Reviews

More than two weeks ago my wife and I visited San Francisco to run the hosted U.S. Half Marathon. I have scheduled myself to run four half marathons in six weeks period (a personal goal/reason to train hard). The San Francisco Half Marathon was race number two. I can proudly say that I finished 211th place out of 2415 runners. I love running, but it currently has one down side, as a naturally slender guy the pounds melt off quicker than I can replace them. I also have recently felt a lack of strength/power. As a police officer a lack of strength/power can get you hurt. So I decided to give Marty a call to schedule some kettlebell training during our stay in San Franciasco. My wife and I had attended a kettlebell intro workshop in the past and weren't really mesmerized, but we figured we would give it another try. We were sure glad we did. We initially asked for a real focus on the basics. Marty delivered and then some. Marty is a real kettlebell technician. Marty's attention to detail made everything come together. Actually we left the first session wanting more. It all made sense after Marty's expalnation of the basics. I was so impressed, I scheduled another unplanned training session the day after the race (post race soreness screaming inside but I didn't want to miss this wonderful opportunity to learn something from a real expert). I wanted to get as much training time with Marty as I could. Marty made it easy, she came to me, we trained in the fitness room in my Hotel three hours before I had to be at the airport on the way back to Atlanta. Marty even followed up with e-mail resource material on the execises covered during our training sessions. Marty is a real PRO. I don't plan to visit San Francisco again without scheduling some kettlebell training time with Marty... Thanks for everything Marty....

I am so glad I had the opportunity to take Marty's Kettlebell seminar for a second time. Marty is an amazing, inspirational and very knowledgeable instructor who doesn't just talk the talk, but definitely walks the walk! As a personal trainer, I bear the responsibility of seeking out the best training possible to use for myself as well as coach my clients. There are gazillions of trainers out there, but sadly, really good trainers are hard to come by. Unfortunately, there are many trainers out there who lack the experience and education needed to help people build a healthy, strong body without injuring them in the process. Marty is not one of those people. When it comes to safety, proper technique, and perfect execution of every movement to ensure the best results-Marty is number one. She has the skills, the strength, and the motivating qualities that makes for a perfect trainer. I can honestly say that her workshop was the best one I've ever taken. So good in fact, that I just had to take it twice! I feel that I gained so much from those workshops and I feel very confident in training my clients with Kettlebells. Now I'm hungry for more!

Marty's kettlebell training was fantastic! I learned effective pre-workout stretches, philosophies behind the different kettlebell techniques, and how to perfect my form during the exercises.
Marty was able to give one-on-one training to people in our class, and she used the students as teachers to help us find imperfections in form. She was specific in her training and clearly was knowledgeable about how the body and muscles work. In only a few hours, I had learned the basics of kettlebell strength training and felt confident that with practice, I could also apply the techniques to own my workout routine!

I am a personal trainer and a student at the National Personal Training Institute and from the scale 1 to 10 I gave Marty's kettlebell seminar and teaching skills 10 plus. Fun, interesting, innovative and interacting class with simple and useful information. Not to mention the focus on safety and detailed one on one attention given to each student. Marty covers a lot of info in a short amount of time. Power breathing techniques, how to get a client to squat deep harmleesly and more.The concept of "linkage versus leakage' for maximum strength and power is key to teach a client how to bench press and press heavy weights over head safely and strongly without stressing the shoulder joint. I loved the workout as well. Time went very fast and I wanted to continue learning more and more. Thank you Marty for all your innovative info and for your great work.

Marty is an excellent, knowledgeable and fun trainer! I had been working with kettlebells for a little over a month, focused on the swing, and since I was visiting San Francisco wanted to meet with an RKC trainer who could help me with form. Marty's focus on correct form is very strict and will help you improve the effectiveness and safety of your workouts.

Marty is also very passionate about fitness and provides lots of encouragement. Marty is a fun and interesting trainer, a wealth of information. Marty helped me fix my swing form, taught me the TGU and gave me a ton of helpful hints to improve my hand strength and how to reduce pain in my joints.

