Andżelika Stefańska Kowalik
Trener siły i mobilności
Andżelika Stefańska Kowalik
Kettlebell Trainer - Strength and Mobility
Andżelika Stefańska Kowalik
Kettlebell Trainer - Strength and Mobility
Girls Don’t Fight!
I never imagined that my career would lead me to become a member of the National Kung Fu Team and later a strength coach and international instructor at certification events.
Even as a child, I was fascinated by movement, and training in Kung Fu was one of my biggest dreams. However, I wasn’t involved in any organized sports because my parents couldn’t afford to enroll me in extracurricular activities.
I would burn off my energy playing outside and taking part in sports activities at school—I was lucky to have some great teachers. Sometimes, I would grab a stick and pretend to fight like the characters I saw in old martial arts movies. I loved films starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, as well as the entire Rocky series.
From a young age, martial arts fascinated me because they showed me how body control and strength could be developed through consistent, disciplined practice.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t join a martial arts school because my family couldn’t afford it, and everywhere I turned, I kept hearing that “girls don’t fight.”
It's Never Too Late to Fulfill Dreams and Train Kung Fu
Fate led me into the world of music, without which—just like movement—I cannot imagine a happy life. I traveled to concerts and festivals with punk rock bands, working as their tour manager. For many years, my life revolved around stages, concerts, and the backstage world.
It wasn’t until I was 25 that I attended my first Kung Fu class. From the very beginning, I knew I was exactly where I had always wanted to be. I was the first to arrive at the training hall and the last to leave, attending every camp, demonstration, and tournament I could. I dedicated myself fully to training.
Eventually, my coaches offered me the opportunity to lead my own group of children in Kung Fu. I saw it as both an honor and an opportunity to learn. There is no better way to deepen your knowledge than by sharing it with others. To teach effectively, you have to truly understand the subject and find ways to explain techniques simply and clearly—especially to children. Complex language simply doesn’t work.
Later, I was selected for the Polish National Team and began competing internationally, including at the World Traditional Wushu Championships in China.
Kettlebell Trainer and StrongFirst Strength Instructor
In 2011, my life turned upside down again. I moved from my hometown to Krakow and joined the team of trainers at IRBIS Martial Arts School. I continued practicing Kung Fu and developing as a trainer.
Seeking new ways to build strength for martial arts, I discovered hardstyle kettlebell training. Once again, I found my place. Driven by my passion for kettlebell training, I decided to become a StrongFirst instructor. At the time, I had no one to help me prepare for the demanding technical, strength, and endurance tests required for instructor certification. I had to prepare on my own. The beginning was tough, and before the certification, I was not yet able to meet all the requirements. I gritted my teeth and promised myself that I would give it my all, regardless of the outcome. I passed and returned home as a certified StrongFirst instructor.
Soon after, I established my own club, Kettlebell Center Krakow (2014), which remains highly regarded to this day.
In 2018, I was promoted to StrongFirst Team Leader, becoming the second person in Poland to join the ranks of Pavel Tsatsouline’s Teachers of Strength. Over the years, I have taught numerous StrongFirst instructor certifications in Poland and internationally. In 2022, I was promoted to Senior Instructor, and in 2026, I became the first woman in Europe and the fourth in the world to be promoted to StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor.
I am regularly invited to teach and train instructors in the USA, South Korea, Italy, the UK, China, France, Germany, and Spain. In Poland, I am responsible for developing the StrongFirst school through events such as official StrongFirst Workshops and the StrongFirst Open Day. As a StrongFirst Country Leader, I also oversee the development of StrongFirst in Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Kuwait, organizing training events and certifications in these countries.
Throughout my years with StrongFirst, I have helped 15 individuals successfully prepare for and pass their instructor certification exams. Everyone I have prepared for the tests has passed and become a certified StrongFirst instructor. Three of my students have also achieved the StrongFirst Sinister standard.
Mobility and Flexibility Instructor with Flexible Steel
Thanks to kettlebells, I discovered the Flexible Steel system in 2015. I traveled to Italy to train with StrongFirst Master Instructor and Taekwondo Grandmaster Jon Engum. During that time, I learned how to effectively combine strength and flexibility training without sacrificing one for the other. Why choose one when you can develop both simultaneously?
I soon became a Flexible Steel Instructor Specialist, which qualified me to organize and teach Flexible Steel instructor certifications in Poland and around the world.
I want to be the best trainer for my clients!
I regularly travel around the world to teach others and continue developing my own knowledge and skills. I participate in numerous training programs, including advanced programming courses taught personally by Pavel Tsatsouline. After completing the one-year Blackroll® Therapy training program with distinction, I earned the title of Certified Medical Trainer/Movement Therapist from REPs. In recognition of my achievement, I was awarded an internship at the Fizjo4Life facility in Warsaw.
My passion for physical activity, intelligent and sustainable training, and helping others move and exercise without pain while becoming both strong and flexible comes together under the banner of TIGER-ZONE Better Be Strong. This is where I bring together the knowledge and years of experience I have gained through martial arts, strength training, and various coaching and educational programs.
I believe that healthy, safe movement is one of the best forms of medicine for both body and mind, and that human beings are made to move. Movement represents youth, vitality, and life, while strength represents choice, independence, and self-confidence.
This combination has brought me a deep sense of fulfillment and inner peace, and my mission is to share what I have learned and help others discover the strength, freedom, and confidence that movement can bring.
TESTIMONIALS
