique, methodology and diligence I too can be far greater than I ever thought possible. That belief infected my students who began to realize they could remove their chains an elevate too. My son is the youngest coach in the USA and has learned from the very start what is truly possible if so desired.
Greece was a special place for my son and me, something we laugh about all the time and we just hoped we would have the chance to go back to Greece and to that gym. When I read that the AKC was going to put on a sport camp I knew that my son and I were going back.  I wanted to write this story so that for those who hadn’t had the honor of attending the first trip to Greece wouldn’t miss out on this opportunity. My son and I hope to see all of you there and want to let you know to prepare yourselves for an experience of a lifetime.
Sincerely,
Kevin Jodrey
Owner
Redwood Kettlebell Club