After our two sessions Marty sent me several emails containing workouts I could do at home, links to the information we discussed and checked in several times to make sure I understood the workouts. Marty is a great example of an inspiring trainer: smart, eye for detail, fun and encouraging! It is very clear that Marty's number one priorities are your safety, health and enjoyment. I highly recommend you meet with Marty!

RKC Marty Covault is a highly-skilled trainer with a deep understanding of kettlebell techniques and resistance training. If you want to learn correct technique or clean up your form, Marty is a great choice. I started with Marty 18 months ago. At that point I'd spent 6 months trying to learn kettlebells. This started first with Tim Ferriss' cliffs notes on the swing, then Pavel's Enter The Kettlebell book, then Pavel's ETK DVD. Each of these taught me a lot, but I could tell I was still doing things wrong. I was getting injured and couldn't figure out why. I found Marty on Yelp, searching for a personal trainer that could teach me the technique in-person. This made all the difference.

Part of correct form is appropriate mobility and stability within the body. Marty has a deep understanding of this, and is able to quickly assess deficiencies. Upon finding stability deficiencies in my hips and shoulders, Marty removed some potentially dangerous KB moves from my program, and added a progression of strengthening exercises. This made for a few boring months, but it worked -- I was then able to learn and execute all the moves safely. I've now got a solid full-body routine and am in the best shape of my life.

I'd been tossing kettlebells around for quite a while before I came to Marty. I thought I knew what I was doing. Progress had come easily and steadily by working out largely on my own. Then I decided it was time to take the RKC certification. That's when Marty entered my life. Everything changed.

Marty's knowledge of physical culture is unparalleled, and that knowledge was immediately put to use in diagnosing form errors and stability issues in almost every aspect of my kettlebell practice. I was impressed. I felt like Luke Skywalker just after he crash landed his X-Wing fighter on Dagobah. He thought he knew the ways of the Jedi, but it took meeting Yoda for him to unlearn all that he had learned in order to become a true Jedi Knight. Marty is my Yoda.

I've got RKC in San Jose coming up in a few weeks and thanks to Marty I feel ready. Moreover, Marty has gone beyond the kettlebell and introduced Indian clubs into my workout routine, drastically improving my mobility.

Lastly, I find Marty's overall fitness philosophies to be very commensurate with mine: eat clean unprocessed whole food, train hard and get plenty of sleep. Marty will help you reach your fitness goals.

So...........Marty Covault is an AWESOME trainer!! He has great integrity, enormous strength and intelligence, an innate sense of what each individual client needs, and the skills and training to make sure that they achieve their goals.

I notice ONE review of 3/10 (WTF??) for this amazing trainer - along side SEVENTEEN 10/10 reviews!!! What does this tell you!!??..........

It tells ME that 1 client out of 18 had personal issues with Marty. Well, you know what??? Not every person gets along with all other people, and if the client was dissatisfied with Marty, he should have left sooner.

Why did he continue to train with Marty for so long despite his claims of difficulties?? There can be only one reason - Marty's training is amazing, effective and exemplary. THOSE are the only reasons to stay with a trainer that you, personally, do not see eye-to-eye with.

Count yourself lucky, Sir, that Marty stuck with you for so long - and everyone else......run, do not walk, and sign-up with this master trainer and benefit from the expertise of Marty Covault.

The Good: Knowledge. After training with Marty for 1.5 years (2x week) I found her understanding and passion for fitness to be unparalleled- she is truly an excellent trainer when she wants to be. I experienced positive changes in my physique and overall fitness level during that time. I came away with an excellent foundation for continuing on with my own fitness goals. Her knowledge of kettlebell movement, functional strength, stability, and excercise is superb.

The Bad: Punctuality. Over the course of 18 months Marty was late for my sessions 90% of the time, and significantly late (20-30 minutes) 75% of the time. She liked to expend considerable periods of time during her $95/hr sessions talking about non fitness related things even after consistently showing up late- to the point that she would make herself late for other clients. She then had the aggravating habit of claiming she made up for being late "by spending extra time" with me!

