Kettlebell champion and fitness trainer Steve Cotter passed away a day before his 55th birthday because of a heart attack.
Key Takeaways
- Steve Cotter was a Chronic Pain and Longevity Coach.
- Cotter unexpectedly passed away because of a heart attack on January 16, 2025.
- His trainees started posting about his demise with heartfelt messages after they found out about the tragedy.
Steve Cotter was an exceptional fitness and health trainer who focused on becoming an excellent coach through his work and was an extraordinary human being.
His journey as a fitness enthusiast began very early. He taught Kung Fu to children and adults.
Later, he went on to work with David Weck, who had invented the BOSU in 2000.
Likewise, Steve became one of the few people who first started kettlebell training. In 2008, Cotter established the IKFF, International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation.
It has been several years since he started training as a kettlebell coach and a fitness and health trainer.
Throughout his career, he has been able to impact many lives worldwide. His presence on the internet has made it possible for him to amass many followers and trainees all around the globe.
Everything had been going well for Cotter and no significant health issue had ever been publicly revealed by or about him.
However, on January 16, 2025, a day before his 55th birthday, he had a heart attack.
It was soon revealed that he succumbed to the sudden health condition.
His demise came as a shock for everyone who knew him, especially those individuals who had personally trained with him or had been trained by him.
Message From Kettlebell Enthusiasts To Steve Cotter
Several trainees expressed their shock at the passing of Steve Cotter.
One of his closest friends and student, Joey Alvarado, had shared on the internet that he had been devastated by Steve’s demise.
In addition to this, Joey mentioned in his heartfelt video that people laughed at him for being incapable of being a good kettlebell trainee.
But Steve had always made sure to make him feel like he could practice well and that he was capable of what most other people thought he wasn’t.
In the caption, Joey wrote,
Got some devastating news today. We have lost a huge innovator in the world of #kettlebell training. Rest in peace Steve Cotter. He had a positive impact on my life in a multitude of people worldwide. You will be missed my friend! @stevecotter_ikff
Via Instagram
Alvarado got emotional by the end of the video, which shows how great of a friend and trainer Cotter had been to him.
Fitness instructor Varduhi Pellikka expressed her sadness through a series of pictures and a heartfelt caption for Steve and his family.
She had also worked with Cotter closely and she knew him as a person besides just as a fellow fitness instructor.
In her caption, she wrote,
It came to my deepest shock when found out my awesome kettlebell trainer and mentor Steve Cotter @stevecotter_ikff passed away this morning from heart attack. We started kettlebell trainings with him during Covid and became a close family. He became our coach, mentor a true inspiration of true humble human being, who was a walking encyclopedia, his true knowledge of what strength trully means mentally and physically taught me how to be same in life too and so today I can say I am also who I am because of him and his example as a human being, as a mentor, teacher. Thanks to Steve’s training Level 1 and 2 I got my kettlebell certifications with him.
Via Instagram
She further added,
Thanks to Steve I got into kettlebell and I love kettlebells because of him and what effects this workout has on mind and body. I trully been blessed to have known you and you have inspired not just me but so many around the world. You became world champion in JiuJitsu and held many kettlebell trainings with your certifications but most importantly you were a true HERO and example of what true humanity should be, kind, wise, humble. May your soul rest in peace, coach. 😢🙏🕊
Via Instagram
Happy Birthday, Steve. Tomorrow you would be 55.
His passing is truly very heartbreaking to everyone in the fitness and health world.
Hopefully, Steve’s family has the strength to get through this tough time.
May his soul rest in eternal peace!
In Case you Didn’t Know
- Steve Cotter had 3 children.
- He was based in San Diego.
- Cotter knew how to use Chinese herbal practices to cure injuries while practicing martial arts.
