YOGA FOR STRENGTH ??

  It does have its place. You know I am not a fan of yoga. It just isn't for me. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate or follow some of the principles. I just don't practice yoga. What I do love to see is some one I respect that is into yoga, do something else I respect. Check out this YouTube video of Fawn Fridays dead lift session. This gal rocks.  (click here)

STEP INTO THE ZONE

  Pavel directed a thread on the forum blog  and it had to do with basics. Basic power lifting  training. The trainers focused on four things: Dead lift, squat, bench press and competition. Thats it. There is no room out side these three lifts. There is another myth that all power lifters look like refrigerators. It's just not true. The 'open weight' class may look like that but the regular weight classes (especially the ones under 200 lbs) are lean and proportioned. KB training has 6-7 basic lifts. Each has a purpose and many variations. Add the tension techniques of 'hard-style' and you get a deadly combination of strength and cardio training. The key is to reach outside your comfort zone. Step-up. Grab a bigger bell by the horns and load yourself...proper. If the KB training is boring...the weight is too light. Simple.

Train the way you live.

  One of the problems with machines (one of the gazillion problems) is they don't train you the way you live. The machines are designed for limited movement. This will be the product from using machines...limited movement. Some argue that it is 'better' for some populations due to the frail nature of their conditioning. This 'at risk' group is never short on their own expertise advice. "I can't because =insert excuse here=".  The very motion they claim to hurt them can be performed if you teach them how the joint is designed to move. Not how they want it to move. Now, just add a load and the strength comes without the use of machines and the movement is mechanically correct because your the machine. You are never using a joint outside its range of designed motion. Mass marketed fitness centers service the masses and generally do the public good. The majority will not get great results. They are just doing. They are not understanding what they are doing. Perceptions need to change and evolve for life long results.  It is a hard reality for anyone that has spent a lot of time in the gym. It's like finding out there isn't a  Santa (what?). Keep you mind open and follow the rules of training. Sport specific training is a myth. Skill specific? Yes. Sport specific? It's just marketing and people feeding a need to belong to a group and be extremed sported (if thats a word...lets make it one). Keep this is mind as we train tonight and Saturday morning. Train the way you live and keep balance.

   I love this time of season. I really do. I love the lines. I love the crazies. I love watching people kill themselves to have Christmas. It's a great time of year. We, on the other hand, kill ourselves year round. 

  Monday (regular hours) will be light....on the hands. Heavy on the tension. Static positions, crush grips, holds and other forms of love. I love this time of year. 

  If your becoming one of the crazies and I don't get a chance to see you until after the Holiday, have a very Merry Christmas!!! It's going to be a great new year. 

  Warm bells.

  In keeping with the new tradition, Fridays and Saturday mornings will be fast and furious. We will go for heavy conditioning and cardio today and Saturday. The Max VO2 was built around the snatch.  We will use the snatch for starters. Posts (two-handed bottoms up snatch) will be the next step down. Swings will be the final fall back postion. Hand care and wear...think about it. This will a test of going the distance. You can do it. No problem. Think happy thoughts or just listen to the music. See you at 5:00 pm.

HINT, HINT......

  Now that our legs have been trashed with leg work and the pistols on Monday, it's time to get into some high tension/low volume work. Easy on the limbs but work just the same. Grinds are especially good for such a thing. We will be able to stretch out the hammies, get some rotational work in as well as shoulders and back. We will do it all with one movement, executed properly. If you have long sleeved shirts for training, today would be a good day to wear them. 

THEY CAN'T HEAR YOUR CRIES......

...but I can! So I answered the cries this past weekend. First , with Marks Blazer we picked up the shelves. So, feel free to bring a shoe box or something similar so you can leave behind shoes or gloves. Second, I rigged up the whipping post for our future enjoyment...and the future is here. We will work on some very simple and safe movement patterns that are sure to please. Remember, the more simple it is ... the more sinister. The parking lot was very much like little swimming pools on Sunday. Expect crappy control now that it has frozen solid. Come in the back way and avoid the ice slide off Central until we know for sure it has been salted well. Be careful.

PULL UPS.....HANGING....WHAT ?

 Why? Why ? Why?  Simple. Really, if you think about it. There will always be something. Something that we can't do. If the old standard is applied we will continue to change things as soon as we get comfortable or capable of doing whatever it is we were doing. Change it and make it harder. If you can't do a pull-up train until you can. Then do two. Three. Add weight. More weight...and so on. We won't do this all the time but I think most reasonable people will agree. You should be able to pull your body up, men and women, at least once. Now what about this  'skin the cat' move? Well, it wasn't the full skin the cat. Just bring your knees to the bar. You have done it in the past. Your body is capable of doing it. We just need to ask it a few more times. And we will. Franco Columbo once boasted he was the strongest man in the world per pound based on every movement in the gym. Quite a boast. He probably was the most all around in strength based on his body weight. Strong like and ant. Wednesday We will review snatches and introduce a "corkscrew" technique. We had seen it in the pass but never drilled it. It will help save your hands. It won't save them, but it will help.

GOTTA' SAY IT !!

 I just don't know what to do with myself. I am so psyched that I am not in a cold garage, pressing cold bells that would freeze to my gloves, that I could spit. And, just in the nick of time. It is cold out there.

 Yesterdays training is what I call a "sleeper".  Take a simple movement and apply the hard-style principles. The result is the simple but sinister training that makes KBs. There is a thread on the DD forum I read today. The author is trying to figure out why he is getting stronger but isn't getting the larger muscle size. So, he is applying the principles without understand them or the results. He likes the results...he just thought maybe he would get bigger. What part of lean strength and muscle recruitment is he not understanding? It's part of the Westerners failed mentality that a bigger muscle must be stronger. Stop me before I get dizzy.........  

FINALLY.........CARPETS IN.

 Okay. So it wasn't Monday. Tuesday is a close second. The carpet is in AND I was glad to see the artsy fartsy types relaxing on the loading dock. As a matter of fact, they were relaxing so much they managed to leave behind some of the pot they were smoking. Oh,... poor artsy fartsy types. What will they do without their ganja for creative power. I really was waiting for one of them to come and knock on the door and say, "hay mon, got my doobage?" Ya', I got your doobage. No, you can't have it back. Your too stupid to be smoking pot. Have a nice day. Anyway, doobage aside, training went well the first official day even though we were hopping over seams. Now the stuff is in. By 'stuff ' I mean carpet. If I am not too stoned on Wednesday we will do some strength floor work that is long over due and then hit the bells (no, that isn't more stoner talk...I really mean to train with the kettlebells). Get some rest. Drink lots of fluids (I have a horrible cotton mouth). See you Wednesday!!