The Ugly: Interpersonal and business skills. I found Marty to have a huge void in the grace department. I found her to be exceptionally rude at times but decided to ignore most of it given the good training. Upon confronting her multiple times about her tardiness she eventually decided that she couldn't train an "angry person" like me anymore (Imagine!!) I was left with a load of expensive equipment which she previously demanded I buy for the training and $15,000 invested in a progressive, unrepeatable training education. Marty in her own words is "not willing to give any refunds under any circumstances" even if she decides to end the training in the middle of your prepaid package.

Beware. If you can stomach all of the above, I wholeheartedly recommend Marty.

Merritt W.
San Francisco 8/22/12

On occasion I travel to San Francisco for work. On my last trip I had the pleasure of meeting Marty Covault. Marty was wonderfully accommodating to meeting with me as my schedule permitted.
Training with Marty is kettlebell training at it's best. Marty is very pleasant but also very to the point. And the point is doing each exercise with correct form. Before meeting Marty I had done swings and done Turkish get ups but after meeting with Marty I'm really DOING the exercises. The attention to detail was what impressed me with Marty the most. Kettlebell training is an amazing way to train and Marty will show you how to get the most out of your time. I have never trained with anyone who is so knowledgeable about kettlebells and look forward to future sessions with Marty Covault.

I have been training with Marty for over a year. Before I selected Marty I tried out several kettlebell instructors. In comparison, Marty is by far the most detailed and the most strict about doing all of the exercises correctly. Marty is fanatical about teaching proper form, through a series of small steps with corrective exercises along the way. In addition to building strength, Marty's program includes flexibility and stability training. These factors are very important to me because I have had injuries in the past and I wanted to ensure that I am not risking any future injuries by improper form.

If you want a very professional, knowledgeable, and strict trainer who will teach you how to do the program the right way, safely and avoid injury, then you will have a good experience with Marty.

Marty Covault is an excellent trainer. I lost 7lbs in three weeks working with Marty three days a week and still losing more. Our sessions are not only a great full body workout they are also learning sessions about the body. With the information Marty gives me as we train, I understand what we are doing and I feel equipped to continue working out on my own. I prefer to work directly with Marty on a frequent basis to keep my form in check and have the extra motivation to push my body farther. One of Marty's greatest assets is the ability to create the proper progressive training program tailored to my goals. I have trained with several trainers with out the results or education. Marty is always studying and learning about new breakthroughs in the field and passes this knowledge on to me, making the sessions interesting, fun and effective. Marty's method is efficient and time saving. An hour workout three times a week has afforded me faster and longer lasting results than any other workout regiment I have tried. Marty also gives me great workouts to do on my own time when I cannot meet. I highly recommend Marty....

I recently completed 20 sessions of training with Marty and want to share an email I sent: "Marty, I want to express my appreciation for all your work with me these past 20 sessions, it really has been the best workout I have ever learned. I'm glad my husband and I ended up choosing kettle bell training over any other workout. During our training sessions you pushed me and showed me that it was safe to go beyond my comfort zone and learned that this made my body respond better to the workout. I am now able to go beyond that threshold without fear and maximize my workout.
I am glad we found you and it has been specially nice that you are Hispanic and we shared the same language, I felt more comfortable, confident and had a better connection. Muchas Gracias!!

After reading previous reviews here on Dragondoor, my wife and I decided to invest our time and money with Marty. Wow!! what a payoff!! In a short period of time, we have both experienced weight loss, increased tonality and cardiovascular stamina. We are now enthusiasts of kettlebell training and of Marty's program. She has really been a game changer in our lives. Two thumbs up!!!

My life is pretty busy and often fairly stressful. I had wanted to get some regular exercise for a while, both in terms of basic fitness and in order to lose some weight, and I finally realized that I had to take action and take charge of my own health and well-being. However I have a distinct aversion to the gym scene and mentality, and I wanted something that I could do in my own home, but that was truly effective. After talking with a friend who was already training with Kettlebells, and was really happy with the results, I felt inspired to pursue this form of "working out".

I did a Google search on Kettlebells in San Francisco, and found information on Marty Covault on the Dragondoor website (http://www.dragondoor.com). I was impressed by what I saw about Marty, and decided to send an email and arrange a meeting at my house. I was immediately put at ease by Marty, who talked with me about my general health, my goals and my needs. We started training that week, and I cannot begin to say how much I am enjoying this process - and I am NOT someone who takes easily to physical exercise! I actually really look forward to our KB sessions.

