Reviews

I began training with George in July of 2011 in preparation for the HKC certification. Training with George is far beyond a structured routine and simple progression towards a fitness goal. Rather than providing answers, George questions you till you find the answer and the path. He presses you to find your accountability and absolutely teaches and lives by the RKC code. I was very pleased to find that when I took and passed the intial HKC cert on 9/11/2011, that everything George had taught was true to the weekend class.
I've continued to work with George and plan to provide updates on his involvement with the Clinical HKC coarse from January 2012. Most recently, I've started training for RKC with George. I'm certain hewill press me to the point where I can confidently go into the RKC weekend.
I don't think I can quantify how highly recommend George.

I met George about a year ago when my boyfriend was training for the RKC. I was instantly taken with his devotion to helping others achieve their fitness and training goals. After learning of my interest in kettlebell training, HKC, and the RKC, George encouraged me to attend the Clinical HKC program held in NJ in January 2012. I was fortunate enough to have George share his wealth of knowledge with me throughout the preparation process, and I subsequently passed the HKC! I now feel that I am fully prepared to teach and perform all that I have learned, and I owe so much of that to George. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to train with someone like him...George is one of a kind. I'm now looking forward to training for the RKC, and with George's expertise, I'm confident that the process will be a life changing experience. Thank you, George...you're awesome!

Full disclosure. I never learned from George as an RKC instructor but I had the opportunity to work with one of his students. As an assistant instructor at the Oct RKC in Philadelphia one of his students was on my team and she was one of the most prepared candidates going through. I had a conversation with him on the Sat night of the cert where he told me who his student was and I told him she was a stand out (a testament to a great coach as well as a student). Having been able to actually talk to him and get an idea of what he is about he is one of the most genuine "I want to help you," guys out there. He offered me advice with me expecting him to try and sell me on something and the only thing he tried to sell me on was to pay it forward which I do. Meet this man because he will have a positive impact on you whether it is for strength and conditioning, kettlebell technique...or just life in general. I am paying it forward by saying meet this man...now.

As a trainer with extensive experience I wanted the best to get me ready for RKC and that trainer is George. He lives by the RKC code of conduct and makes sure you are on board every step of the way. At times I got frustrated and thought perhaps I was too old to pursue RKC. George assured me that he would get me ready and made sure I was over prepared. I passed and my team leader said he could tell I worked with George. George even came to support me in the last day to watch my graduate workout! George is the trainer that other RKC trainers come to for advice, training and guidance. I admire George for his dedication to RKC and his desire to keep getting better. He told me he will make me better and he kept his word!

This will be my second review for George, now as an official RKC Instructor. When I signed up for RKC it was not only to expand my knowledge and expertise in the field but I also viewed it as a personal challenge. I have had the pleasure of working with George in the past and I knew he was the one that would ensure that I was as prepared as I needed to be. He truly has a gift! His cues and instruction to achieve the most optimal result is unmatched. When George speaks, you listen! I learned a tremendous amount leading up to the certification and was incredibly prepared. I can't thank him enough for that. You will never meet anyone more passionate and willing to share his knowledge for the betterment of others. I have such a great amount of respect for him as an instructor and thank him tremendously for making sure I was always "checked in!" Remain checked in with George and you will walk away seeing results. Thank You George!!

I decided to pursue the RKC instructor certification as a personal goal to challenge myself, and to help me become a stronger, more well-rounded trainer. Never having picked up a kettlebell before, I only had two months to prepare for RKC. Despite the small window to train, I was confident I would be successful because I knew George could get me to be where I wanted to be even in that short amount of time.

Beginning when I was a new employee at the fitness center, I found myself gravitating towards George whenever I needed professional advice. He always impressed me with his knowledge, and was always available and graciously willing to teach me something new. When I asked George to train me, he agreed to prepare me for RKC on the condition that I would push myself and only strive for greatness. Deal.

George devoted countless hours to helping me reach my personal and professional goals, and he was always committed 100%, which in turn motivated me to give 100%. I left every training session enthusiastic – feeling like I had achieved something and wanting to practice more. My training experience with George was much more diverse than I had expected. His unique methods of motivating, teaching and structuring pushed me to physical and mental highs. George is a stickler for correct form down to the smallest details. I have never met anyone with such a thorough understanding about how the body functions as a whole and how parts work individually and can influence one another’s actions. Even more impressive than his knowledge base is his ability to apply that information, and as a result, I saw and felt results much quicker than I had thought possible. The physical changes and increased strength were obvious, but I also felt mentally focused and relaxed.