BTW- special thanks to Roxanne for pointing out my error in how I hung Ol' Glory. The union needs to be on the flags right (our left when looking at it straight on) or on the north side. Forgive me.......I can't blame this on the pot.

Monday is "Carpet Day".....I hope.

  I met the guy and he measured and went hunting for the 'stuff'. I got the call. The holiday was already cramping our style. So...according to the powers at be, we will have carpeting on Monday. Just in time. The bells have arrived. They are getting all warmy. The bells started sweating  as soon as they got inside. I think it's a sign. Other preparations will continue thru the weekend. One change to the weeks schedule. We will not have the open house on Tuesday. I have just run  out of time. I have not circulated the flyers yet. This day will be rescheduled for sometime in December. Hopefully the holiday won't mess us up too bad.

  Eat. Feast. Get fat. It's all good. Monday, we turn it on.

SERIOUSLY. IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS.

You want motivation. You need inspiration. Take the four minutes and view this video and then check yourself.

Click Here

TO SNATCH OR NOT TO SNATCH....

    The snatch is a very ballistic move. The story goes, force plate analysis tells us it takes 4-5 times the bells weight generated in order to execute a proper snatch. Emphasis on the word 'proper' . Where is the force generated?  The hips. There is a pull thru but the hips drive the weight and the arms guide the weight.It is very fluid. Watch someone new try to snatch and they are all over the board...and they are smacking their forearms pretty bad. The bell should come to rest on the forearm. Not slam into the forearm. It must be finessed.

  

fi-nesse

noun,verb

1) extreme delicacy or subtlety in action, performance, skill.

2) skill in handling a difficult or highly sensitive situation; adroit and artful management.

3) a trick.

We will visit the snatch today (yes, again). I think most  people do snatches when the want a quick training session.  They should be doing swings but you can't stop human nature from wanting to amp things up a little. So we will tweek this again. Plus some people were not there on Tuesday.

  Word on the studio...I am changing the open house date. I think Dec 2nd is to soon. Maybe a week or so after we have been in there and using it. Maybe couple it with a small Holiday party or gathering. We will figure it out. Growing pains.

  

got keys?

That would be a 'yes'.  We have 3 more classes at Wilshire Park and then we move to the new location as of Dec.1 st.   I walked in today and fired up the heater to start warming the walls. Wow...no more cold bells. The heater rocks.  For me this represents a vacant garage. One I may actually put my car in during the winter. And did I mention the warm bells? Just another thank you to everyone that has opted in for the charter memberships. It's one thing to talk about doing it but it is another to actually do it...thanks again. Tuesday we will train with singles. You know what that means...pick wisely!! See you then.

N.E. KETTLEBELLS DETAILS

N.E. Kettlebells/Five Point Kettlebells LLC

  Thanks to everyone for calling to ask for additional information. I want to apologize for the delay in my response. It has been a crazy busy week for me and I knew if I just sat down and wrote to everyone I could address everything at once.

 Here we go.

CHARTER MEMBERSHIPS and REGULAR MEMBERSHIPS

 This is open to anyone! Anyone that pays the first month. Anyone that has trained with me in the past. Anyone with whom I have shared a beer. Anyone. The deal with the charter membership is you retain and stay at $65.00 a month as long as you don’t miss a month. After Dec.1st, if you disappear and come back, the only way to get back down to $65.00 is to buy a three month package. The three month package will include sales tax. All memberships will include sales tax except charter memberships. Additionally, charter memberships will disappear from the payment options. If you are a charter member you are one for the length of your sustaining membership. I will not offer these openly again. The beginning monthly fee scale is as listed below. Fees due the first of each month.

Charter member                              $65.00

New member                                   $99.00 + tax

Intermediate member                      $79.00 + tax

Block of 3 months in advance         $195.00 + tax

Drop in rate per class                      $20.00 

Payments are made to me either thru the mail or in class. Not attending class is not an excuse for a late payment. I am working on a new website and it will have the ability to take payments on line. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP THRU THE COMMUNITY CENTER. If you have, nothing will change. I will get that list and it will apply to the new location with all the rights of membership. IF YOU WANT TO BE A CHARTER MEMBER EMAIL ME AT FIVEPOINTKETTLEBELLS@GMAIL.COM AND SPECIFICALLY SAY “ I WANT TO BE A CHARTER MEMBER”. I will put you on the list.

Checks will be made out to  ‘ Five Point Kettlebells ‘

Payments can be mailed to: FPKB, 3150 Pierce St NE, Mpls, MN 55418

I will not keep money on the premises. If paying in cash, please don’t require change or give a partial payment that you may want to apply to the next month.   All payments thru the Community Center will be honored during this transition. My new training schedule will apply, not the one listed in the Community Center book. 

CLASS SCHEDULE

   SUNDAY                                 CLOSED

   MONDAY                                5:00-6:00 PM

                                                   6:15-7:15 PM

  TUESDAY (INTERMEDIATE)  6:00-7:00 PM

  WEDNESDAY                          5:00-6:00 PM

                                                   6:15-7:15 PM

  THURSDAY                             CLOSED

  FRIDAY                                   5:00-6:00 PM

  SATURDAY                             8:30-9:30 AM

  Members may attend as many classes in one month as they wish with one exception, Tuesday is invite only.  Tuesdays class is not meant to be divisive. I made the mistake of originally calling it an ‘advanced class’. This set off a few alarms and I heard about them. It’s okay. To be fair I didn’t pick my words properly. The intermediate class is not structured or supervised. Think of it as ‘open gym’. You will be able to come in and work on or train whatever you wish. I will be on site to discuss technique. Show some things...whatever. I will be doing my own thing. You need to have a certain level of skill to be safe enough for me to turn you loose in an open gym setting. That means doing snatches with the power coming from the hips. Swings with the power from the hips. Wrists straight. Elbows straight. Hips squared during rows or bear crawls. Back leg straight while doing windmills. See the pattern? Body awareness !!  I have been more slack in the past because the training days were much more limited. KB’s are a skill !! The skill must be attained from training. One day a week won’t do it in MOST cases. 

