#95 - DJ Wittekind: Queen City Kettlebell

In the 95th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, M.S. Sports Science and Founder of Queen City Kettlebell, DJ Wittekind will talk about working for NFL football players, different styles of communications, goal vs. measure, and gradual success.

Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! 

In this chapter, you will discover:

(0:50) Introducing our special guest M.S. Sports Science and Founder of Queen City Kettlebell, DJ Wittekind @queencitykettlebell

(1:00) Shout out to Monica Boldt @boldfittechnique

(2:40) DJ Wittekind’s origin story

(2:50) Being a 3-sports marginal athlete

(3:05) Starting skateboarding 

(3:15) Going to gym at 13

(4:05) DJ’s goal in life

(4:40) About working at gym

(5:00) DJ’s first client

(5:30) DJ’s love for art

(6:20) Experience with 9/11

(7:20) Being a firefighter

(8:05) Getting into CrossFit

(9:30) Shout out to Dave Whitley @irontamer

(10:25) Opening a gym

(11:05) Shout out to John Brookfield @johnbrookfieldstrength

(11:35) Drop in the economy

(12:20) “I would rather go and fail by 30, then be 50, and wonder what I could have done.” - DJ Wittekind @queencitykettlebell

(13:00) Going back to college

(13:20) Academic probation

(14:00) Shout out to Dan John @coachdanjohn

(14:15) Working for NFL football players

(14:35) Networking

(15:40) Being in a college weight room

(17:45) DJ’s Gym’s 12 year-anniversary

(19:25) About DJ’s highly-driven mother

(20:00) “Sometimes you got to know when to work hard and when to see if these plants are gonna grow or not.” - DJ Wittekind @queencitykettlebell

(21:20) Shout out to Erica!

(22:05) Different styles of communication

(24:10) Thinking out the box

(24:40) Goal vs. Measure

(25:45) “Anybody can be a fat loss coach. But again, can we guarantee success?” - DJ Wittekind @queencitykettlebell

(27:15) Arbitrary goals

(29:25) Shout out to Dr. Lisa Lewis @drlewisconsulting

(31:05) The big shift after Covid-19

(31:40) Gradual success

(32:45) Conversations, a part of success

(34:20) WWE persona

(36:20) “Sometimes you just need to stop and slow down, you're not backpedaling if you do that.” - Michael Kurkowski @mike_strength_connection

(36:35) DJ’s college student client

(37:55) Mike’s experience with working with youth hockey

(40:05) About client demographic

(41:00) What does DJ like about his career?

(43:00) “If you are good people are gonna find you.” - Michael Kurkowski @mike_strength_connection

(43:30) Correlation of love for art with career

(43:50) Studying innovators

(45:50) Shout out to Mike Sousa @sousastrong

(46:15) “Sometimes these creative outlets in the art world can lead to innovation in other areas.” - Michael Kurkowski @mike_strength_connection

(46:55) Atomic Habits by James Clear @jamesclear

https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299 

(47:25) “If everything that you do in this industry is everything you do in this industry, you're missing a lot.” - DJ Wittekind @queencitykettlebell

(49:00) Shout out to Neil deGrasse Tyson Twitter: @neiltyson

Where to find DJ Wittekind? @queencitykettlebell