Reviews

I started at RPT in April 2013 and at that point was thoroughly disillusioned with the futility of what I was doing on the fitness front - doing workouts at home a few days per week based on what I had picked up from all sorts of sources; not getting any stronger, leaner or better conditioned but feeling liked I had ‘worked out’; and frequently picking up injuries.
I had always resisted the prospect of using a trainer, misguidedly thinking it was mainly for people who were time poor, lazy, had money to burn or just needed someone to motivate them. I had enough stuff at home, was careful where I spent my money, thought I knew enough and the desire to exercise and remain active had never really left me, so why pay for the services of someone I figured?
However, the time came that I eventually realised that I was beating my head up a wall and not really getting anywhere. I was still in effect paying dearly for my ignorance in terms of lost time, physio bills and the like. After coming across dragon door on the internet, I started searching through the reviews and was impressed by the depth of them referring to just how good this Andrew Read fella was. It was not just a handful of words of gushing praise, but real detail on what Andrew had taught them and how their training and results had just turned around. What did I have to lose I thought?
My plan at that stage was just to go for a few sessions, to iron out a few kinks in my technique, get them to teach me a few exercises, give me a few workouts and I’d be on my way back to my home gym with perhaps a periodic refresher “tune up” to make sure I hadn’t picked up any bad habits.
I recall speaking to Andrew for the 1st time one day during a work break for about 30 – 45 minutes and being a little struck by the directness and the conviction he had with his views. While it made sense to me on one level, another part of me remained a little cynical and doubting. My own personal failings or outcomes from past experiences have a tendency of leading to one becoming closed off and cynical. That mindset isn’t helped when you see just how many poor service professionals there are in all walks of life, happy to take your money and offering little in return.
I was a bit taken back initially too that there was a process I had to follow, a minimum standard I needed to have achieved technique wise, just to be given the all clear to join the group classes. This would usually take 4 – 5 sessions. At $150 / time for an hour a session with Andrew, or $100 for one with Andrew’s partner, Shannon, the mind was thinking, jeez, how much are they going to bleed me dry here? Andrew directed me to Shannon, and any initial misgivings about being “palmed off to a lesser trainer” vey quickly evaporated. Shannon is, initially at least, perhaps more friendly and welcoming than Andrew, and right away I was impressed with her attention to detail and knowledge. She has a huge passion for what she does and a genuine interest in your progression. While I knew I had “issues”, Shannon was shocked at how I had not only managed to lift a 24kg ‘Turkish get up’ exercise into the top position, but had not completely ruined my back in the process! I had in-fact been unbelievably lucky getting to this point without doing major, and perhaps permanent damage to myself!
It felt initially that I was regressing, and it was very humbling not being able to do certain stretching exercises, or complete certain parts of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), let alone going back to “baby” weights. While we were only focusing on one, perhaps two of the core kettlebell exercises in a session, there were so many intricacies to take in on the technique that my mind felt like it was getting a bigger workout than the body! Shannon, also set me lots of “homework” in terms of stretches and routines on the basics to work through before my next weekly session. She was also happy to follow up by email too and answer any questions I had – and as they were quick to find out, I am a pretty inquisitive person!
I seemed to pick things up reasonably well and Shannon was always encouraging, but still firm when she needed to be and when I wasn’t grasping something. What also impressed me was that there were no short cuts taken, and it was about quality, routines, forming new habits and doing things over and over until the basics were ingrained. You didn’t go to the next exercise until the 1st one was nailed technically!
I recall one Saturday session when I was really struggling getting the hips to “pop” on the swing and just couldn’t get it. Eventually after trying all sorts of things, including various extra little props, filming the sequence on the iphone and replaying back, and calling in an extra set of eyes, being Alby, the 3rd trainer for RPT, we came to the conclusion that I had one leg probably about 1 inch shorter than the other that meant adjustments needed to be made in my technique to accommodate. I remember looking at my watch and seeing that we had gone about 15 minutes over the hour deadline but Shannon & Alby were not worried about the clock or charging me for the extra time, and were determined to get me over this hump. Once again, the videos were emailed to me and the follow-ups via email were pretty thorough, together with drills to work on and eventually we got there.
Soon after I had reached a point where I was good enough to join the group for classes but soon reached another hiccup, where I need to be proficient in one of the other core exercises, being the snatch before I could do all the stuff in the group class. At his point, I arranged what turned out to be two separate sessions with Alby, who not surprisingly was also extremely passionate, detail focused, “real” and avoided any short cuts. He had no hesitation in resorting to all sorts of tools in his toolbox, be it ‘mind hacks’, analogies, use of props or breaking down the mechanics further to get me doing the movement properly and then grooving it. We had a couple of laughs too along the way, which was good! Alby and Shannon are certainly cut from the same cloth as Andrew and are excellent, and would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them highly to anyone. The only difference is that they are in effect still the protégés, and Andrew the master, having been in the health and fitness industry for an almost unheard of twenty years (where most give up in 2 – 5 years).