   Some behavior changes need to be made. The biggest change will be class start time. Now that there are more class offerings start times will be enforced. In the past we had to deal with the limited meeting times available so we needed to be more flexible with start times.This needs to change. HERE’S WHY !! I will teach the first half of the class. The second half hour will be application and beat downs. If you weren’t there for the lesson...how can you apply it? In order for this business to survive I will need to expand membership. New members must see members arriving on time in order to pattern them into a behavior of being on time.  They will do what you do. I can’t have people coming and going at their liberty. Well, I take that back, you can leave anytime. ONE EXCEPTION-Intermediate Members may arrive late but please join the class quietly and respectfully. But clearly you can see the importance of having a start time with everyone in the class and no distractions. The fifteen minute transition between classes will be respected and additional visiting after class can take place in the coffee shop or hall way. I don’t want to compete with your voices during the next half of instruction. If your going to stay for the additional class on Mon/Wed (nothing wrong with 2 hours of training) just understand that it will be a close mirror of the previous hour. Beat downs may vary and I will tailor things to those attending at each class for the beat downs. Tuesday training will not start until the third or forth week of December. Please do not attend Tuesdays training unless you have heard from me specifically. Please do not assume open class is available to you. I will contact members individually. Again, the intention is to provide a safe environment for you to train. You must have a safe skill level in all the skills. Not the ones you favor or practice at home. Ask yourself this, are you confident with the movement or do you say ‘I hate’ or ‘I can’t ‘ do these ? That kind of language will not be apart of the Tuesdays open sessions.

FINAL WORD 

  I am very excited about this venture. Its success will be dependent on the quality of its members. We have a very high quality clientele. KB’s are not for everyone. It’s work. Hard work. No slacking. Look around the class. We are average folk with a forged will undetectable outside of class. A person needs a fair amount of digestive juices just to get thru the training. Our numbers will always be small because this type of training doesn’t reward you with the warm fuzzy other gyms offer. We sweat. We ache. We push beyond our limits. We break barriers. Blow away myths and laugh about it. We earn the right to look at other forms of training and immediately see the faults and errors of their ways.  We care for our hands and speak of hand care in ways others don’t need. Why we do this......I don’t know. But we do and we are so much better for it. Now we have warm bells thru the winter. A place to call our own with unlimited potentials. New implements of torture will be added at intervals. This is how we like....dare say, love it without sounding too much like a ‘pain freak’. That being said, I look forward to hitting it hard very soon with a group of people I have grown very fond of AND look forward to “beating” and “being beaten by” more frequently !!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO US !!!

With deep respect~Michael

  

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.....

Where does the time go? I guess I should dust this thing off.
Legs have recovered from Tuesdays insult quite nicely. Hip flexors seem a little tight in part from Tuesdays training. Some mobilty drills and hip work will be in order.Get those out of the way and then open it up to a nice prolonged KB session. Bring some warm clothes for the ride home. Seriously, now is not the time to catch a cold. Keep the head and spine warm. When your finished training and the back is warmed up and loose it is prime time for alignment issues. Be very careful. Your body needs to stay warm to stay healthy post training but, your back doesn't like being warm and loose. It's quite the pickle.

POSSIBLE FUTURE HOME BASE

  Well, Here is a reasonable picture of the space I found. The idea is to get some color into it soon. We would have a loading dock entry and warm bells year round. The floor is concrete. That is good and bad. Easy to clean but cool in the winter. I have looked into rubber flooring. It will have to wait. Approx' cost is $3000-$6000.00.  We can  live in it a while until it is determined where rubber is useful. Use your imagination. Think rings, pull-up bars, kettlebells and other implements of torture. Parking is great to the south along the building and RR track. It is an odd shape but, let's face it...so are we. Another walk thru is today at 4:30 pm (1618 Central Ave N.E.) I love the idea we can keep this N.E.

FRIDAY RECAPPED !! THANKS FOR HANGING IN!!!

  Wow, what a great session on Friday. I have not done anything like that in a while so I felt it on Saturday and Sunday. Thanks to all that joined me. The new session begins on Friday. We will revisit the basics and the theories behind Hard-style training. New people will gather a better understanding of what is happening to them while veterans will use heavy bells to illustrate the point. Like the saying goes, 'if it is boring then it is too light'. This is going to be a productive week. I hope it generates some productive news about training locations. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for anything that may be suitable. Winter is approaching fast. Tuesday training is on the list provided it is not raining. I will email the group. Enjoy what remains of the indian summer.

~Michael 

PART OF ANY NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST

  Well, maybe I was a little bored. The kids got a kick out of it this morning. 

  A new session begins Tuesday. I think we have a great thing going with the community center with one exception...sometimes we just can't use the space. I would like to have at least 4 days available to us for the same price. Nobody in this city has done what we have done so far. A lot of the credit goes to Joady (Cont. Ed. Director) for being so flexible but I also think we can do better. We have an instant training facility any where we pull the trailer. Meanwhile I will try to stike a deal with some shelter for the winter. Great training last night! Good crowd. Great effort. Friday will be nonstop beat-down so people can get out as soon as they want for the the party night. Class will not end early but feel free to cut out as soon as you have had enough. I will have an  I go/You go session for the hour. Time to pour some water.

AMENDED SNATCH TEST...Already?

One quick change to the amount of reps required. It is simple and fair. Everyone does one rep per kg of their own body weight...rounded up...of course. Weigh in at 65 kg, you will need to do 65 reps in 5 min. Same for men and women. Max reps is 100 no matter how much you weigh (100kg body weight=100 reps. 120 kg body weight=100 reps). This will be interesting.

CHA-CHA-CHANGES !! SNATCH RULES.

  Just when you thought it was safe...The rules change. The  Feb. RKC ushers in a new era. The new snatch test rules are as follows. 

-The free hand can be on the hip or the waist...NOT the thigh.

-5 min to complete the test.

-As many hand switches as you wish.

-The sum of both arms is scored.

-You may set the bell down and rest.

-You may make multiple back swings.

-Chalk is allowed. NO belts, gloves, wrist wraps or other supportive equipment.

-You may DROP the bell twice. The snatch will not be counted.

-Third DROP your disqualified.

MEN

Weight class (kg/lbs) = Snatches (total L+R)

60/132=60

90/198=80

90+/198+= 100

0-49 years of age uses 24 kg kettlebell

50+ years of age uses 20 kg kettlebell

WOMEN

Weight class(kg/lbs)=Snatches (total L+R)/Bell size

50/110=80/12 kg

60/132=60/16 kg

75/165=80/16 kg

75+/165+=100/16 kg

WOMEN OVER 50 YEARS OF AGE

60/132=60/12 kg

75/165=80/12 kg

75+/165+=100/12 kg

  So what is the difference? At first blush I would say this is a approx. half the Secret Service Snatch Test (SSST) for the guys and modified for men of lesser body weight. For the ladies things just got tougher all around following the same model. Quick note, if you can set the bell down and rest then it should never be 'dropped' due to fatigue. Be aware of your abilities and act on them! I think some people will be 'pushing up daisies' at the next  Russian Kettlebell Certification.

