On today's episode of Vital Metabolic, hosts James Wheeler and John Parker speak with kettlebell trainer Jeff Sokol. Jeff speaks about his history growing up in a very small town, the path that brought him to coaching, the importance of a sense of community, and the healing power of being in nature.
Episode Highlights:
- 6:10 - What is up with your training and philosophy and how has it changed over time?
- 9:30 - Jeff speaks about his history growing up with parents who were loggers and put low emphasis on education.
- 11:20 - Jeff played football and baseball growing up, but his coaches did not focus much on training.
- 12:34 - Where did you grow up in Washington?
- 14:05 - Was your military experience the driver behind you becoming a coach? How did you get into strength and conditioning?
- 16:30 - The night before he started in the military, Jeff actually spent the night in jail after breaking a table at his mother's house.
- 18:00 - Jeff talks about the different places he lived while in the military, including Alaska.
- 21:50 - Jeff speaks about how his job with the stage agency made him realize that he needed to make some changes.
- 23:25 - Finding the right coach (Andrea) who helped him perfect the basics is what got him to change his path.
- 24:12 - What got you to start teaching?
- 31:00 - Jeff's passion built small and started to grow more slowly and organically.
- 33:10 - Jeff speaks about the healing process he went through as he learned to become a coach.
- 38:20 - Are you mostly doing group classes or one-on-one? What is the business currently like?
- 38:50 - During the week, Jeff prefers teaching one-on-one or small group classes instead of large groups.
- 40:00 - Does your training mostly include kettlebells or is it a mixture of modalities?
- 41:40 - How do you get your clients to buy into being stronger?
- 44:00 - Jeff believes that the main focus of coaching should be community, and quality is more important than quantity with his clients.
- 46:40 - Because you love hiking, how do you put hiking in your program and what it means to you?
- 49:00 - The group discusses the healing that can take place while in nature.
- 51:00 - John and James take turns asking Jeff rapid-fire questions.
- 54:15 - Jeff speaks about Sokol strong tv and other places listeners can find him online.
3 Key Points:
- Jeff did not grow up with a strong passion for coaching or training, he found it later on.
- Learning to train others was a very healing process for Jeff.
- With clients, a sense of community is very important.
Tweetable Quotes:
- "There was nothing in my early days that led me to my coaching career. Like, zero." -Jeff Sokol
- "I was healing as I was coaching and trying to become a coach." -Jeff Sokol
- "It is hands down my happiest place to be. It is, It's just, out there, taking a walk in nature." - Jeff Sokol
Resources Mentioned:
