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A.K.A American Master of the Russian Kettlebell
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By Jamie Hale
Steve Maxwell is widely known as the American Master of the Russian Kettlebell. He is also the man who taught the first kettlebell classes in the United States, at Maxercise Sports/Fitness, the gym that he owned and operated for 16 years in Philadelphia. He is an accomplished athlete and world-renowned coach. Put your thinking caps on and read what Steve has to say in this in-depth interview.
How did you become involved with BJJ?
I had wrestled NCAA Division 1 in college and wrestled since I was a child, so I was looking for an outlet for my skills. A friend of mine dragged me to a Gracie jiu-jitsu seminar--the first on the east coast--in 1989, and I fell in love with it on the spot. It was exactly what I was looking for and it put my wrestling skills to good use. Rorian Gracie invited me to train at the Gracie academy and he started a teacher-training program there. I was the first person to be certified by the Gracie family to teach the family martial art.
Is there a particular type of person that you have found excels in BJJ?
You might think the answer would have to do with athleticism but I've seen people from every body type excel. The thing that seems to set the excellent apart from the also-rans is their minds. People with keen and quick thinking minds love and excel at BJJ because of the mental, chess-like gamesmanship involved. I'm not talking about intellectual people--many intellectuals over-analyze and over-think the game--I'm talking about sharp-witted, intuitive people who can make quick decisions. In truth, women really excel at this game because they think outside the box, besides being deceptive and tricky.
Do you have a favorite BJJ competitor?
Yes, I do. His name is Zak Maxwell! I raised him to excel in BJJ from the time he was in diapers. He recently took the gold medal at the World championships as a first-year brown belt.
Favorite MMA Fighter?
Fedor Emilianenko. The reason I like him is he's so very calm and serene. You can see how his mind is very calm. He doesn't talk trash, never disrespects his opponents; he has a serenity and seems unaffected by the whole scene. He’s not particularly physically impressive to look at in the classic cut physique category, yet he fights with amazing power and ferocity. Even when he's up against it, as in the first round of his last fight with Arlovski, even though he was getting the worst of the exchanges, he remained, cool, calm and collected.
Probably the greatest example of his coolness under fire was his PRIDE fight against Kevin Randleman, a monstrous and muscular fellow. Randleman is just a big bunch of fast-twitch muscle fiber. You could describe it as TNT, man, the guy was just so explosive, and I’ve never seen anything like it. He (Randleman) immediately got a clinch on Fedor and threw him with a vicious side suplex and literally smashed Fedor onto his neck and shoulders. Fedor just went limp as a rag doll, went with the throw, rolled out of it into one of the most beautiful Kimoras I've ever seen, and submitted Randleman on the spot. A beautiful display. I loved it.
Fedor's workout routines are very simple; he uses pretty much body weight training and running as his aerobics base. That's pretty much old-school, man, nothing fancy. That, and he trains in the harshest weather conditions. My girlfriend and I, when feeling lazy or put off and skipping a workout, ask each other--what would Fedor do? Ha!
What do you cover in your certification programs?
At this time I have two basic certifications: one is my MaxBells kettlebell teacher training and the other is my basic body weight exercise teacher training. As the first person in the US to teach group kettlebell classes and open the first kettlebell gym in modern times, I've acquired vast experience in how to teach the skills of kettlebell training.
After being on the ground floor of the RKC and contributing much of the material used in their programs, I decided to go my own way because I saw a huge need and growing demand for how to teach group KB classes in both commercial gyms and the corporate setting. As I said before, I was the first, so I had this huge head start on the others as far as knowing what does and doesn't work.
I experimented with so many different concepts and ideas I had and I have come up with the penultimate formula for leading group classes. Most of the people who take my certs have taken a variety of other certifications and still they leave satisfied with information they can't find anywhere else.
My body weight certs basically fulfill what I saw as a genuine need to teach proper technique and form in the basic body weight exercises. I travel all over the US and other countries and I see what passes for exercise across the globe and the horrible form people are using continually astounds me. Even more horrifying are the instructors who allow this to happen. I love training with my body and have had several fantastic mentors and teachers. Being a competitive grappler for over forty years has provided me my share of injuries. I was forced to learn perfect form and technique for my own exercises by working around my injuries! I realized there was a connection between crappy form with supplemental moves in the gym and injuries in my sport. Often, the injury is "set-up" in the gym and manifest later on the mat or playing field. Often, the athlete is totally unaware of the connection between the two.
In my body weight-training course I address proper biomechanics, alignment, and tension principles to protect neck, shoulders, elbows, back, knees, ankles and feet. It amazes me how even fairly fit gym rats can't properly perform a simple push-up. Oh, they're strong enough and can do put up big numbers, but their technique is not only poor but also injurious to their joints.
Still, more important than learning how to properly execute the movements yourself is how to teach them to others. You can be a regular George of the Jungle physically, but how are you goanna get a deconditioned office worker or over weight matron to do these exercises properly? I teach progressions and I, myself, have found ways to get obese individuals able to push and pull their own body weight safely and effectively. I've seen that using your own body weight is not only superior but also preferential to plopping a client down on an exercise machine. I've always considered the human body the best of all possible machines.
