We are undoubtably “Stronger Together”, our KBIA trainers program has always been about a community of like-minded trainer! It is an absolute honor to share with you the stories behind our trainers! They are real, they are unique and they are STRONG!
Meet Christina (Steena) Campagna
STRONG. This was not a word typically used to describe me. Instead, I heard words like delicate, wimpy, string bean, Kermit arms, anorexic (which I definitely was not). I grew up thinking I would never be an athlete or enjoy exercise.
Fast forward to age 30. I was a wife and stay at home momma of two girls. I was constantly exhausted and achy all the time. I decided that I needed to do something. I tried many different things, but without any definite plan. I tried cardio and home DVD workouts that were poorly designed and too advanced, but also not challenging enough to produce strength. I ended up just getting injured and frustrated.
I knew it was time to get serious when my 10 year old daughter could beat me at arm wrestling. I mean, good grief! I was tired of being weak. My inspiration came from my sister-in-law, who was a Black Belt in Karate and my sister, who was heavily involved in Crossfit and marathon running. I started looking for something that involved Martial Arts and strength training. That is when I found Kettlebell Kickboxing. I was searching online and saw bits of the workout and decided I wanted to try it, so I put the Schorcher DVD’s and a kettlebell on my Christmas list.
That was six years ago. I have had a lot of ups and downs in that time, but I have always returned to the Kettlebell Kickboxing method. I actually started to enjoy my workouts and looked forward to getting up at 5 A.M. every morning to do them. I also joined Karate with my girls. My Kettlebell Kickboxing workouts are the only thing that made that physically possible. Fitness became my passion and I decided I wanted to share it. I became a personal trainer and a Kettlebell Kickboxing instructor and started sharing kettlebell training with my friends. Kettlebell Kickboxing has also seen me through surgery on my hip last year.
The biggest lesson I have learned is that strength is a journey. It’s not that I was weak before and that I will be strong when I achieve such and such a goal. I have always been strong, but I needed to dig deep to find it. There will also be a lot of ups and downs along the journey. I used to get frustrated when illness, surgery, or just life caused me to miss working out, because I thought I would lose all my progress. I now know that I can’t look at it that way. There is no such thing as linear progress. It usually looks more like a line you tried to draw while your kid was bouncing on the couch beside you.
Kettlebell Kickboxing changed my life in so many ways. Not only do I think of myself as strong, but I am also more bold and willing to try things out of my comfort zone. I’m also more patient and forgiving of myself. I don’t expect perfection anymore. I know the value of effort and that it has its own reward. I know that no matter where my life takes me, I will always have a Kettlebell by my side.
Written by: Christina (Steena) Campagna