I first sought Shannon assistance when I signed up for the RKC and realised I needed some serious help. My general fitness was o.k but I had some major weaknesses regarding mobility and getting into proper positioning which was preventing me from maximise each lift.
Travelling a 4 hour round trip for a PT session, to say I was sceptical is probably an understatement. Having been in the fitness industry for over a decade I was thinking, this would want to be worthwhile and not some basic generic advice that i could of read in a book. Thankfully it didn't take long for my scepticism to subside, Shannon's professionalism and knowledge was evident early. Within 20 minutes she had put me through a screening process and provided me with several corrective exercises specifically designed to target my deficiencies. Following this was a clear explanation of areas i needed to focus on in some of my KB lifts. Her level of knowledge on the kb lifts was evident. Its safe to say the several PT sessions i had before the RKC were well worth it and payed off in the end. The time and energy i saved in getting proper instruction form the start meant i didn't have to unlearn to many bad habits.
I would highly recommend Shannon to anyone wanting to improve their KB lifts. The corrective exercise made a huge difference and i can say for the first time i am actually proud of my bottom position of my squat, instead of looking like some kyphotic camel :)

All the driving was well worth it thanks mate.

I've been extremely fortunate to have Shannon train me for the Australian RKC this past November. As soon as we set a plan in place, she emailed me my training program to do at home and we booked in PT sessions so I could ensure my technique was spot on.
Shannon's knowledge of everything required for the RKC is brilliant! Nothing goes unnoticed.
I've trained with other trainers before with many more years 'experience' in the fitness industry than Shannon, but their professionalism, knowledge and understanding of the human body, movement and exercises didn't even come close to what I see her providing to clients.
At the RKC Shannon's expertise stood out. As a team assistant she had our team on the ball and her attention to safety during one of Melbourne's hottest weekends of the year didn't go unnoticed.
She has definitely helped me become a better trainer. The 5 hour round trip to training sessions have been and will continue to be worth it!

As a nervous newcomer with a history of spinal issues, I had my doubts about my suitability to kettlebells. I was unsure when I first called to enquire, but after a chat with Andrew and Shannon I quickly warmed to the idea, so came in for the initial FMS.

During that screening I was amazed at Shannon's knowledge and insight. I learned a great deal about my body's current state and potential. It was obvious that Shannon knew exactly what she was talking about, and what's more, embodied that knowledge.

Inspired by her "can-do" demeanour and vivacious personality, I signed up for a series of preliminary sessions. How much I learned and how far I progressed in those sessions with Shannon blew me away!

Shannon's meticulous attention to detail of body alignment and form is nothing short of exceptional. As a student of Iyengar Yoga, I am accustomed to this kind of precise anatomical discipline, so was very excited to find this parallel. (I am already noticing the correlations between the two practices and how they enhance each other!)

Beginning with the fundamentals, explaining the hows and whys, she gradually unfurled deeper layers of understanding until I achieved more confidence and awareness of my form. Her eagle-eyed scrutiny, constant corrections and ability to explain key concepts using verbal and physical analogies in a practical way, has given me a solid foundation to build on.

Shannon's sunny personality also made the sessions fun, positive and always encouraging. She knows when to punch you around and when to high-five you. I don't think I've ever been beaten up while attempting to hold a plank before, much less laugh about it!! Apparently laughter is strengthening too! Shannon naturally balances her professionalism and profound knowledge with her jovial and friendly manner.