FRIDAY SHOCKER !!!!

  Well, maybe not a great shocker but a big surprise to be sure. I was stiff after the mild training on Friday outside community center. I think it was the double press overhead walking that got things fired-up. Either way it was just the six of us in the cool breeze talkin' smart and training light. The large groups are fun and great for the program, but small groups are more personal and allow for some specific training. Thanks to everyone that made it and for contributing to the selection of lifts we performed. I was looking at the VERTICAL ENDEAVORS website today thinking we should put some of our strength to the test and climb some walls. This would be a FPKB sponsored event (no cost to you) and I would need a commitment in order to reserve the space and instructor. I have never climbed the boulder walls before so I would set up a group lesson for everyone. Then, we climb at will. Tuesday is a snatch day...BRING GLOVES. I hope your weekend is a good one.

YOU ASKED FOR IT !!!!

  WHAT'S THE OLD LINE? CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR?

  Today I came up with the slightly modified '300 workout' for our training pleasure. Instead of pull-ups we will substitute pull-overs. Instead of box jumps, we will be doing 'bend and thrusts' (burpees). Same muscle groups just a slight variation due to the lack of availability of 24" boxes and pull-up bars. I did the training today. The transitions must be quick. The movement patterns are more gross motor so a high level of skill is not needed. This does not mean we get sloppy. No non-contact injuries tonight. This will make you a believer. A believer of what? When your finished you will understand when I tell you how great you are...I mean it. We have a very strong and conditioned group and NOT JUST FOR OUR AGE. The name of the game is Hard-Style and we are the Hard-Core practitioners. YOU WILL LOVE THIS !!! TONIGHT WE GO-HARD...AND THEN GO HOME!!!

PULL-UPS, ANYONE ?

  Yesterday I had a great KB meeting/discussion that lasted all morning. By the time I got home it was time to pick up the kids. It was such a beautiful day they wanted to go to the parks...so we did. I saw some classmates delivering a beat down to each other at the Community Center and taking full advantage of the weather. Very cool. Some people just won't take a day off. When I got home that night it was time for my training. On the menu was pull-ups. Tactical pull-ups. Body weight only. One perfect pull-up...then walk over to the counter..'click'....one perfect pull-up...walk over to the counter...'click'...and so one. It took 50 minutes to get in 150 pull-ups. I never broke a sweat. I did each one perfect/strict. I didn't breathe heavy. I felt a slight "pump" in my forearms from crush gripping the bar but that's it. It was a very mellow training cycle. Grabbed a little ice cream and went to bed. I remember rolling over around 4:00 am and seeing that I still had a couple hours so I went back to sleep. When my alarm went off I reached for it and it was at this time someone either stabbed me in the side with a long knife or hit me in the ribs with a sledge hammer breaking my ribs. The pain shot from my arm pit to my waist. When I tried to roll off to the side my abs connected with my spine and cut off my breathing for a moment. I felt like I had been beaten, dragged and left for dead. My point? All work is cumulative. I have not done this type of a drill in maybe 6-8 months....and my body knew it. It has been a long day but I am finally feeling pretty good. The headache is gone and I am going to drink a beer.

  Moral of the story: I don't think there is one...just be careful out there.

FOCUS...GOTTA' HAVE IT !!!

  Boy, I sure can tell when my 'other' life becomes a little more demanding. I lose all sense of time.

  Saturday was another eye-opener for me. I gave a presentation on kettlebells to some people that have never touched them. They did well but I was reminded of the frailty of the general public. The only bells I brought were a pair of 1's, 2's, and 3's. Dat'zit. They were smoked. The movement was stiff with many, many, compensations. They would do well if they continued their training. 

  B0dy and situational awareness...I cannot say enough about this topic. YA' GOTTA HAVE IT !!! Nobody can do this for you. You must see a movement pattern and put yourself in the users place. Where are the arms? Where are they looking? Do they stand straight? Where is the static or rest position. Are my glutes tight? Am I tensing and relaxing in the right places? Everything MUST be perfect . This is why we don't do 10-12 reps and just knock them out and go home. Five.....perfect. You train the way you practice so practice the way you train. Strict. Effective. Strong.

CHICKEN LEGS GOT YOU DOWN ?

 I have been saying for years that boys have the same self image issues that are just as damaging as girls. A girls will manifest itself as eating disorders (starvation diets) while the boys manifest itself as eating disorders (gorging food). Yes, Taking in 4000 cal a day is not good for you or needed for the growth they want. Isn't it odd that weight gain for guys is required. Athletic boys in high school don't want to look like athletes. They want to look like bodybuilders. A collection of parts. Big bi's, tri's, lat's and legs. It is improper to add the size without adding the proportionate strength. Skinny legs? A mans worst nightmare. Forget the fact that it gives springy strength. Less mass to move when delivering a kick therefore quicker and delivers more force. Requires less nutrition for performance and you can buy your clothes off the rack. Ron Morris RKC made a comment to me when I first started training with kettlebells. After about 5-6 months I was buying one of his shirts. I grabbed the Xtra Large size and held it up just for sizing. He looked at me and said, "No more xtra larges for you."  He was right. I have been wearing large ever since. How can I lose muscle size and yet be stronger than in the past. Muscle recruitment is one answer. Using my body more efficiently is another. Strength is a skill.  Forms follows function. It always will. Today, I want my legs and glutes strong. They will be whatever shape that requires. I look at my body as a whole these days. I haven't done a curl or tri-cep extension in 3 years. Pistols, pull-ups, swings, TGU and snatches. Done. These simple but sinister movements will make you road worthy. Period.

Speaking of which...todays training.

Pistols 3L+3R (x 3) with 24kg bell

Pull-ups with 32kg  1 x 10 (slow, 3-4 minutes rest between each)

That's it. Felt good. Didn't break a sweat. See ya' tonight!!

IN THE END...IT'S ALL ABOUT HANDS.