For those who have passed the basic KB and BW certifications, I offer an advanced level of certification. Here I offer the basic nuts and bolts of constructive workout design and the planning of training through the different stages in preparing for a competition. Along with this, the students are introduced to a wide array of advanced exercise techniques.
What does a typical day in the life of Steve Maxwell look like?
Well, as you know, I gave up living in a stationary house for a gypsy life style. I live in a custom, tricked-out, Sprinter van/RV. I love traveling and going where I damn well please. I always pick the best time of year to go wherever I go and some of the most pristine and beautiful places in the US.
I'll wake up in my little loft bed, take some supplements. I like to dry brush the skin and give a good scalp massage. I do some light mobility work. I'll spend about 30 minutes in prayer and meditation. I like to read elevating passages from spiritually oriented books.
Later, I enjoy the mental challenge of the local newspaper puzzles.
I'll have a late breakfast of something light and high in protein. Then I turn on my BlackBerry and start responding to my online personal training clients. Usually it's late morning by now and depending where I'm staying, I'll catch a noon jiu-jitsu class. When I was in the Bay Area, I trained with Eduardo Rocha, a fantastic teacher. In Philly, of course it's my old school, Team Maxercise, now run by my son, Zak Maxwell and John DiSimone. Right now I'm in San Diego and I'm training at the University of Jiu-Jitsu, run by brothers Saulo and Xande Ribeiro. Those two have more world titles between them than anyone else. Royler Gracie also frequents this school and I've had the great honor of training with him. On any given day, it's like a who's-who of the jiu jitsu world in there. You never know who you're going to meet! A couple weeks ago there were twelve black belts in Saulo's noon class--six of whom had at some point placed top three in the world--talk about a tough room!
Often, after BJJ class, I'll do some passive yoga stretching or joint mobility/body flow-type work as an active recovery. Days I don't train jiu-jitsu; I take an outdoor workout with my young teen assistant, Teresa. We often train together with KBs, clubs, and pull-ups. Sometimes we'll hang a rope in a tree and climb it. It's not unusual for us to use playground equipment to climb and do stuff. We'll run barefoot at the beach, mixing in sprints. We frequently carry each other around. It all depends on the environment and what's available. Wherever I'm at, I'll do a little recon, then concoct a workout for the two of us, using what's handy. It's always a lot of fun and all I can say is to expect the unexpected. The way I like to roll is never to have rigid ideas but to adapt and improvise with whatever the environment throws at you.
After a recovery shake, we'll find a place to take a shower. Most public parks in California provide outdoor showers. Then I'll kick back and read, work on the Internet with clients. I have a satellite dish and TV in the van and I like to watch stuff. We also have two folding bikes in the back of the van and ride them around or take an evening walk. I go to sleep fairly early. I'm adaptable and my routine changes with my whereabouts. I never believed in taking workouts with meal-like regularity. I don't care to be trapped within a regimen. I love flexibility, adaptability and the ability to roll with what comes my way. Being stuck in routines equals a rut, it’s nice when we travel because things change up. I think this keeps me mentally and emotionally flexible and youthful in my thought processes.
At night, I retire to my comfortable loft bed in the top of the van where I sleep beneath an open skylight, looking upon the night sky. As the breeze drifts through the side port windows, I set myself to drifting off on positive, happy thoughts and off to slumber.
Favorite exercise.
Hindu Push-Up. Called a Dand by the ancients. It encompasses two of the primary yoga asanas: the upward and downward dog poses. This exercise was considered one of the most important of all movements prescribed the ancient Indian wrestlers. It was in fact so important that the celebrated poet, Rumi, waxed upon it in his mystic writings.
You'll find many variations upon this movement throughout the world. It's more or less universally used in the preparation of grapplers and other combat athletes.
It's unparalleled for general health benefits. If you were to do only twenty repetitions a day, you'd remain supple into old age.
Favorite food.
Cheese. I love cheese, especially Swiss. I could live on it, I think. I could certainly adapt to the nomadic herdsman diet. But for the hassle of keeping the goats, horses, sheep, cows and yaks, the diet part would definitely suit me!
The Mongols, one of the most devastating and feared fighter the world has known, sustained themselves primarily on milk and cheese.
Are you currently working on any projects?
I'm in the process of making short videos of downloadable exercise sequences. No one can own exercises--everyone knows the same ones--but the way someone ties them together and sequences the movements can be owned. An example of this is Bikram yoga. I have put together many unique and uniquely effective kinetic chains with kettlebells, clubs and body weight exercises. I've heard from many people they'd find this information useful.
I'd like to say thank you, Coach Hale, for giving me this opportunity to expound my philosophy and talk about myself and my business. It's always good to talk with you!
I consider Coach Hale one of the few sane voices in an insane world of exercise. I very much respect his work and I'm honored he deemed me worthy of this interview.
For more information on Steve Maxwell and his services, and products check out his site www.MaxwellSC.com or email: -email-
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