10 Years Stronger TOGETHER

It feels like just yesterday we started this journey, and now, a decade later, we’re looking back at everything we’ve achieved together. From the first seminar and training program to a global community of weightlifting enthusiasts, hundreds of seminars, thousands of hours of educational content and tens of thousands of athletes coached and improved during these years.

How everything began

After finishing my sports career, I was offered a position at the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation. For two years, my task was to develop weightlifting in Ukraine: I organized competitions, renovated and opened new gyms, but most importantly, I worked with children.

I traveled to different cities and schools, met with kids, visited small towns, attended training sections where young athletes practiced, talked to them, and answered their questions.

At the beginning of 2015, I recorded my first educational video for YouTube, demonstrating progressions from classic exercises to auxiliary movements. I was surprised by the reaction – the video quickly gained views. It’s important to note that this was a time of rapid CrossFit growth and a high demand for weightlifting.

In reality, a trip to a new city for athlete meetings took 1–2 days, and filming a video took a few days as well. However, the impact of YouTube videos turned out to be much stronger: people from different cities watched them, especially those who genuinely wanted to learn, and most importantly, the content was completely free. This became a game-changer – my focus shifted toward what delivered the best results.

I began experimenting and uploaded one of my training programs online. It was an 11-week program, and I recorded an explanatory video for each week, breaking down what and how to do. At that time, it was a real breakthrough.

First Seminars

The first seminar in Ukraine took place in February 2015 – this was our starting point.

We held it together with Sergii Putsov, and it gathered around 15 athletes who received our first diplomas.

Under one of my challenge posts, a person named Ian Wilson, a weightlifter from the USA, messaged me and invited me to visit him, promising to help organize a seminar in San Francisco. A trip, a seminar, a stranger – it was intimidating, but the opportunity excited me. We scheduled a call.

My English was at a “minus 1” level, so Sergii handled all communication, while I just sat there waiting for his translation of Ian’s response. We agreed on the trip dates and started preparing.

First Educational Videos and Trip to USA

In June, just days before flying to the USA, I fulfilled one of my first dreams: a weightlifting matrix.

The preparation and filming lasted a full night with multiple takes. The resulting videos became some of the most-watched on my channel.

The trip to the USA and my first seminar at California Strength (San Francisco).

California Strength

Meeting the passionate Ian Wilson and his family, getting introduced to Dave Spitz and his team, meeting Diane Fu, Kelly Starrett, Caffeine & Kilos, SlingShot, and visiting the Facebook/Instagram headquarters.

It was my first global exposure to the U.S. sports scene.

The birth of the Warm Body Cold Mind motto…

…this is not the end, and I will tell more in the video on my YouTube channel that will be released soon. Check that you are subscribed to the channel.

Celebrating 10 Years

This anniversary isn’t just about us; it’s about celebrating YOU, the heart of everything we do. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to prepare some amazing surprises to make this milestone unforgettable: new programs, new features, new content, new services and many more will be announced this year.

Be sure that you are subscribed to our newsletter and social media so not to miss anything.

BIG HUGS!