Throughout the RKC certification weekend George was always there for me encouraging me to push through, enjoy and excel. He more than sufficiently prepared me to handle the demanding weekend, and I felt great about my accomplishments!
My expectations of training with George were met and far surpassed. He always motivated me to not only improve my RKC skills, but also become a better trainer, student and stronger person. He taught me to be independent and think for myself; as well as how to recognize and minimize my own limitations. George’s genuine concern for his students' success and well-being is unmatched.

Thank you George for believing in me and for all of your hard effort and time invested! My professional goal has become to educate and inspire others in the manner you do!

I sought George out through Dragon Door as I was looking for someone to work with me towards my goal of being an RKC certified instructor. As a newly certified personal trainer with a passion for kettlebells, I wanted the absolute best training. I certainly found that with George. I knew from the raised eyebrows at the front desk when I pulled my first training ticket and said I was working with George - I was in for an adventure and was working with the best.

Nine months later, I am 14 pounds lighter with a 9% reduction in body fat– lean, mean and stronger than I ever imagined. At 40, I can say I'm mentally and physically stronger than I have ever been and haven't been at this weight since my early teens. Looking back, I can not remember one session where I was reduced to a sweating, heaving mess on the floor, nor a day where I was starving. The learning never stopped and the changes kept coming even when I felt like I wasn't doing anything in particular to make them happen. It was a true lifestyle change that I underwent without even really realizing it! I grew not only in my strength physically but mentally. Using his analogy – which is spot on – George does not catch the fish for you, he teaches you how to fish. This can be a process – especially for those who are used to having things spelled out for them – George makes you figure it out. He can be cryptic at times and leave you wondering what the hell he is talking about – but it will hit you. 5 minutes later – or 5 months later, you will realize what he meant. (and kick yourself for not getting it the first time!). George forces you to think outside the box, defy gravity, open your mind and be the scientist when it comes to your body. A simple order like, “eat when you're hungry” or “use the appropriate weight” - stumped me, until it empowered me.

I hadn't intended to go for my RKC certification so quickly – but when I heard it was coming around, George encouraged me to go for it and I did. Preparing for the RKC with George and my training team has been the most rewarding journey of my life to date – and I feel like I did all the work myself. I had an awesome guide – but ultimately, it was me. Through my work with George, I have become more confident physically, mentally and professionally. I find myself applying Georgism's in every aspect of my life.

I don't mean to gloss over the physical work that I did with George – obviously he is a incredible trainer. He encourages you to go heavy,-where appropriate, go easy - where appropriate and work on your movement patterns which will make every lift that much more effective and will make you realize how simple and interconnected every movement can be. His cues are incredible – he will spark a hunger in you to learn more and more about the body and how it moves as he improves your performance by telling you to do some really odd stuff! But it works! He knows what you need – but he wants you to see it too and learn from the experience. He hands you nothing without you first saying “more, please!”. You will find yourself saying it again and again! That is what is so unique about George. You are not going for the “unga-bunga grunt grunt” with him– you go for quality movement. You earn the right to “go at it”. Rest assured you'll have perfect form when you do – which was EXACTLY what I was after.

My work with George will continue and I look forward to continuing to break through worlds and keep getting better! You will not regret training with George. It is that simple.

I think that the most impressive aspect of George Samuelson is his knowledge of the human body. He is able to assess, correct, and improve upon just about anything you ask him. A couple months ago, George had me doing pistol squats(one leg squats) within 6 minutes, when I wasn't able to before. 3 weeks ago, I was struggling with my 1 arm push ups. I could muscle my way through a right handed push up, and wasn't able to get more than 4 inches off the ground with my left. George had me do some visual work, and within 3 minutes I was moving much smoother on my right and could complete a full repetition on the left. Where as most people would have tried to build strength and endurance to accomplish my goal, he instead used a very different, innovative, yet simple approach to improving my abilities. It is his broad knowledge that allows him to help someone almost instantly, instead of spending weeks building muscular strength.