Even though she works and trains hard in her everyday life, Shannon is always very present and willing to take the extra time and energy to help out.

All up I have found my time with Shannon to be extremely motivating, enlightening and confidence building. As a result, I am continuing training with the Dragon Door crew, safe in the knowledge that I am in the best of hands.

From my first session with Shannon I knew I was never going to get away with putting in anything less than 100%.
With her extensive training and knowledge she could pick errors in my technique from across the room.
One of the best things about Shannon is her eye for detail and being able to take you from what you are currently doing to the best possible technique with the most power.
What I thought were minor movements in what I was doing had massive impact on me corrrectly working muscle groups and therefore a positive change of shape in my body and my overall results.
If you want perfect technique and to be worked hard - Shannon is for you!

I started training with Shannon when I began a 16 week PT program. Hardest thing I have done in my kettlebell journey so far. But SO worth it.
Shannon shared her expertise with me, and refined my form. Her attention to detail is amazing.
She is a hard task master when needed, but is also understanding of the pressures and added stresses that life can put on your training program.
Through everything she helped me achieve my goal. Massive increases in my strength, and a bonus of 14kg in weight loss. What I was not expecting was the 10cm loss from my waist and each thigh, as well as the 15cm loss from my hips.
I could not ask for more!

46 years of my life have past which has included many years of general physical training and martial arts. After many years off the scene I got back into it at the beginning of 2011 by joining a well established gym network. Over the last 18 months I have come in contact with at least half a dozen Personal Trainers and observed dozens more. I was very happy with my trainers, all of them offering me great support and pushing me very hard.

Over time I noticed some of the other members working with these things now known to me now as Kettlebells. One night driving my daughter home from singing I drove past the Moorabbin Dragon Door Centre. I decided to drop in just to see if I could find out about these strange awkward looking heavy handbag weights. This was when I first met Shannon. For a start she looked very fit (it surprises that some trainers do not) and she was very passionate about Kettlebell training. She explained what a difference they had to the her many sporting interests which which included hockey, martial arts and rock climbing. I grabbed her card and details. Shannon said she would call me after I had some time to review some of the information around Kettlebells and decide whether they were for me or not.

Shannon called me and we decided a 10 session program would provide me with a good foundation to experience what Kettlebells can offer.

The first session started with the most elaborate assessment of my physical body that I had previously been through. Shannon was focussed on assessing my mobility and the differences between my left and right sides. I scored okay with the results providing Shannon with a good understanding of what she was working with. Shannon also gave me some stretching type exercises to assist in increasing ankle and shoulder mobility. I continue to do these and experience the benefit the more that I do them.

When we got down to business we started with the deadlift. This was when I realised this trainer was ahead of the rest actually it is not fair to compare. It is like comparing a surgeon with the local GP doctor. It was detail after detail yet bit by bit in other words no overload. Every exercise was broken down to its component parts and Shannon has the wherewithal to build the complex movement up from those parts. I appreciated this approach as I am someone who needs quite a bit on instruction to understand how something is to be done right. There was no rush at all in any of the sessions. The form had to be right, she honours her role and her clients body. If the movements are not done correct the benefit will be limited & may ultimately lead to injury.

On most sessions I learnt one movement and at the end of each session I walked away feeling educated and confident to take what I learnt back to the gym. The next day and days I always knew that I had done the movement right because I was always sore in the all the right places

Between our sessions I would attend my gyms and work through the growing list of Kettlebell exercises. Progressively my workout has become all about Kettlebells.

I now have the Deadlift, Swing Two/One, Goblet Squats, Clean & Press, Snatch, Get Up, Halo, Sling Shot and a range of lesser movements in my repertoire.

As far as what I think Kettlebells "Awesome" is my answer but I must admit if is was not for Shannon my answer would most likely be "yeah there okay not sure what all the fuss is about".

I still have plenty of room for improvement. Form is the key and not weight, sets & reps. When the form goes stop.

Last Wednesday was my tenth session and as usual I pulled up sore in all the right places. I expect to be be checking in with Shannon for subsequent monitoring especially in the short term. I have a 16kg KB at home called Betsy and more on the way.