  One complaint you will neeeever hear from a body builder is that their hands are getting ripped up. Olympic lifts? Maybe. Kettlebells? Please. It is the number one topic after a full day of high volume work. I tended to a gal who blew out her palm. I have never had a rip so low in my hand. Not sure what she was doing but I watched her afterwards and her technique was very good. I had brought some of my thin brown gloves  and NuSkin so I worked her up. She was still a mess in the hands department. But at least she didn't tear anymore. So what is the answer to hand preservation. That is up to the individual. You can select all or none of the following.

~Remove any build-up or 'tenting' of calluses. 

~Keep hands soft with lotion (Corn Huskers)

~Use barriers (thin socks or gloves) 

~Vary your technique to share the load over your entire hand

~Soak hands in ice water and lotion with a glove over them at night (not sure about this one)

  You just need to figure it out. In the above photo I was busy taping up hands each day as if they were going into battle. Believe me, they were. This was Lena as she was preparing for the VO2Max sequence. It was brutal. Everyone did great.

  I have been asked to post some of my training that I do daily or otherwise. Remember, I pick up the bells at different intervals throughout the day just to stay loose. I won't count that stuff in the training blog. Also, I have a tendency to subscribe to Brett Jones approach to training. Low reps/Heavy weights. I keep it simple. I am always 'working' on something (open the hips, sink the hips back, sink the shoulders back, pack the shoulders). I use the drills that promote these items.

Todays training:

Turkish Get-Up  5L+5R  32KG

                              4L+4R 32KG

                              3L+3R 40KG  <(this was work)

                              2L+2R 40KG

                              1L+1R  Beast

DARC Swings (alt. hand every swing)

                              20 reps/3 sets

Mow the lawn....not really training but what the hell.

~See you tonight!!!

COMPRESSION, ROOTING AND BREATHE BEHIND THE SHIELD

   Master RKC Andrea Du Cane gave a demo on how the arm should be positioned for a press. The beginning and the end position should be the same. Very stable. Controlling your breathing so the effort becomes effortless. Your breathing should match the force generated. Quick, explosive movements...quick explosive breaths. Long enduring efforts should have long compressed breaths for maximal gain. Compressed as if bracing for a punch but breathing behind the shield. I was instructed to get into a press position while she started pulling down on the top of my hand. Soon her feet were off the ground. Very cool demo'. It punctuates the point nicely. Glutes, abbys, quads all tight.

TEAM Du PAIN !!!!

  Another great certification this weekend. Everyone on Team Du Cane had tremendous success and improvement. Even though not everyone passed they should be proud of their efforts and the transformation that took place in their techniques. The kettlebell does not favor one type of person over another. It will punish us all equally. Brett Jones made it very clear some time ago..."it's called a challenge for a reason". 

  Two Team Leaders from Minnesota were promoted to Senior Instructor. Brad Nelson (Woodbury) and Jon Engum (Brainerd). Big congrats to the both of them. 

  I was able to extract some fun and information from this cert' that will be folded into our class. Working with Andrea Du Cane was educational and a pleasure. Fellow Asst. Bob Ross is certifiable in his own right. I had a great time working with him. I look forward to meeting up with these people again someday in the future.

  We have a new addition to Five Point Kettlebells. Another Beast has wandered it's way into the trailer. Looks like Bear Crawls, Farmers Walk/Carry and Sumo Dead Lifts just got put on the menu for tomorrow (yah, your welcome). See you in class tomorrow night!!

~nuf said. 

IT'S ON !!!

  The RKC kicked off today with one hell of a bang. I am pleased to report that our training is not only current, it ranks high on national standards. So far our program needs no altering...'cuz THAT'S how we roll!!! I love it. Andrea Du Cane is a treat to work for/with. Her ability to spot, ferret out, and correct poor movement patterns is impressive. She is very decisive. I like that. It makes my job easier. Here's the path. This is the one we're on. This will get you certified. Find your own path on your own time. 

  I have one page of goodies to fold into our training starting on Tuesday. Rest well my friends. Remember Sunday! Be the Victim!!! 

THE 10 PRINCIPLES OF THE RKC SYSTEM

1.  The emphasis on technique over routines, exercises, and workloads. The latter are marginal until the technique is perfect.

2.  An internal focus.  (rooting, tension, pressurization, and compression~Michael)

3.  Use of "a-ha drills" to enforce perfect technique.

4.  Safety is viewed as a part of, not the opposite of, performance.

5.  Reverse engineering of what the strongest and most coordinated people do naturally.

6.  The emphasis on strength differentiates.

7.  Creative use of exercise variations to build strength.

8.  Incidental cardio. (note:it is a part of, not trained separately~Michael) 

9. Incidental flexibility. (again, not trained separately~Michael)

10.  Simple and safe explosive lifting.

AGAIN, NO CLASS ON FRIDAY !!!  I look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday. I will have lots to share.

MORE TRAINING IS BETTER????

 What kind of training are we talkin'. Is it more of the same? Are you adding variety? Changing up the load? Working outside your comfort zone? Staying strict to form and the movement pattern. The key is to train smarter . Not harder. You have heard this a thousand times (blah, blah, blah...) Smarter does not mean less effort. Eighty percent of a real  one hundred percent is needed. Know your real limits/strengths and work from there. But remember, is your real strength keeping the proper form. Showboating just injured you. You may not have walked out with a limp that day but it will catch up with you down the road-I promise. 

  IS HOLDING A WEIGHT HELPFUL? SEEM STUPID? It is only silly to the person that has never trained this way or to the person that can't hold the weight. The rest of us know the training works. Life is static holds. Period. Rarely do any of us snatch, grab and run the distance. No, we hold the position. Carrying a couch is a walking static hold. Groceries, the kids, boxes, brief case, hunting, fishing,....I could go on but you get the picture. I don't train static 'leans' . This would be helpful at a bar but the training is disproportionate and awkward. A simple static hold is the plank. This is simple and sinister. Forget the shiny things as Brett Jones calls them. Stick to the basics. Here's a news flash- If you can't do the basics, you haven't earned the right to train using the 'shiny' skills. IT TAKES DISCIPLINE. THE COMPULSORY IS NOT SEXY !!! BUT IT WILL SAVE YOUR BUTT. I say this with love.  

~'nuf said.

~Michael

P.S. The picture has nothing to do with KB training. I just love the poster. Uncle Sam is hard-core!!

SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 A Day of Remembrance...

