How did you guys meet?
Marcus Martinez: Venus came to a kettlebell certification course I was
teaching, and I immediately loved her inquisitive nature. She was a
perfectionist and needed to know everything and why/what it was
working. Even though she was a pain in the ass, she challenged me,
which I appreciated!
Venus Lau: We also have the same sense of humor. He’s like a brother to
me, and I’m super grateful for our bond.Who is funnier?
VL: I use to be a comedy writer and in a sketch comedy troupe, so ...
MM: I guess I’ll give her the (very) slight edge on this.What is your favorite joke?
MM: I used to be addicted to soap, but I’m clean now.
VL: How much does a hipster weigh? An Instagram!Who is a bigger badass?
VL: Well, I think I’m badass but I’m really a big dork. Plus, Marcus has
three kids, so I’ll let him win this one.
MM: I used to be the head of a biker gang. Also, I made that up.What is your secret vice?
MM: Beer and stand-up comedy.
VL: Flow (not a secret), tequila and comedy.Ketchup or mustard?
VL: Hot Salsa.
MM: Ketchup all the way. If Venus had answered mustard, I’d probably
have to end our friendship.Star Wars or Star Trek?
ML: I’ve literally never watched one second of Star Trek, so by default,
Star Wars.
VL: Star Wars. I had a life-size R2-D2 in my room growing up!What is one thing most people don’t know
about you?
VL: I was a little cross-eyed and very farsighted when I was a kid. I was
bullied for having big glasses — and also having a name like Venus and
being an Asian in a small Texas town. One day, a group of boys started
a fight with me, and I decided I was done wearing glasses. I never wore
them again. I forced myself to develop my eye muscles with depth of
field work and gained strong vision through adversity. I even became a
competitive golfer who went on to play NCAA Division 1 golf.
MM: I read the Tao Te Ching every single day. It has given me clarity and
peace and has put a lot in my life into perspective. Not to mention the
entire book promotes flow — I don’t think that’s a coincidence.With the Kettlebell & Flow Creators
Never have we
laughed
as much
on set
as we
did with
these twoexperts.
With back-and-forth
banter akin to squabbling
siblings, Venus Lau and
Marcus Martinez dished
out plenty of sweaty
workouts while also
entertaining us with
nonstop schtick. Here’s a
little taste of their larger-
than-life personalities
with an impromptu Q&A.62 summer 2019
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