Canadian Kettlebell Client Profile - Carol-Lyne Desroches

Every month Canadian Kettlebell Mag will feature a client profile highlighting the success various people have had training with Kettlebells. This month I had the pleasure of sitting down with Carol-Lyne Desroches a pro fitness competitor, fitness model, personal trainer and Kettlebell enthusiast.

Tell me about your background in fitness and how you came to be involved with fitness competitions?

Well, I was always involved in sports. From a very young age I was participating in recreational and competitive gymnastics, to later serve as a recreational and competitive coach. Meanwhile, I was actively practicing basketball, rollerblading, weight lifting and interior rock climbing. Once I stopped coaching I started martial arts, Thai-jujitsu to be more specific. I gave a try to ju-jitsu competitions, but there were not enough women in my weight class for me to feel really challenged. So one day I happened to watch a world class Fitness Competition on TV, and that was it, I wanted to do it, and so I told my personal trainer. I had been training with a personal trainer fore a little more than a year, and I had lost a fair amount of weight, so I was on the right track. I started doing more strength training, flexibility, gymnastics and routines work. Before my first ever Fitness competition, I tore a ligament in my left knee. So that year, I had to settle with competing as a fitness model, where I did not have to perform a routine… The road to full recovery was hard and very challenging, but when I got on stage for the first time, it was worth every bit of it!!! Now I have been competing for a full year and I have done quite well, finishing in the top three of all the Canadian competitions I did, and even qualifying for the Ms Fitness World championships in Las Vegas, it was a year to remember!

What present goals are you working towards?

Right now? Rest!!! No, but for next year I need to increase my power, my flexibility and I have to develop and tone my gluteus (my butt!!). I also have to go back to basics in dancing and gymnastics in order to perform a more technical and more difficult Fitness routine next year.

How often do you train and what kind of conditioning do you do?

I usually train 6 days a week, but close to a show, I train everyday. I do a lot of weight lifting, including traditional weights, Ketlebell conditioning and bodyweight exercises. And once a week I do a 2h classical ballet class and a 2h gymnastics session. I try to also fit in at least one hour of yoga each week, so you see why I train almost everyday!

What is your impression of Kettlebells as a training tool and how do you use them in your training?

I absolutely love training with Kettlebells! They allow me to gain strength, power and endurance with only one tool! Depending on the choice of exercises, the number of repetitions and the speed at which I execute the exercises, I can achieve the training goals I set. It allows me to do a full body workout in the comfort of my home, and when the weather is nice, I can even do it outside. It’s fantastic when I need to fit in a quick workout in a tight schedule.

What was your first Kettlebell session like? How did you feel?

I found felt the burn in my gluteus and thighs instantly, and just like most women, I’m always thrilled to find a new type of workout that can really get my legs to burn! The basics techniques were quite simple, and I felt comfortable pretty quickly, allowing me to get into the swing of things right away. Although I do a lot of different sports and weight training, Kettlebell training worked my muscles in a different manner, adding a whole new dimension to my physical preparation.

Do you think Kettlebells are for all women or do you have to be in great shape like you to use them?

I really think all women of all level of fitness can learn to use Kettlebells. There are some basic movements that might need to be learnt without the Kettlebell first for women who are beginners, and then they can transition gradually to the Kettlebell. It’s just like any type of training, it’s all a matter of adapting the level of difficulty of the exercises to the level of fitness of the person executing them. That is another great thing about Kettlebells, you can start really easy with simple moves, and climb up the difficulty ladder, by trying more complex exercises or using a heavier Kettlebell.