President – Tyler Valencia, PhD(c)

After graduating from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor degree in Kinesiology, Tyler turned an undergraduate internship with a Southern California online fitness education company into a full-time position.  Throughout his time with the same company, he excelled at several positions, developing his skillset with online instructional design and eventually leading him to accept an executive position with the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT). After working for NCCPT, Tyler decided to start his own online health & fitness company and founded the Kinesiology Institute for Performance Specialists (KIPS). Since 2016, KIPS has been selling and developing online education for health and fitness professionals. In 2018, Tyler assumed operational control of Kettlebell Concepts, a leader in live kettlebell education since 2002.

From 2012 to 2016, Tyler ran and operated his own fitness bootcamp company in Long Beach, California, which won Best Bootcamp two years in a row (2014-2015) and Best Personal Trainers three years in a row (2013-2015).

Tyler grew up in beautiful Manhattan Beach, California where he participated in track and field, and currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona.  He competes in monthly Scottish highland games as a lightweight competitor.

Education
Doctor of Philosophy(c) in Health & Human Performance, Concordia University Chicago 
Master of Science in Applied Exercise Science – Emphasis in Sports Performance, Concordia University Chicago
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology – Emphasis in Fitness, CSU Long Beach

Courses Contributed To
Speed, Agility & Strength Training
Foundations of Steel Mace Certification
Group Exercise Instructor Certification
Personal Trainer Program

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Course Instructor – Janice Jaicks

Janice has been teaching water aerobics since 1985 when she was asked to teach at the Mesa YMCA. She has worked with all populations (athletes, older adults, special populations) at health clubs and resorts since that time. Her sense of humor, motivating attitude and caring nature make her one of the most sought-after instructors in the valley. Janice has also managed and trained hundreds of aqua instructors over the past 20 years. She is the creator and presenter of Aqua Progressions, a training designed for new and veteran water aerobics instructors to learn choreography tools, review safety and contraindications for all populations, and understand the principles and properties of water for a safe, effective workout. Janice has presented for several national organizations such as IDEA World, SCW Mania, and her own FitnessFest and AquaCon conferences.

Courses Contributed To
Aqua Progressions

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Executive Vice President – Ronald Gonzales-Trujillo

Ronald started training in 2011 and graduated in 2014 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB). During his time at CSUSB he helped to instruct and lead the Personal Trainer Development Program and served as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the school’s softball, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and women’s basketball teams. It was these early experiences that led to his passion of creating optimal performance in each and every one of his clients and helping to guide other trainers and instructors to provide the best service possible. In his 10 years of training experience he has dealt with clients of all ages and physical capabilities and continues to share his passion for health and wellness by training clients in person all around the greater Los Angeles area. In early 2021 he joined KIPS and is now able to spread his expertise even further by creating weekly content to help others become the best instructors they can be.

Education
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology – CSU San Bernardino

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Course Instructor – Vincent Metzo, MA, LMT, CSCS

Vincent is the Dean of Advanced Personal Training at the Swedish Institute and the Director of Education for Kettlebell Concepts in New York City.

Vincent’s dance, theatre and acrobatics background lead him to choose exercise science and education as a career. His passion for kettlebells and training grew out of his early training as a dancer and acrobat.

During his time as an undergraduate at NYU Tisch School of the Arts studying acting Vincent’s interest in movement and acrobatics grew. This led him to study acrobatics and tumbling and to work with a strength coach to improve his tumbling and acrobatics. The results of a well-designed program led Vincent to decide to return to NYU to pursue a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology and Fitness Management.

After a few years working in corporate fitness and receiving his Diploma and License as a Massage Therapist, he began teaching at the Swedish Institute where he developed and runs the Advanced Personal Training Program, the first personal training degree program in Manhattan. In addition to maintaining a private massage therapy practice and personal training business where he works with track and field athletes, Broadway dancers and fitness clients, Vincent is the creator of the FCES (Flexibility and Corrective Exercise Specialist), Focus on Flexibility and Periodization of Sports Massage workshops, As the director of education for Kettlebell Concepts, he authored the KBC Level 2 course called The KBC Metabolic and Neurologic Specialist Certificate (KBCMNS.)

Vincent is a strong advocate of training with kettlebells because of their transferability to real-life movements. Vincent has been teaching the first progressive curriculum based Kettlebell Boot Camp since 2005 along with Kettlebell Sports camp for those interested in competitive lifting and the Top Secret Strength and Conditioning Camp that combines kettlebells with other “low tech-high effect” tools such as ropes, sand bags, and acrobatic movement skills.

All his teaching is centered around the ideas of improved conditioning and helping people learn body management to move better. His strength class has become the proving ground for IFET (Integrated Functional Explosive Training) the new Instructor Training licensed small group personal training offering from KettleBell Concepts.

He lives in Westchester with his wife and twin sons.

Courses Contributed To
Kettlebell Corrective Strategies and Techniques – Shoulder & Hip