  It has been seven short years since the attacks on this great nation occurred. While we are building and dedicating memorials today and remembering the sacrifices made, parts of the Middle East are celebrating today as a National Holiday and building Theme Parks (using Mickey Mouses image) to promote terrorism. What a stark contrast of humanity. The best line I heard today was by Todd Beamer's (Todd made the famous statement "Let's Roll" on FLT 93) father. He said, "We've had many September 11's since 2001, but not one 9/11.  There's a father with perspective.

  Last night I had a Demo' at The GYM in Coon Rapids. Linnea and Roxanne showed to say 'hey' and swing some bells. I appreciate them sitting through items in my discussion they have clearly heard before. It went well, overall. Like anything, KB's require a certain amount of digestive juices to get through the training. Dudes and Dudettes alike need some grit.....the tough stuff just is not for everyone. I will need to give another demo' sometime soon in order to get a feel for the likelihood of having classes at this location. Good news is....those attending got a very good taste of KB training. No doubt they are cussing this morning....since 'sitting' probably isn't an option. There's love.

  Word in the herd is some are gathering at the community center tonight for extra training. My guess is 5PM like always. It may be cloudy but not raining. I will be thinking of everyone tonight at work. Probably around 3 AM when I usually get on the internet and check out the world KB scene. See you Friday!!!

WINTER BREAK? NOT LIKELY...

 " Do I look like the mother of the future!? " -Linda Hamilton

 When Cher saw Terminator 2, She told her publicist to find out who trained Linda. She wanted to look like her. Well, Cher never got her body to look like Linda's. Cher is soft. Very soft. At the time, she would have been lucky to look like Sonny. When pushed about the specifics to Linda's training she talked about the heavy weights she was using. She was power lifting and , of course, dieting like crazy. Not restricting calories. Restricting the type of foods she put in her mouth. I love fall/winter. It allows you to pile on the clothes and then there is an unveiling in the spring. At the unveiling we get to see who has been doing the work all winter long and who has been 'storing' for the long winter. Last week I went shopping for some trousers. I have a 33 inch waist. I am a little thicker these days but my clothes actually fit better. So I grabbed some 34's figuring I will wear a belt with them (I am still in love with my double width bridal leather belt...things a weapon and I can set a drink on it). Anyway, the 34's were much larger than I thought. I grabbed the 32's. Same problem. I could pinch about 3-4 inches of fabric at the waist line. So I went home. Grabbed the tape measure. Sure enough, 33 inches. Actually closer to 34. So now I know. The industry is lying about their sizes. In a big way. Then I got on line and Googled womens dress sizes. Well, back the truck up. A mass of articles popped up about the way the industry is resizing and has been resizing the dress sizes to attract women to their line and make everyone feel better. The joke is, if they didn't have extra petite, the dress size would need to be 'minus one'. So now your a size six and have 35% body fat at a height of 6' 1".  What is that? Crap. Can we say it again? Crapola.  My point? Get a tape measure. This is how we measure success and failure. Yes, failure. Measure yourself today and every 2 weeks through the fall and winter. Are you getting the results you desire? If not, what are we going to do about it? You tell me. There are only two ways to change your body. 1) Eat less/more  2) Train less/more.  That's it. Secrets out. Lock the doors. Pull the shades. Linnea P. told me recently she has lost well over 20 inches from her body. It was a total off her arms, waist, chest, hips, thighs. It illustrates the point that size comes off in layers. "Sheets" we like to say. You cannot target an area. Your arm may feel firmer because you are training arms more but we don't observe what you feel. The fat that constitutes 50% of the width of your arm is hiding what your feeling good about. Everyone has a six pack. It is just hidden by the extra layers on top of it.   Time to get the look you want and watch the progress. This is going to be a looooong winter if you believe the Farmers Almanac and the fact that the acorns have dropped. No need to endurance diet for spring break if we start now. 

  Tomorrow. Heavy. Low reps. Bring your Grit!!

~nuf said.

TO 'ALL MY FRIENDS'...CHEERS !!!!

   This picture has everything: Babes, Beer and Brawn.  When you work hard you earn the right to play hard and juggle a few staples...beer and pizza. The good news, everyone that stayed late that night made it to training the next day. No excuses. What a treat.

  Tuesday we will hit some of the basics for the benefit of the newly initiated and return to the high tension/low rep training that is the cornerstone to Hard-Style lean muscle development. Bring your grit.

  By the way, we are planning another get together Oct. 16th (it's a Thursday). Keep it in mind as your October calendar begins to fill.

FIRST- WEAK BACK

  When I am having a conversation with a long time 'gym rat', the first real topic of concern is the back pain. They all have it. Not so much the power lifter community. More so, the body building community or casual gym goer. Of course, nobody likes to be called a casual gym goer. But, if you can miss 2-3 months of training (because your life got busy and pulled you from the gym) and then return  and hit your previous level of conditioning within a few short weeks...well, your not one of those people that gains quickly. No Sir. The reality is you were never very strong or conditioned. Not that you didn't have success, it was just on a 'gym machine' scale. Conventional wisdom states- when your back hurts, go light with the back work out. Better yet, go to a 'back' machine and use light weights. That is the conventional wisdom. Problem is it will keep you in a cycle of discomfort. As you age the normal age related degenerative changes kick in and your pain and discomfort continues to increase. Why is this? Why isn't the high-rep back machine training fixing the problem? The reality is your routine is aggravating your condition. Your wearing out your parts at a pace faster than normal due to this high rep training. STOP! STOPPITY STOP, STOP, STOP!! Enter "Slow Strength". Pavel writes of it in his book 'Enter the Kettlebell' (ETK Chapter 3). I will highlight the principle here. Slow strength is the guts to grind it through. The grind of strength training. It builds real strength. Slow strength is the ability to exert the greatest force regardless to the time it takes. The grind (...as a matter of fact, I do love that word. Thanks for asking.) 'Strength  endurance' is the opposite side of the same coin. Most people over train strength endurance and under play slow strength. Power is strength times speed. But before you can endure strength, you must develop it. Quick, explosive, high rep lifts are the corner stone of endurance strength training. This is your conditioning. But do you have strength to condition? Where is your lean, powerful slow strength muscle? If the muscle isn't there your breaking down what little muscle is there. Now you better hope your body can repair itself before you attack it again. Otherwise you are in a cycle of deconditioning. Chew on this as we do todays training.

  For those who made it (about 11-12 of us) we had a fun night of trash talk at Psycho Suzi's. I appreciate everyone coming out for a little  summer capper. I look forward to doing it again. See you tonight!

THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT....