In closing it's a big YES to Kettlebell training, a big YES to starting out with a trainer and huge YES for contacting Shannon to discuss training with Kettlebells.

Thank You Shannon

Shannon is undeniably an exceptional trainer, her technique is perfect and she really share her knowledges with modesty and is always happy to help.
She also have a big heart and she treat her victim (me !) with tough love, I don't want to re-write all The RKC Code of Conduct but she is the best at REPRESENT our small community in Australia.
I whish you all the best Comrade Shannon..

Personally the single biggest thing that stood out for me when I met Shannon was just her great personality. That's not to offend her knowledge and skills because otherwise she wouldn't be an RKC 2.

But for me her willingness to help you succeed in any lift was just awesome. I remember when she took her time out of her own training to help me with my get up. Not many people would do that.

When Shannon starts talking and demonstrating exercises (especially the KB Snatch) you truly understand why she is the only female RKC 2 in Australia.

Thanks for everything Shannon, looking forward to future training sessions at DD Aus.

It was an absolute pleasure to be instructed by Shannon at the recent Melbourne HKC. She is not only a phenomenal athlete and technician, but an outstanding coach. Something that is quite rare these days. The practical and effective instruction I received was communicated in such a positive and friendly manner that gave me confidence and motivation to keep improving. Shannon is an inspiring coach and great role model. Would recommend her to anyone and everyone seeking to either learn or fine-tune their kettlebell technique.

I crossed paths with Shannon Scullin a few times over the past 18 months at workshops and seminars run by Dragon Door Australia. In 2011, I attended a workshop and Shannon stopped to help me fix my snatch. What impressed me was she wasn’t even working that day, yet took the time to advise me on one little change that made a huge difference. From that moment I knew I wanted to learn more from her and Andrew and set about training with her to prepare for the HKC in Feb this year.
I travel 5 hours (round trip) 2-3 times a month to train at Dragon Door and it is worth the trip every time.
This past weekend she was exceptional in her help to Aussie Team Leader Andrew Read and Senior RKC Shaun Cairns in delivering the Melbourne HKC.
It’s clear to see why she’s the highest female (RKCII) in the country… and getting better and better all the time! As a personal trainer I take great comfort in knowing that the people I train with are serious about their on-going education. The fact that Shannon travels overseas to learn shows me how committed she is to helping her clients. I’ve now enlisted her help for the first Australian RKC!

I have had the pleasure to attend both Group Training Sessions and individual PT sessions with Shannon. Shannon is truly attentive to detail, and delivers key distinctions and simple instruction which helps you execute your move better and feel stronger for it.

Just today she surprised me in a PT by revealing her heightened awareness of how to motivate me with Jedi Mind Tricks - making me do more than I felt like - the sneaky psychological warfare made it a great workout.

Shannon also likes introducing new and challenging exercises which strengthen the core and add to your overall KB experience. Love the variety, vibrant personality and technical know how she brings to DD Australia.

On the weekend just passed I had the pleasure of spending time down at Dragon door Australia in Melbourne to participate in the workshops held after the HKC.

We had Dave Whitley there so one of the workshops that we did was Deepening the Get Up. Without Shannon there I would never have known how much work I need to put into my Get Up to keep my spinal alignment correct which will be needed in April when I go to participate in the RKC in St Paul.

With manual adjustments as well as Shannon's perfect practice I feel that I am well on the way towards passing.Thank you so much Shannon!

The results I have gotten in the short time that I have been training have amazed me!!
Shannon attention to detail is fanatical and has improved my life and health a hell of a lot and for that I am very grateful.

She has made exercises that I thought I knew so much more beneficial than I ever thought they could be. Great person to talk with and makes every session fun.
Could not recommend training with her highly enough

I thought Andrew Read was anal about detail. Then I met Shannon. A product of a great trainer like Andrew she certainly compliments the DD methodologies and has picked up every tiny aspect of my faults. Without her help at the HKC along with Andrew's coaching I would never have passed. Her demeanour is perfect, friendly, open and warm. An inspiration to the female community at DD Australia and an exceptional trainer. You're missing out not training with her.