Aside from his help in improving my health, George has also been a great coach and constant motivator. I credit him for motivating me to continue learning as much as possible since graduating from Rutgers. He has helped me to expand my knowledge much further from what I learned as an undergraduate and his motivation and guidance is what indirectly led to my recent acceptance into physical therapy school. I think whether you are someone looking to improve your health or a medical or fitness professional looking to improve your abilities in helping others, you can learn a lot from George.

Billy Paranto
MSc Physiotherapy Student
Robert Gordon University
United Kingdom

George is not only a great trainer, but a genuinely nice person. Its obvious that he wants nothing more but to see you meet your goals and see you succeed. George was able to see my highest potential level right from the start and give me all the tools and guidance necessary to get me to that point. He went above and beyond to make sure I performed every rep correctly and was able to embed visual cues in my head that helped tremendously when remembering what i needed to do in order to perform that perfect rep. I highly recommend working with George and couldn't be happier to have been able to meet and work with him!

Up until two days ago, I was only able to pistol (one-legged squat) on my left leg. Every attempt I would make with my right leg would result in me rolling onto the floor. I showed George this issue I was having and in less than 1 minute, he had me completing a nearly perfect repetition. After about 4 minutes, I was doing sets of 4-5 reps on my right leg and improved my form on my left. So within 6 minutes of working with George, I went from not being able to do a single rep to doing sets of 4-5. And I have continued to improve each day since.
I am ecstatic to finally be able to pistol on both legs, but to be honest I was not surprised at the effectiveness of George's guidance because I have witnessed similar events like this every day with him. I have had the privilege of working with George for the past 6 months at the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health & Wellness in Hamilton, New Jersey, where he has had a tremendous impact on our quality of service and in the lives of the individuals we work with. His understanding of the human body and approach to training is truly impressive and he continually pushes himself to learn more in order to help the individuals who come to him.
George is also a wonderful team player as he constantly motivates our staff to learn and progress in our ability to help our clients. He has personally motivated me to push myself and has changed my entire way of viewing the body, and I can't thank him enough for it. Whether you are someone looking to improve your own health, or a fitness professional looking to learn more and expand upon your knowledge, George is the first person I would recommend you to see.
Thank you, George, for all your help.
Billy Paranto
Personal Trainer
Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health & Wellness

I first met George at a KB Workshop in MD couple of years ago. I had no idea who the guy was, but it seemed that he knew a lot.

Well, it turned out, I was not wrong: George knew a lot then and now he knows even more. I'm amazed at how well he is able to integrate elements from different schools of training into his own and his clients exercise regimens. George truly has an open-mind: he knows a lot and thus not afraid to experiment, at the same time he is humble and admits that he is far from perfect. George always strives to expand his knowledge and he is pretty good at too. George represents a new generation of a fitness professional: someone who is ever curious to understand how things work, to get better and to get better at helping others to improve.

Personally, in 2 sessions with George, I got serious improvements in my FMS scores and got a full pistol (something I have been trying to hit for a while). This is impressive. So, if you have a chance to work with George: go for it, your time and effort will be well-invested.

Since working with George, I have seen more results in months than the past years of my training combined. In using his techniques with training, I have experienced strength gains while reducing my bodyfat, and have hit my goals faster than I ever thought I could! Since George first exposed me to kettlebell training, I can honestly say that I have rarely gone a day without incorporating their use into my routine. There use has brought a challenging yet fun component into my training. Training with George has improved my movement and breathing as well. Additionally, my overall health has improved, and as a result my Doctor has been able to take me off most of the medication I had taken in the past to treat my Crohn's Disease, which is now in remission. Every training session with George is a motivating and fun experience, and there is never a dull moment. I look forward to achieving more results with him in the future, and George has my highest confidence and recommendation.

I have had the honor and privilege of working with George over the past few years and he has opened my eyes to a world that really shows how the body should move and why it moves that way. I have learned so much through his knowledge of CK-FMS as well as RKC. I myself committed to a program that followed George's training methods along with a strict diet plan. In doing so, it has allowed me to better myself by losing weight, decreasing body fat, increasing my energy, and moving better. Throughout my training he has passed on knowledge of movement patterns that I have been able to use with myself as well as my own clients to better their movement.
I am very grateful to be able to learn from George and all that he teaches. If you ever have the opportunity to spend 20 minutes with him, make those 20 minutes count. He is an open book and more then willing to share his knowledge with anyone who is willing to learn and apply what they have learned the correct way. I would recommend anyone who wants to better themselves with training will not go wrong with George. He has all the tools you need as long as you commit and are willing to learn.