Marty's training method is simple, clear and concise, focusing on good form, increasing strength and consistent progress. Marty never introduces a new movement into a session without fully explaining the benefits in a way that makes perfect sense, and never introduces a new movement until the technique is mastered safely. Also, our sessions are not limited to only kettlebells, and are varied enough to stay really interesting. Sometimes we train outside and mix kettlebells with body weight exercises, hill sprinting and body weight drills.

Marty also consistently, and correctly, points out that kettlebells alone are not the key to getting strong, lean, and mean, and that the greatest key is mental toughness - the way one trains, eats, and sleeps are the keys to healthy fitness, with kettlebells or without kettlebells.

In conjunction with the above, Marty gave me an eating plan that has amazed me - it is flavorful and filling, because it is basically just good wholesome food eaten on a correct schedule and in the correct proportions. This simple eating plan has not only expedited my goals but has been remarkably easy to integrate into my busy life style. I feel stronger, healthier and sharper in all aspects of my life through this steady regimen of good food and exercise - wow, who knew!!!!

If you are someone, at any level of fitness, looking for an expert trainer who works in a completely healthful way, has a generous spirit, a physique that proves that this training really works, and a great sense of humor - but who will definitely kick your butt when you need it kicking - call Marty! I am SO happy that I made that first, rather nervous, contact with Marty and I am truly reaping the benefits.

I trained with Marty back in the days before Marty began training with kettlebells. After going through a loss of a love one ( my partner ) I got very depressed and as a result, I lost a lot of muscle weight. After a while, it so happen I ran into Marty at the gym. Because I loved Marty's quality work, I decided to get back to training with Marty again.
I must say that training with Marty is very non-traditional. I had a trainer in the past who trained me with split body parts and I only saw descent results; but with Marty is like being on roids x 10. We train the whole body as a single unit, we use all-round tension for maximum force, power breathing techniques etc...with a pair of kettlebells, a pull up bar, a rope, and a pair of akrowheels that it! Very simple, intense but definitely effective. My physical changes increased my confidence, and WOW the compliments and the attention became never ending.

No doubt, every bucket of sweat was worth my investment, and best of all my de-sissyfication.

Thank you Marty for making me a manly man.

I am for ever indebeted!

Pablo Parra

Very good instructor.Good balance of theory and practical moves. Marty kept it challenging and enjoyable. Good style of communication and lots of honest hands on feedback. I also liked the workouts demo as well as the advance techniques. Marty was very good at taking things in small steps and making sure that each move was done correctly. Marty is very committed to her clients and was good at motivating us when techniques became a challenge for some.

Off the top I was not expecting all the cardiovascular training Then it don on me.... kettlebell cardiovascular training is incorporate into our strength and conditioning training. WOW how innovative! Marty's Seminar was just that. she teaches the key concepts about kettlebell training in a understanding fun manner. The concept of Linkage vs Leakage is KEY- refers to "Taming the Arc" proper hip loading whereas if you let the bell swing down closer to the ground than to you, you will end up compensating with your back and that is neither safe nor efficient meaning you can't go fast if you're inefficient. Marty's training program really forces you to hit on all your Extensors reflex Receptor.
As an competitive Bodybuilder , I have always relied on proper form, speed and momentum( keeping the weight in play as we call it) training that kettlebell work not only allows but encourages. I immediately realized that the magic in the bell that Marty spoke about with so much passion and that passion of she made this seminar enjoyable and fun. Im forever hook to kettlebell
thank you Marty!

I first met Marty Covault when I attended the 2009 San Jose RKC, where Marty was assisting as a Kettlebell instructor. Even though I had studied with other Bay Area KB trainers before the RKC, I was still struggling with my swing form, and Marty was incredibly helpful in fixing my Kettlebell swing. She was able to quickly see what I was doing wrong, give the appropriate correct exercise or drill, and guide my movements so that I could swing healthy and swing strong.

