Connie Nelson
Connie Nelson, SFG1, GFM1
Drawn to kettlebells several years ago by a paleo fitness program and the desire to heal a nagging hip injury from her 200-hour yoga teacher training, Connie was smitten by what she calls the “raw, primal energy” the bells brought her.
Wanting more expertise than what she had on her own, in 2015 she sought out Kettlebility’s Andrea U-Shi Chang for some one-on-one training. “I was humbled,” Connie says. “I thought I already knew everything I needed about kettlebells, but nope!”
The yogi, a former sprinter and basketball player in her native Taiwan, found herself getting stronger and more drawn to the biomechanics that undergird kettlebell work. This interest in the human body and what makes it tick isn’t so surprising; Connie studied nursing and eventually opted to shift her mission to help people heal into yoga and, now, kettlebell training.
“Helping people learn how to live and move better in their own bodies and stay free from pain has become my passion,” Connie says. As a yoga instructor, she adds, she learned that “the best way to truly own a skill is to become a teacher.”
When Connie isn’t teaching, she’s out barefoot running, hiking, or hauling her painting equipment up a mountain to make art. Connie says she’s grateful for the supportive, motivating Kettlebility community. And for the physical and mental benefits she gets from kettlebells, from improved posture (we challenge you to find a straighter back than Connie’s!) and running stamina to mental toughness she can apply to life outside the studio.
Connie’s certifications include GFM1 and SFG1.
7 Questions with Connie:
1. Favorite health food that you couldn’t live without: pigs’ feet and bacon
2. Favorite non-health food that you could not live without: none
3. Favorite KB technique: Turkish Get Up
4. Proudest moment: When I see my students’ lives start to transform in a positive direction.
5. Who are your heroes? Pavel, Andrea, Jackie Chan, and Lao Tsu
6. What is on your bucket list? Hiking in Nepal and Peru, barefoot walking the Camino de Santiago route in Spain, living in Hawaii
7. Your mantra: Be connected to the earth