I've had the pleasure of working with George and words really cannot express the sheer knowledge, capabilities and dedication he has towards his work and sharing it with others. I'm fortunate to have learned an unbelievable amount from him and use these skills for myself and others I work with. He's generous with his knowledge but only with the idea that you will follow his instruction to better yourself. There is no "ok I'll try it"....you do it or you don't. His emphasis on proper movement and mechanics is inspiring. It's not about repetition, sets or weight....it's how efficiently and effectively can you perform the movement. There is never a time that I meet with George that I don't walk away with something learned. He's fantastic and you're fortunate if you get the opportunity to work with him.

As a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology, and as a Certified Personal Trainer myself, I have seen first hand the degree to which misinformation and "old-wives tales" are passed along as gospel in the fitness world. More upsetting is how little many so-called "trainers" realize the magnitude of the damage that they inflict on their clients.

In this foolish world of protein shakes and Bicep curls, George stands apart from these frauds. Despite considering myself to be a relatively knowledgeable individual (especially relative to many of the uneducated, ignorant people that I have worked with), I am not ashamed to say that George's knowledge dwarfs my own in every conceivable way. Even as a Fitness Professional myself, I am proud to call myself his Student. Under his guidance and tutelage, I have learned more about Strength and proper Human Movement in the past year than in 4 years of study at a major University.

With regards to his areas of knowledge, I can personally attest to George's mastery of a number of different concepts. In the field of Strength, his RKC II affords him an understanding of how true force can be generated systemically, as opposed to moving joints in isolation. His CK-FMS and his Z-Health certifications allow him to quickly identify and correct both obvious and subtle faulty Movement Patterns. For the average Joe, this means that he knows exactly why you've been having that back pain for the past decade, and already has the fix ready to go.

As a Exercise Physiologist and a Trainer myself, I would recommend George not only for the exercise enthusiast, but for ANY PROFESSIONAL looking to take their knowledge base to a NEW LEVEL. Learn from George, and leave the world of the fitness frauds in the dust forever.

George was a fantastic instructor at October's RKC seminar in Philly! He didn't let bad and weak form get in the way of pushing me through it to a successful experience. I truly was not prepared for all the mental and physicalness needed to pass the RKC and George pushed me to completion.

My form was not correct and the first day was a real challenge for me as my mechanics were just not coming together. In fact, I kept wondering why I couldn't get it right.... but George and the team leads constantly reinforced good form, good technique, singlesness of mind, thus forcing me to focus on the details to get it right. And we both succeeded!

Between his attention to detail and a willingness to correct mechanics ever so slightly, I came out of Saturday seeing light at the end of the tunnel - my form was improving and so was my spirit.

I have been blessed to have him as an instructor and if I ever get back to his neck of the woods, I would love to train again with him. He knows his stuff and is serious about RKC success. Thanks George, as I could not have completed the class with out your support.

He is now helping me train to complete the snatch test and I am ever thankful. I pray that once RKC, I can teach like George and inspire my students to push past their mental and physical barriers.

George Samuelson is very passionate. In RKC philadelphia cert 2009, He was a my team instructor. And he picked us up from the workshop place to the hotel. While his driving, he all the time taught us new things and cert know-hows. Even One night, he taught us teaching skills and corrected our form in the parking lot after the schedule. He have a unique ability for CK-FMS. Learning from him was the Greatest thing in my RKC cert.