Marty was a real professional at the RKC, and even though Pavel and other instructors gave me great guidance in fixing my KB cleans and get-ups, Marty was able to cue me in a hands-on way that I found more helpful than other personal trainers I have worked with.

They say that everyone needs a coach, so six months after the RKC, even though I had learned Kettlebell basics, I gave Marty a call. She was of great help in making corrections to my get-up and single leg deadlifts, and my strength work is back on track thanks to Marty! I was especially glad to find a RKC with such a diverse set of athletic experiences who was so personable, knowledgeable, hands-on, and effective. If you live around the SF Bay Area, give Marty a call!

I never knew much about kettlebells until I attended Marty's seminar. I always try to learn new forms of exercise to keep my workout interesting and i have to say I was very impressed with this form of training and the amount of information and knowledge that Marty shared. The seminar was fun, informative and extremely innovative. Although it seems to be pretty challenging to learn proper use of kettlebells, Marty breaks down every single exercise and movement into steps that are very easy for everyone to understand. We were all working very hard to learn some movements but Marty made sure we were having a good time every step of the way in order to minimize those moments of frustration.
I never thought i could get such an amazing whole body workout with one simple piece of equipment. In this kettlebell workshop you will learn how to engage your mind and keep your focus while working on your muscular and cardiovascular systems.
Thank you Marty for sharing your expertise and teaching me that a tough workout can be this much fun!!

Me and my wife started getting fit mid-February of 2009. Before that time, we'd gone through a series of challenging times (including the loss of her mother to Cancer) and as a result of all the stress, we both gained a lot of weight. We were concerned about our health. I was borderline diabetic and weighing over 215 pounds and I'm only 5'6. I also had back pain left over from an auto accident back in 1995, and I have had chronic asthma my whole life.

My wife is a natural researcher. Her brain is part Internet. So when she decided to pick out a personal trainer to help us get fit, she did her homework. She searched extensively for a personal trainer to help us get fit safely. She looked specifically for a trainer who was intensely knowledgeable. That's what she found in Marty. I'm not an easy person to train due to the back issues and the asthma, but Marty never made me feel like I was a challenge. It's also not easy training two people at once who have different skills and abilities the way me and my wife do, but Marty made that seem like no issue.

Since training with Marty, my posture has improved. I sit, stand and walk taller and with more confidence. I feel better all around. It is now June 24th 2009 and we've been training with Marty for about two months. I was about 190 when we started training with Marty (I had been exercising with an elliptical previously to try and drop weight) and now I'm 177. I have muscle definition I can't remember ever having before. I could never do an unassisted pull up before. I just tried the other day and was able to do 3 of them. I couldn't touch my toes before. Now I can almost get my palms on the floor with my knees locked. I've always had trouble being too much in my head and not at all in my body.

With Marty and with the kettlebell training, that is impossible. I have to be in my body, and it turns out it's a pretty great feeling. Marty taught us nutrition, kettlebell training and information on how the body works, how to work past when you get stuck or plateau, and more. Marty's so deeply knowledgeable about kettlebell training and about fitness. This is someone deeply passionate about their craft, who eats sleeps and breathes it. Marty also adjusts to our changing schedule, always finding ways to accommodate us so we can get in our trainings. We both work full time and we have kids so that is huge for us.

I've worked with several personal trainers in the past and have done standard weight training off and on for years and I have never had these amazing results. I've never felt in such good hands before. And a surprising thing I never anticipated is how this has rippled out into other areas of my life. The flexibility training with Marty opened me up to being more flexible and trusting my body more in other areas of my life. My artwork has been positively impacted by a new sense of being in my body, being flexible and trusting my body. We were both struggling with body issues and that appears to have melted away with the pounds. We can go clothes shopping now and have a good time instead of feeling depressed and stressed out by the experience. I've long been curious about martial arts but afraid to try it because I didn't trust my body. Now me and my wife are going to check out a Krav Maga class. I've always wanted to try rock climbing and now we can. My wife has been wanting me to take dance lessons with her and now we can. We're also setting a good example for our kids on nutrition and exercise.