In the time I have been training with Shannon I have never moved better, felt better and it has taken what I can do on the basketball court to next level. I first had an FMS performed by Shannon and Andrew, then started training with Shannon. My FMS scores were pretty bad and I had a lot of mobility issues, my left shoulder was extremely wound up, my glutes and hamstrings weren’t firing properly just to name a few which was all explained to me.
From training with Shannon my shoulder is now fixed, my posture has improved out of site, and my posterior chain is firing and really getting strong. Shannon is an excellent coach, her attention to detail is exceptional. Shannon will provide several cues until my form is correct, which makes me get the most out of the exercise. I am not only getting stronger but am moving in a more efficient manner.
I highly recommend training with Shannon, she is extremely good at what she does and worth every cent.

I recently attended the Melbourne HKC where Shannon was an RKC co-presenter. I've attended several sessions with Shannon and she was again very knowlegeable, personable and professional. Highly recommended.

I went to Melbourne at the weekend to participate in a couple of workshops run by Andrew Read and Shannon. Four hours of training full proceeds (not just profits) of the workshops donated to the Red Cross for the New Zealand Earthquate Appeal. An incredibly generous gesture.
Workshops were information packed. Shannon is very observant and gave me a lot of pointers regarding my swing and getup technique. High point of the day was the bodyweight squat section. WIth the drills and tips provided and a lot of help from Shannon's eagle eye I was able to improve my squat from approx thighs parallel to ground to a full squat. This was a fantastic result which I'm delighted about.
This time around I went to Melb to train with Andrew and Shannon because of the charitable aspect of the event. But they are so good that I would definitely say it is worth making a trip to Melb from anywhere in Aus to train with them and I will again in future for sure.

I recently attended the Melbourne HKC 2011 and was on team Scullin... Shannon displayed a very motivated approach to all in attendance and ensured she spread her time around the group to assist everyone improve with subtle tips on technique and form that would make an instant difference to the feel of a drill so it was safer, with the correct tension / relaxation...
Thanks for all your help on the day Shannon, much appreciated !!

I recently attended a series of classes on kettlebell basics run by Andrew Read who was very capably assisted by Shannon. She also ran independently several of the sessions while Andrew was overseas and did a great job.Her knowledge, professionalism and encouragement were excellent.

Shannon is an exceptional instructor. She makes sure to give everyone in the class enough time and attention. Shannon is also great at picking up on the finer details of an exercise and to then give just the right cue to fix up or improve upon it. I found her to be really supportive and experienced as an instructor and look forward to more training sessions with her.

Shannon recently co-presented with Andrew Read at the Martial Power workshop in Melbourne. Her knowledge and presentation was very good and she offered us plenty of encouragement during the session.
Shannon has a real eye for technical detail and she was able to clearly get her message across in terms of proper exercise and movement performance.
Great work.

i have been lucky to be involved twice know with shannon at coarses, he is very professional extremly helpful, patient and really knows what she is talking about. ten out of ten
rod

I recently attended a KB Workshop with Shannon assisting Andrew Read. Shannon was a great help as she assisted in correcting technique and advising us. I look forward to doing more training and workshops with Shannon attending and teaching!

I had recently attended the martial power workshop in Brisbane were Rkc Shannon Scullin was assisting RKC11 Andrew Read. She was thorough and made sure that the training group had the grasp and the correct feel for the concepts taught in the workshop. I hope that she continues to spread Kettlebells in Australia for both men and women.

I train with Shannon twice a week and she's a great to train with, keeps you motivated, helps you get the best out of your session both when she's training herself or as instructor. Her best asset is definitely her technical advice and how she communicates it. That's especially helpful for dopey lugs like me who just want to muscle the bells to where they should be then wonder why my back hurts later on.

Shannon is a dedicated trainer with a meticulous attention to detail. She is one of the most highly motivated people I know and always eager to learn more. Despite the relatively short time Shannon has been an instructor, she has already demonstrated her capability on numerous occasions, consistently helping people to reach their personal goals or improve their technique at HKC certifications. A pleasure to work with and highly recommended.

I've always had a healthy weight, which at the same time meaning losing that extra 5 kg is difficult despite I do not want to scarify the amount of good food I eat and never liked the idea of starving myself knowing the kgs would come back very quickly. What I have gained from Shannon is the ability to loose that dress size I have been trying for the last 10 yrs and bring my fitness to a whole new level. She taught me how to eat properly with existing diet. My endurance and strength has never been so strong despite all the exercise I have done in the past. I would highly recommend Shannon to anyone that wants to lose their unwanted love handles quickly and properly and keep it off.

