Instructors
Every instructor listed here trained directly under Dr. Mark Cheng before earning their own certification.
Dr. Mark Cheng — chief instructor
Dr. Mark Cheng is the chief instructor of Kettlebells Los Angeles. He trained extensively as a private student of Pavel Tsatsouline, weekly, for years, and earned his RKC directly from Tsatsouline himself. He came to kettlebell training as a means of rehabilitation after successfully rehabilitating his own lower back and shoulder injuries with Russian kettlebells — and dropped 20 pounds in the process.
No ordinary private trainer, Dr. Cheng brings extensive medical knowledge as a specialist in Chinese medicine orthopedics to each of his clients and students. He attended the 2007 RKC Level 2 Certification, focused on Functional Movement Screen methodology as presented by Master Instructor Brett Jones, alongside many other therapeutically applied movement sciences. He was later promoted to RKC Team Leader and Sr. RKC, and today holds the rank of StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor.
His teaching method reflects an eye towards detail, safety, and constant fun. He has trained such luminaries as Guro Dan Inosanto and Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s Rigan Machado, and assisted his mentor, Pavel Tsatsouline, with law enforcement and military training. Few instructors bring the same mix of martial artist, physician, and kettlebell instructor.
Full biography · [email protected]
Certified instructors
All of the Kettlebells Los Angeles instructors received their training from Dr. Mark Cheng, one of Pavel Tsatsouline’s direct students. After training diligently with Dr. Cheng, these instructors were recommended to attend the instructor certification camp, and on successful completion each earned Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC) status.
The certifications recorded below are historical — they state what each instructor earned and when. Several instructors have since moved, changed focus, or stopped teaching kettlebells, and the certifying bodies themselves have changed hands over the years. Where a current website or contact route is known, it is linked on the individual’s page. Confirm directly before making plans.
The roster
Chief instructor. L.Ac., Ph.D. StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor.
Founder · Southern California
Dr. Cheng’s senior-most kettlebell student. RKC 2007, CK-FMS 2010.
Santa Monica · Culver City
Osteopathic physician. RKC April 2007, RKC Level 2 June 2007.
Santa Monica · Inland Empire
RKC August 2008, CK-FMS. Seven Star Mantis kung fu.
Irvine · Orange County
RKC February 2008. Chinese Kenpo, Bok-Fu Kenpo, Shootfighting.
Riverside
RKC August 2008. Founder of Kettlebells South Bay.
South Bay · Torrance
Instructor questions
What does RKC certification mean?
RKC stands for Russian Kettlebell Challenge, the instructor certification founded in 2001 that introduced hardstyle kettlebell training to the United States. Earning it required passing a physically demanding multi-day course covering technique, teaching, and a snatch test. The instructors listed here earned theirs between 2007 and 2008, when the course was run under Pavel Tsatsouline.
What is CK-FMS?
CK-FMS — Certified Kettlebell Functional Movement Specialist — was a further qualification combining kettlebell instruction with Gray Cook’s Functional Movement Screen. It taught instructors to screen movement patterns for restrictions and asymmetries and to programme around what the screen found, rather than applying the same session to everybody.
What is the difference between RKC and StrongFirst?
Pavel Tsatsouline founded the RKC in 2001 and left in 2012 to establish StrongFirst, which issues the SFG, SFL, and SFB certifications. Both organisations continued afterwards. Instructors certified before 2012 hold RKC credentials from the original programme; Dr. Cheng subsequently moved across and now holds the rank of StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor.
How do I choose an instructor?
Start with geography, since consistency matters more than credentials at the beginning. After that, match the instructor to your goal: rehabilitation and clinical backgrounds for injury work, martial arts backgrounds for athletic carry-over. Contact two and ask how they would approach your particular situation — the answer will tell you a lot.