My wife loves how her body has changed. She's stronger and leaner than she's ever been in her life. It's like she's carved out of marble now. Her form is beautiful. A whole new world has opened up to us, and we've probably added several happy years to our lives. Thank goodness we found Marty. If you get a chance to train with Marty, do it. This is the best investment we've ever made.

I am a current student becoming a personal fitness trainer.I met Marty Covault at a four hour seminar. I enjoyed how Marty is sure to go over all the drills thoroughly and safely. Marty will push you to make sure you get the most out of the work out, and safely. I learned so much in just a four hour seminar, and had an excellent work out full of knowledge. The most useful information was the strength and stretching techniques. Marty focused on connection with the body as a unit, coordination and how to squat properly. I had trouble with my squats, Marty was able to get me about 3" from the floor, that's incredible for me. I highly approve of Marty for not only the knowledge you will receive, but also for the beneficial impact in developing and sculpting your body. Thank you Marty!

Thank you for your help in my preparation for the RKC Instructor Certification program. When we met I was training for the RKC Instructor Certification program and I was stock on 44 reps in the Snatch with the 24 kg KB. In one month following your advice I lost 10 pounds and I was able to do the snatch test 52 reps with no problems. In fact my left arm was my weaker arm and I did 30 reps with it before switching to my right arm. At the time I completed the 52 reps I felt that I could do at least 10 more reps. I was also able to complete a very intense 3 days program and at the end I became a Certified RKC Instructor. Following that I found a passion for KB training and continue with my training and became Level II RKC Instructor and subsequently assisted in the RKC Instructor Certification program in Dennmark. I am very grateful to Marty for her attention to details and the help she provided me on my initial training with KB's.

Thanks again,

Ricardo A. Nieves, M.D., RKC II, CSCS
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist
Subspecialty Board Certification in Pain and Sports Medicine
Previous Member of the Puerto Rico National Judo Team
3rd Dan Black Belt Judo

A few years ago, I was a working mother of two very small children. I had little free time and disposable income but wanted desperately to do something for myself and my body and learn to become fit and healthy not just for a short time but for the rest of my life. I then went on a search to find the right trainer for me. I knew I wanted someone who would really, truly challenge me and keep my workouts interesting. Because Marty clearly met these requirements, my search ended abruptly after we met. For the first year or so, we worked out in a gym. In 2006, however, the nature of our training changed when Marty started training me with kettlebells. The switch to kettlebell training made our sessions even more intense and with better and faster results. Marty explained and practiced each new drill that she taught me until my form was good and designed difficult and varied workouts using the bell. She insisted that I focus my mind on the drills and taught me the mental and physical discipline required for working out in the true kettlebell style.

When it comes to fitness and overall body care and maintenance, Marty is a fountain of knowledge. I felt comfortable asking her many questions not just about kettlebells but also about nutrition and long term health. Marty's approach to working out is just one important part of making good health a way of life. She has a great deal of experience with all kinds of athletics and strength training and has chosen kettlebell training as a calling because she truly believes in its efficacy. In fact, she was the very first kettlebell instructor in San Francisco. I credit this to her ability to know what is best for overall body fitness and conditioning. This passion comes through when she works with her clients. She surely converted me.

After training with Marty using kettlebells for one year, I left San Francisco for New Zealand in July 2007. Upon arriving in New Zealand, I tried to find kettlebell instructors in my new city but had no luck. I have continued to train with kettlebells on my own using the workouts Marty designed for me. The paper on which she wrote the workouts shows its wear because of their continued use in all conditions. Although I will never be able to replace her, her focus on safety and concentration have ensured that I can continue training on my own safely and with continued results. Marty always talked about being "in your body," and now I know what that feels like and strive to never live any other way.

I have been training with Marty for about 10 years and have real results to show for it! Marty is so good at recognizing what your body needs, and then coming up with unique training programs to provide maximum results. I started with Marty at a body weight of 135 and now am a solid 160, lean and very muscular. Marty brought kettle bell training into our routines just when I felt I had reached a plateau. Marty's knowledge and expertise with RKC training really bumped things up a notch for me! If you want to learn this unique and effective way of training, contact Marty and you will get the results only a real pro can provide.