Gun Jung
RKC instructor & Yoga teacher

I have been working with Kettlebells for almost 3 years and trained with many different RKC's and each one brings something different they have helped me with. But i have never worked with a certified CK-FMS instructor. After I worked with George for one short period of time, he amazed me with his knowledge in that short secession.
About 2 years ago i injured my wrist and since that time i have not been able to even get into a push up position. My chiropractor has been working on my wrist ever since and never could completely fix it. The best he could do was to get me to about 85%. I mentioned this problem to George (after he tought me what i was doing wrong with my deadlift) and he explained how he could help me. And after about 5 mins of exercises he had me do with my ankle (i still do not understand why?), i was able to do a push up for the first time in 2 years with NO pain. It was incredible, i can not explain it but it worked. Just yesterday i went back to my Chiropractor for the first time after i met with George, and he noticed my wrist was at 100%. I am a believer, and it is only a matter of time before i train with him again.
So to sum it up, whatever your level of training, you really need to take the time to train with George Samuelson RKC. He WILL impress you, and help you in some way to maintain your training goals.

I've had the fortune of teaching around the world for over a decade now, working with high-level instructors in the movement sciences field. George Samuelson is one of those who is quickly becoming a world-class expert in this field.

Because of his willingness to spare NO effort in bettering his own understanding and abilities in RKC kettlebell training and functional movement training, Mr. Samuelson has set himself aside from the rest of the pack. Even the above-average personal trainer cannot come close to offering his/her clientele the skill sets that Mr. Samuelson has devoted countless hours to seek out, study, and assimilate in the service of those who work with him.

It has been an honor to work with him, and I give him my most hearty recommendation. Whether you're a child athlete, a professional competitor, someone who's trying to fit into a sleek new dress, or a PT patient trying to come back from an injury, you've found the right person to help you get back to your A-game!

George,

I wanted to thank you for organizing the phenomenal seminar with Dr. Mark Cheng at our Israeli Krav Maga U.S. Training Facility. After the good fortune of having you walk through our doors, my training program, and, perhaps, most importantly, my thinking toward functional strength and conditioning has changed for the betterBeginnging with high-school and college football, I have always tried to follow a conventional strength training program. I have sampled many variations and strenght programs over the years to compliment my training in instruction of Israeli krav maga.

Following your training regimen, my balance, strength, and conditioning have definitely improved. I feel better from head to foot with my lower back giving me fewer problems. I cannot recommend the RKC approach highly enough for those looking to develop functional speed and power along with superior conditioning -- and fight conditioning at that. This is not just the proverbial killing two birds with one stone, but rather three! The RKC approach improves ballistic movement, strength and power -- all while harnessing the body's core platform to force every muscle group to work in concert.

I have recently returned from training in Israel with Grandmaster Gidon. I could not help but wax poetic about your strength and fitness approach to Haim and his senior instructors. Simply put, this is a non-pareil strength enhancement and conditioning program that anyone serious about maximizing his self-defense capabilities should look into. Our students very much look forward to you're becomming an integral part of our training.

Best,


David Kahn
Israeli Krav Maga U.S. Chief Instructor
www.israelikrav.com
Author, Krav Maga (2004) & Advanced Krav Maga (2008)

I have had many blessings in my life, and I rank being able to train with George very highly among them. I have never met anyone as focused on both the overall routine, as well as on the smallest detail. Kettlebells is a discipline that I would guess may never be mastered...therefore it is a program of continous progress, always working towards perfection. Georges knowledge of the human body is amazing, I learn more about my body every session, thru him I have learned that a few kettlebells, some time, and a lot of sweat are all that I need to progress in endurance, strength, flexibility, and performance.

George attended my benefit for the USMC on Saturday, July 11th, 2009. Aside from the generosity he showed in driving so far and spending so many hours during and after the event, I watched him make two dramatic, real-time improvements in mobility and performance.

Using techniques I can only describe as pure voodoo, George coached Jen Morey, already a smooth and accomplished powerlifter, to a much better, stronger conventional deadlift, perhaps adding 30lbs to her 1-RM at that moment. He was able to see and identify a host of issues in only a few reps and systematically address them with great coaching cues.

In the second case he used rotations of the LEFT ankle to restore mobility to the RIGHT wrist of a client who has not been able to assume the push-up position for over a year and was able to drop down and hold it pain-free immediately afterward. Both of us were shocked, but what struck me was that there was no doubt in George's mind that the techniques would elicit the intended improvements...he was not the least bit tentative.

I intend to hire him to work on my deadlift technique before the tactical strength challenge in September and would recommend him to any client, but especially one interested in the more esoteric aspects of performance enhancement.

George has my highest regard.