Shannon is the best instructor I've had since being introduced to KB.
Her encouragement and motivating demeanour have kept me coming back regularly.
She is always happy and is obviously extremely passionate and well learned in what she does. It must take a lot of patience to instruct KB and I credit her with my drastic improvement this year!
Thanks Shannon!

Shannon assisted the Sydney HKC I recently attended.

Shannon helped me fix up quite a few flaws in my technique throughout the day.

She has a very keen eye for detail, and seems to breathe happiness. I would reccomend her to anyone wanting to learn how to use kettlebells.

Shannon began as a client of mine early in 2010. In that time I have watched her go from strength to strength. From attending and passing the HKC to attending and passing the RKC as well as assisting at two HKCs. She has taken all this in her stride and grows continually in both her teaching skills as well as her technical skills and strength.

I trust her so fully that when I leave to travel to the US to attend events I leave Shannon in charge of things for me back home. Along with teaching classes she also helps during these times with the running of Dragon Door Australia.

The RKC has given me so much in terms of my skills and abilities as well as many new and great friends. I'm lucky to be able to count Shannon as both a comrade and a friend and believe that she is well on the way to becoming a super star trainer. Her recent efforts at an HKC were stellar, showing great continuous improvements in her teaching and communication skills as well as her fantastic efforts to help out on the day where needed with administration tasks.

She is passionate, hard working, determined and is a great ambassador for feminine strength and the RKC.

A highly motivated and technically sound operator. as the 2ic during my HCK (that i passed!) she was a clear standout with her attention to detail and representation of the brand. can certainly hold her own within this highly competitive industry.

I recently assisted in the HKC course in Sydney. Shannon was part of the instructor team. Shannon has a keen eye for anyone requiring assistance and doesn't hold back in her time with any attendee to get them up to speed. To be working on her team has been a great privilege. I am still fairly new as a HKC, and despite this she really made me feel part of the team. She is asways willing to share information and answer any questions. It is obvious that Shannon is dedicated to her own training, this makes her very much in touch with what anyone else might need. Shannon has a great way to put information across.
She is also very organised which showed in the smooth running of the course as she was Andrew's 2IC.

Yesterday I attended a HKC in Sydney, Australia and was highly impressed by the skill and knowledge of all instructors present, including Shannon Scullin.

Shannon was very helpful at all times and has a great eye for movement. She was able to see technical flaws and provide a means of correcting them.

Shannon was also very encouraging and is a fun person to be around.

I highly recommend Shannon to anyone seeking to learn more about kettlebell training and the art of movement.

Thanks Shannon!

I recently attended the Brisbane HKC and Shannon Scullin was one of the assisting instructors there on the day. I was lucky enough to be in her group and have her assisting us and found her to be very approachable. I was having trouble with the Swing and Shannon was able to point out what I was doing incorrectly straight away and then corrected my form. I have no hesitation in recommending Shannon as a kettelbell instructor!!

I atteneded the HKC in Brisbane recently and Shannon was one of the assisting instructors there. I found her to be very approachable and helpful, always making herself available to anyone requiring assistance. Her keen eye to detect technical difficulties in students and her willingness to spend her time where and with whom it was needed make her a great asset to any instructing team. Shannon is a pleasure to have around. With her attitude I am sure that Shannon will go a long way in the art of instructing kettlebells.

I attended the Brisbane HKC & Shannon Scullin is a very Energetic & Pleasant Instructor with a keen eye for detail constantly roaming the room correcting comrades with there training. Shannon took the class through a warm up on the weekend with a keen eye for detail correcting comrades with the warm up aswell. I highly recommend Shannon Scullin.

I recently attended (and passed!) my HKC. This was in no small part due to the excellence of the instruction that i had received. Shannon was a part of the group that was helping, always roaming and offering good advice. She even took our group for short times, offering excellent assistance to Andrew Read and Shaun Cairns. I would very much recommend Shannon for her help with any of the lifts that she is authorized to teach. She's a great instructor.