I have recently had the good fortune to train at the famous Ice Chamber in San Francisco. The Ice Chamber is probably most well know for its women's kettlebell sport team, The Ice Chamber Kettlebell Girls who are all Masters of Sport.
It's not as well known that the Ice Chamber has been responsible for the strength and conditioning training for several elite athletes, including martial artists such as Newton Casemiro, currently one of America's top BJJ fighters, and Sayaka Matsumoto who was a 2008 Judo Olympian.
Their clientele isn't just limited to athletes, though. Amongst the Ice Chamber trainees you will find big-shot lawyers, famous Chefs, award winning investigative journalists and everything in between. You'll also find plenty of regular people who just want to get fit.
So what's the secret to their success? How do they attract everyday clients as well as champion athletes and the rich and famous? How do they manage to get 30-40 people into their 6am classes?
I put it down to two things:
1. Great knowledge
Founders and head Coaches Steven Khuong and Maya Garcia have never stopped learning, they are constantly seeking knowledge from the best in the world. The day after the WKC Kettlebell Sport World Championships I saw Steven in the hotel at breakfast having a very animated conversation about the finer points of jerk technique with World Champion kettlebell sport athlete Ivan Denisov - he never misses an opportunity to learn.
Importantly, the Ice Chamber coaches are smart about how they apply their knowledge, they don't just parrot what they've been taught, they strive to understand the whys and this is a quality that separates great trainers from average ones.
2. Great equipment
You won't find any weight machines or recumbent bikes at the Ice Chamber. You will find ropes, rage balls, gymnastic rings, Pro Grade kettlebells, squat racks, barbells, chin-up bars, skipping ropes, weighted vests, sleds and resistance bands. Simple, effective, versatile training equipment that can be stored easily when it's not being used to preserve floor space.
The combination of intelligent training with simple equipment really is a powerful one and has enabled the Ice Chamber to build a highly successful business on word of mouth alone.
So to all those trainers out there looking for success like the Ice Chamber's, the next time you book in for a course to get CEC's really research the quality of the information you'll be receiving (empty CEC's are like empty calories, they'll keep you going for the short term but long term can do more harm than good).
It's also worth asking yourself if the equipment you're using ties in well with your areas of expertise and they types of clients you train - it seems that simple oldschool training equipment is proving time and time again not only to be the most useful for a wide range of clients but also the most enjoyable, which keeps them coming back.
And if you're ever in San Francisco definitely check the Ice Chamber out! They really have a great facility and whether you go as a trainer or client, you'll be able to learn a lot from them.