Brian Petty, RKC, USA Boxing Coach

Because if you don't George will! He will make you do every rep right, the way it should be. The group classes are informative as well as entertaining, not to mention a great workout as well. I am lucky to work along side of someone so enthusiastic about helping people. Every time I see George I learn something!

George and I were training before his schedule became too difficult for us to work together; this was about three years ago. Since then, I have moved up in my organization and have become dissatisfied with the traditional training programs. I can't wait behind people to get on universal equipment, have no patience getting tickets into the "cool classes" and am so over scheduled at work, why would I want to do it when I exercise???
I am a mother of two young children and work some days over 16 hours a day. I have been exercising since I was 14, was a HS and college athlete, taught aerobics, etc., but could not shake the feeling that I was at a point where the "usual" was not working. Stress had taken over my life and I needed to feel good again...so I tracked George down and he decided to fit me in to his busy schedule. He and I are very similar in work ethic, so I think it was easy for him to "agree" to take me on. He is an interesting individual. He probably attracts and retains people who are truly serious in getting stronger, feeling better, and people who aren't fooled by false advertising.
George has me working on the kettle bell and I have made great strides in two months. I look forward to our meetings each week. He is a challenge for me - which is hard to find!!

Please know that George is not warm and fuzzy. If you want that, look elsewhere, like Jazzersize!

Look no further. George's dedication and enthusiasm to kettlebell training is nothing short of infectious. His philosophy on training is simple. He imparts his clients with all of the knowledge and technique they require and accepts nothing but their best in return. He goes above and beyond what you would expect from a fitness instructor.
I've been training for long distance running events and triathlons for years, but I've never been in better shape than the last month I spent training on kettlebells. More importantly, I ve never trained smarter than the last month I spent working with George. Just based on the last couple of weeks, I'm already committed to earning RKC myself by the end of this year.
You want to learn kettlebell? You want to train with George.

I am a 26 year old male athlete that has played just about every sport in my life and played football and golf at the collegiate level. I have been trained by many different trainers, but George has motivated me better than any other trainer. He brings great passion, knowledge, and motivation to the table. I am in better shape now, then when I was playing football.
George will not accept poor technique. He will only progress a trainee if they show proper technnique with very little weight or sometimes no weight at all. By taking this plan of action, george greatly decreases your chances of incurring an injury, and also increases your ability to develope our muscles properly.
I would recommend George to any individual no matter age, sex, or current physical condition.

and that's how I like it. George is a great kettlebell instructor because he is very knowledgeable in the material that he generously shares with us. He is a stickler for detail and the application of proper technique before allowing us to "work out". I know that if I listen to George, I will do the exercise properly, efficiently and effectively. In the 4 weeks that I have been training with George I have seen significant results and have been injury free. I find his training style to be very motivating. He pushes me to do much more than I would do on my own. I am getting stronger and more flexible every week. He is bringing me the results I was looking for in an alternative exercise trainer.

George Samuelson is the smartest instructor that I have ever trained with. Smart, in the sense, that he knows and explains nutrition, physiology, conditioning, psychology and common sense. He is a stickler for doing things EXACTLY the right way- he's not interested in how many reps you do but that you do them exactly correctly. He takes time to explain why you should do things and the benefits to be derived in an accurate, brief and clear way. Some trainers, after they speak for a few minutes, I have no idea what they want me to do, why do it and the benefits to be received.

We are emphasizing the kettlebell now- it's hard for me but also fun, combining cardio, functionality and strength. The kettlebell may be the only piece of equipment I need. I've convinced some of friends, who do not work out with George Samuelson, to try the kettlebell and they love it. One of them bought a set, dropped out of his gym and now trains at home.

In the short while I've been training with the kettlebell I've lost 11 lbs (down to 227 lbs.), don't get gassed as easily, increased my physique especially my lats and gotten stronger. During this learning process, George Samuelson has been patiently correcting my technique and constantly prodding me to do better all the while greatly encouraging me.

He is a trainer that other trainers come to for advice and he trains other trainers as well. In my opinion, he is the single best hire that the Robert Wood Johnson Wellness and fitness Center has made since it went into business. I can speak authoritatively because I am a Charter Member and have seen many, many trainers come and go since I've been a member.