A friend of mine sent me this link. Watch this Combat Fitness Test (CFT) the U.S. Marines are now using. The Marines going through the training are 'stock'. Just your average Marine. PATHETIC !!!! What has happened. I would put any of my students up against this group of soft bodies. I keep telling everyone that the training I offer is the real deal. I don't pull punches or water down the content. You are a Hard-core, hard-style bunch and you need to be proud of that. I hope this link works. Sit back and enjoy.
Class starts Tuesday at Wilshire Park in the multipurpose room. Sign up early, please. The program Director is out of office on personal business so we need to give the office staff a little help and not make special adjustments due to late entry. Thanks for your understanding. Have a great weekend and Holiday!!

If it doesn't open, Just copy and paste to the address bar. You gotta' see this!

http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=174021&page=1

Just to clarify

To view the video I was talking about in the post below, click the ' time lapse ' to get to the video. I tried to link it but...well, I had issues.~Michael

I CAN'T PASS THIS UP!!!!

Here is a guy I hold in high regard. I don't know him (I don't think). He may be a Seawell, they seem to be everywhere. Either way he took the time to rock us and show real potential and possibilities without excuses. Now, get back to the Burpee Challenge. He did this in 84 days!!! Nuf said. (click the link and scroll down to the YouTube video of his change in 84 days..) Transformed

OLD MYTHS WON"T GO AWAY !!

I am not making a reference to anyone. I just need to purge a little. We are so visual when it comes to strength. I can not make this clear enough...the size of the muscle does not determine it's strength. The strength of the muscle determines it's strength. I know that sounds silly and seems obvious especially to the hard-stylers that have been with me a while. But it won't go away. Just recently I was in this discussion again. "Look at my muscle. This arms much stronger." =gasp= No, the other arm is less trained. Simple. Your 'weak' arm will get 'stronger' just by asking it to do more. Start making the new connections with your less dom' arm or leg. It is a little outside the comfort zone. The coordination isn't there...yet. Mentally you know you can't do as many with that leg or that arm so you don't. It's self defeating. You tell me it's your weak side. I tell you 'show me'...pick up the bell and do the movement. I see your movement is poor. The pattern is outside the groove. The wrist and elbow is bent. So your attempt is poor. The other side you do everything right so it is a successful lift. If you could just see what I see.
This has been a good summer for training. We have a great core group that enjoys rolling around on packed dirt and dead grass while dirt clouds pass over us. Rapture. Tuesday, Sept 2nd we are back at Wilshire Park Elementary School. I am really going to miss the extra training days. I would like to see more days available to us but it will not happen through the Community Center. It is a tapped resource. The few extra Wednesdays are just a fluke. I can't make them mine. I am looking throughout the N.E. area for a space. We need 1600-2000 sq/ft and access to a bathroom. That's it. Seems pretty simple. I will have more time to explore this after the holiday. In the meantime, if anyone knows of a warehouse space or something similar...shoot me an email. This winter it would be nice to hand out "cold one's" that we can drink rather than swing. Those bells do get frosty!!

FRIDAY, AUG.22nd TRAINING WILL BEGIN AT 5:00 PM NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER

See you then!
~datzit-Michael

TURKISH GET-UPS (TGU) and FEMME FATALES

Remember...it's a get-up not a sit up....This rings so true considering the performance of our two femme fatales. Wednesday we played with big weights and the TGU. Laurie AND Sarah did nice, strong controlled TGU's with the 20kg KB (#4). They can't press that weight. They can't do a sit-up with that weight. But they locked it out on their backs and got up with it on a uneven and dimpled surface. AWESOME EFFORTS. Who needs the Olympics. We are breaking personal records every day. This is what it is all about. Staying safe. Getting stronger with nice lean muscle. AND, learning to use your body more efficiently. My friend Smith (that is his first name, btw) was there trying out the KB training for the second night. He is a strong guy and long time gym member. His comment about the TGU, "This is hard." I wanted to correct him with, "No, this is hard-style." But he seemed a little distracted by the weight the ladies were posting. I was humbled during my first contact with KB's under very similar circumstances. I was smoked by bear crawls and renegade rows. I was also between two ladies pulling twice the weight I had been given. I loved it. A door opened and I was shown a new definition of strength.
I am slowly falling in love with the TGU's. The beauty of this motion is clear. The effects are felt with the fist set. No special talent or flexibility is needed. Just a willingness to lay on the floor on your back. For some reason this seems outside the norm. We don't lay on the ground for training in the U.S. Well, we do now and it is proving itself very usefull.
~datzit

WHAT IS HARD-STYLE KETTLEBELLS ??

This is the best definition I have seen. So I stole it from the blogs. Thank you Mr. Walsh.
"Hard-Style" chooses power over effeciency and chooses techniques proven to be most effective for max force application. It uses maximal accelaration in quick lifts and maximal tension in the slow lifts. It is the practice of the skill of compression, maximizing tension in the muscles, compressing the joints, compressing the breath and focusing the body's "scattered" energy into a single directed effort. We work to eliminate power leakages by improving the kinetic linkage from the ground up. We work to master the ability to tense and relax when appropriate (tense-loose-tense). We have an internal focus. The kettlebell is a tool to teach the skill of body mastery.
So having said that...we work and train. It is not a work-out. That happens along the way. Practice is the objective. Lots and lots of practice.
The photo? It has nothing to do with kettlebells and everything to do with America. I took this picture at the FLT 93 Memorial.

BREAKS OVER !?!

Not sure if you need a break or not. My break is over...for sure. While y'all have been hitting it hard I have tempered my approach and my nagging elbow was given a much deserved vacation. But, that was 3 weeks ago. Monday I have to pick up Zane at 5:30 from Karate and then drive straight to the Community Center for training I should be there by 5:40 pm. I forgot Zanes karate was on Monday and Wednesday so I can't get to the training area any earlier. I am really looking forward to it! I have some chocolate 'issues' to work off .

FREED FROM THE RV BONDAGE

Last night was the first night in 13 days that I slept in my own bed. A bed that didn't have wheels attached to them. You know what they say about vacations still holds true. While it was great traveling 2400+ miles in the RV, it's nice to be home.I do not recognize my lawn.
I could not help but notice all the different body types at all the campsites while on vacation. The pools a littered with people. I am not sure why the news keeps reporting that travel is down because of gas prices. These places and the roads where packed. When we were in Ohio we stayed at a state park over night. A very nice Park Ranger by the name of Lynette visited us and we had a great conversation about people and our observations. She was curious about what we did personally and professionally simply because we were not overweight. This was the amazing observation Donna and I had made after a few days on the road. Every campsite was filled with very heavy people. Anyway, we sat and solved all the worlds weight problems and that worked it's way into a kettlebell lesson. Yes, even on the road we are doing the Partys work. Pavel would be proud.
I am putting my house back in order and plan on being up and running soon. I emailed Sarah a few times and was glad to hear that a group was keeping things going... and going and going. This is how we roll. Ya' have to ask yourself, why do we suffer the "beat down" when the rest of the nation is suffering thru the all you can eat buffet?

