Renegade Training
By Andrea Du Cane, Senior RKC

What’s your passion? Yes, you heard me right. What makes your heart beat a little faster? I’m not talking about your wife or husband or lover Although, I hope they have that effect on you. I’m talking about something you do, in your life that gives you an immense amount of pleasure. Something you could spend hours perfecting or doing over and over. Perhaps it’s a sport, hobby or a form of dance, maybe music or art. I believe the way to life-long happiness is through finding your passion and pursuing it.

You might wonder what in the world this has to do with Renegade Training? Well for one thing people in extreme sports have typically found their passion and in some cases have devoted their lives to it. They have continued long after many people would have given up. They have gone through physical pain to achieve their best. In some cases they have given up a simpler and perhaps a more economically secure life to devote to their passion. Those are the people I’m referring too. It might be you. I hope it’s you.

Now you might be wondering who am I to talk about passion? Good question. As a working mother of two, who works in the fitness and film industry I know first hand the importance of maintaining the passion in my life. What I have found is that one passion can feed another. For instance, I have found my passion for health and fitness feeds right into my passion for tango dancing. My involvement with Pilates has only increased my abilities in the Russian Kettlebells. And my passion for both KB’s and Pilates has enabled me to really achieve something in my tango dancing.

I am a person who for most of my adult life has had a least one passion. While in my late teens I discovered my love of ballet. I was almost 18 and took my first ballet class with a guest Russian ballet teacher. In my twenties I began Jazz dance and loved it so much I put my “career” on hold. In my late twenties-early thirties I took up Martial Arts with such zeal I quit dancing. I reached brown belt before stopping due to my pregnancy. A number of years ago I discovered Pilates and became an instructor. A few years ago I heard about Kettlebells and last year became a certified instructor with Pavel Tsatsouline. All of these activities I pursued with passion. I put my whole heart into each of these disciplines. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I did with out the drive and love of my interest. I now have a new passion, a passion to end all passions, Argentine Tango. The funny thing is, I use all my past experience to further my tango dancing. My love of tango encourages me to keep my passion going for my KB and Pilates practice. In turn I see and feel the benefits of all my passions in my tango dancing. The passion and enjoyment I get out of my Tango dancing fills me up with energy and excitement. In other words it makes me a happier and healthier person. My daughter said to me awhile back,” I’m glad you found Tango, Mom”. She is able to see the passion within me. What better role model for my children, friends and family could I possibly be!

Next time you head to your practice, grab your bike or pick up your board, I want you to think of how your passion for this activity fills up your heart and feeds your life. How it spreads passion into every area of life and how through this you and your family benefit.