Bay Area California

John Wild Buckley

OKC Head Coach

Bay Area California, OKC Gym

Named to the Board of Directors WAKSC (World Association of Kettlebell Clubs) 2016

Level 3 KetAcademy Instructor (Only level 3 in the USA) 2015

CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) 2006

USAW (USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach) 2007

Equinox Tier 3 (2003-2008) NYC-SF

Pre-and Post Natal certified (via Equinox)

IKFF CKT (inaugural class) 2008, IKFF FMD (inaugural class) 2009, IKSFA (St. Petersburg Russia inaugural class) 2010, IKSFA L2 (St. Petersburg Russia inaugural class) 2011, WKC (Master Trainer-inaugural class) 2008, RKC 2006, AKC 2007, WKC Master Coach 2011, KBA 2005, KA 2005, Full Kontact Kettlebell 2006, IUKL Judge 2014

Early Buck:

John Graduated from Plattsburg State University in 2000 with a degree in English Literature.

From 2003-2008 John was a student and trainer at Equinox fitness clubs. First, in NYC John was in the final full class of the world-renowned EFTI education system. 

In 2004 John moved to California and worked at Equinox SF where he became a Tier 3 trainer. 

In 2007 he started the Orange Kettlebell Club.

In 2008 he left Equinox to run the OKC full time.

In 2014 he Opened OKC North Gym in Berkeley 

Competitive Career 2010-2015

John competed in over 40 Kettlebell Sport competitions since 2009 including:

Far Eastern Championship, Siberia, Russia 2012 1st Place Amateur

St. Petersburg Championship, Russia 2012 2nd Place Amateur 

White Nights Tournament, Pushkin, Russia 2014 1st Place Amateur

White Nights Tournament, St. Petersburg Russia 2015 1st Place Professional

Amber Championship of Kaliningrad  2015 2nd place Professional. 

The Arnold Classic 2010 1st Place Long Cycle Professional

US Nationals 2011 2nd Place Biathlon Professional

Japan Championship 2011,12,13,14 1st Place Biathlon/Snatch only Professional

Hong Kong Championship 2012 1st Place Biathlon Professional

The Asian Championship 2013 1st Place Biathlon Professional

The California Championship 2013 1st Place Snatch Only Amateur 

The NorCal Championship 2012,13,14 1st place Snatch Only, Long Cycle, Biathlon…

To list a few

John is also co-founder (Jason is the Boss) of the One Hour Long Cycle Charity event 2011- which to date has raised over $50,000 for charities and has built a world-wide network of supporters. In 2014, along with Kettlebells 4 Autism the OHLC had over 70 locations, 700 lifters, and raised over $35,000! 

John (with Jason) was part of the two man wrecking crew that became the first American lifters to compete in a kettlebell sport-lifting tournament in Siberia (2012).

John along with OKC head coaches Jason and Nazo became the first Americans to participate in the St. Petersburg Championship in Russia.

John has spent several weeks every year since 2010 training, studying, and competing in Russia. 

In 2011 John and the OKC brought over the International Kettlebell Sport and Fitness Academy to the United States to teach and set off the 2nd wave of kettlebell sport information in the US.

In 2011 John and Jason went to Siberia to learn from The Great Sergey Rudnev and redefined the way American Kettlebell Lifters sought out information. Today people travel to Russia to learn and compete all the time, but back then it was just us…and Mike Sherman.

In 2008 John was one of the first 2 (along with Jason) International iInstructors for the IKFF.

John was part of the first class of WKC Master instructors.

In 2012 John became a WKC Master Coach by coaching his student to Master of Sport level at the 2012 WKC World Championship.

John was the first person to Certify WKC kettlebell instructors in Japan.

John was the only person to ever simultaneously certify IKFF CKT’s and WKC Fitness instructors. (There will never be another).

The 2014,15,(and soon to be 16) OKC California Open Sport Championship and Sport Camp was the biggest kettlebell sport event in US history.

The Orange Kettlebell Club is one of the largest private kettlebell clubs in the world.

John has published really bad poems in his University Literary Journal (and even won $50 once!)

John has training articles published in Kettlebell Sport Magazine and My Mad Methods Magazine.

Mike is one of the OKC's top lifters. He has travelled to Russia to study Kettlebell Lifting and is currently studying for his Masters degree in Nutrition. He has been a competitive powerlifter and is a certified Holistic Life Coach with Paul Chek and a Functional Movement Screen Specialist. Mike is the Head Nutritional advisor and the go to guy for our nutritional and strength and conditioning questions.