DARA TORRES-OLYMPIC SWIMMER

She is the oldest to ever be on the Olympic swim team. China will be her her fifth Olympics. She has great financial resources according to the article but she also has a tremendous talent and DRIVE. SHe is 41 years old and the world will be watching her very soon. I recently had a conversation and your 'physical peak' is at age 25 for the general population. As we get older we need to train smarter, not harder or more frequently. She is a great example of this.
I am on the road tomorrow. Enjoy the beat downs you give each other. See you all in August.

Friday is the last day of official training. Over the next couple weeks some of the classmates will train. Find out who they are on Friday and make the effort. August 6th may be the first available day I have after my vacation. Watch for emails and watch this blog for training times. Friday will be a review of windmills and the Turkish Get-Up. These two movements are part of the RKC minimums. I am really looking forward to our August training. Hopefully the weather will co-operate and we can hit it...hard-style. See you Friday!!
~Michael

IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A 'REST' DAY

This is the problem with kettlebells. They ache to be played with. So, instead of resting I make a date with the Beast. It was a beautiful day but just a little windy. Either way, this is all I was going to do....then I decided to bang out the windmills with the 32kg and the 40 kg. Life is good...

TODAYS TRAINING

Today was a day off for me. That is , until I read the Dragon Door forum. Jason Brown (one of the most outspoken RKC Team Leaders) posted what he felt was a disappointing effort. The ladder is to 10. Alternating with swings and burpees. 1 swing/1 burpee, 2 swings/2burpees...and so on. Get it done in 5 minutes. He did it in 5 min 41 sec. using a 24kg for the swings. We do this type of drill all the time in class. We will crush his score on Friday for the final, hopefully. If not, we are still in great company. By the way, I used the 28 kg and finished in 4 min 5 sec. Why the 28 kg? Because I thought I had grabbed the 24kg. OOPS.

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN...

Doesn't mean you should. This is a great lesson and statement on human nature and training. Trainers are creating 'extreme' everything as a marketing tool. It is not very productive. Just do the work. Stay true to form and the form with be true to you. The hype is mucking up the joint. We have three meetings remaining in this session. I will bang out the basics for everyone to digest before the break. Just a nice review. We will do press and press variations on Friday. At the end of the training we will unwind the shoulders. See you Friday!!
~Michael

10 MINUTE PLANK? WHY?

What's the point? What have you accomplished? Well, I could go into my ramblings about the differences between inner and outer strength. Dealing with body management under harsh conditions. Getting outside your element and comfort zone. I could go into all the things that happen and how the body benefits from the static load. But here's what didn't happen. Nobody died. Nobody lost skin from the movement. The sore palms went away before the end of the training. You took yourself to a certain level of discomfort and tested your metal. Some put their knees down earlier than they needed because they were told this would take ten minutes. Others tried to do a personal best and just hang in there as long as possible. One classmate wanted some relief from her hands so rather than drop her knees down she went into a one handed plank, alternating hands. How cool is that? A ten minute plank is not outside our abilities. Really, we needed to manage about 5 minutes of discomfort. I don't know why people run, but think of the marathon. 2-5 hrs of pain management. The whole time their electrolytes are being depleted and they are running zombies by the end of the race. We went for 10 minutes and nobody lost a toe nail.
At the end of the day...it's just a thing. Just a thing we did this day. We won't do it again for a while. We will do some "thing" else. We don't train with kettlebells because it's easy. We train because we know first hand how effective and efficient it is. One day soon (August) I would like to have the class do the Secret Service Snatch Test. It is 10 minutes of straight work. You can put the bell down as many times as you want but when the final 15 seconds is counting down that bell better be in motion. Meaning, everyone stays for the duration. It is a ten minute test. Why 10 minutes? Because 5 min is to easy. Not a challenge. Seven minutes a door of discomfort opens. From eight to ten minutes you want to reach for the puke bucket. Men use the 24 kg. Women use the 16 kg as the standard. For our purposes, dropping down one size will be allowed. Additionally, gloves and tape will be allowed. You can switch hands as many times as you want. Just something to chew on as we go into the August month.
Training resumes on Tuesday at 6:15 pm. Have a great weekend. We all wish Leisha a safe bike ride home after the party!

THURSDAY (JULY 3rd) EXTRA TRAINING

Why were the shoulders so sore after Tuesdays training? The swings intensity is focused on the bottom portion of the movement. The drive. The bell coasts at the apex or anything above the chest or nipple line. In order to launch the bell we need to 'drive' the full range and build speed through the apex of the movement. It is still just a swing. The footing should have stayed the same. There should not have been a balance problem. No extra steps after the launch. Nothing extra but drive. The lower back is exposed on the extension. The hips snapping forward will support the lower back only if the glutes are tight. If you stayed true to the movement the discomfort would be minimal the following day. If your focus was to "launch at all costs" for distance...then I can see where your body decided to bark at you. Over all a very solid drill and very well done. Today we will meet at 6-6:15pm along side the community center. It will be cooler today with cloud coverage. See you then!!

TUESDAYS TRAINING (JULY 1st)

Monday was just a little warm. Tuesday is suppose to be in the 90's. Bring your water and lotion with SPF 100. We will train in the hockey rink behind the Fire Station at Central Park (next to the community center. We trained there last summer and it worked well for some things.This will be one of those days. Paul was feeling a little nostalgic so...off we go. Mondays training went well. I am always impressed with how well everyone hangs in there and does the real work. Doesn't it seem odd that at the end of the hour, before we can catch our breath, while the sweat is pouring off our bodies a classmate asks the all important question, " Are we training tomorrow ?" THAT rocks.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

Monday (30th) is a "Go" for some training this week. I spent Saturday picking field stone to finish some work in the back yard and I am ready to rid myself of some little 'kinks' in the system. Bring gloves, water and any other foo-foo items that will get you through it. Monday is suppose to be clear and in the 80's. We just may see some more summer this week. Training begins at 5:15 pm at the Comm. Cntr.