"nuff said.......

Here is a link to an excellent thread on the Dragon Door forum. I am an advocate of NOT 'warming up' before training. I find it useless and it does NOT prevent injury. Here is what others are saying. Warm-up or not?

'Over Confident'.....

...is our middle name. A much needed break from the daily grind was accomplished very nicely at Ms. Patrick's establishment. She fired up the eggs and made some of the best pizza I have ever eaten. Seriously, she has it down. Mary's pizza showed a little less love but maybe next time she will put toppings she actually likes ON the pizza. Big thanks to Linnea for being a tremendous host. I have put the other 'gathering' photos on the N.E. KETTLBELLS Facebook page.

Now, getting back to training. A break is good but how much of a break is to much of a good thing? Well, there have been some studies. It all depends on what kind of athlete your training or what you are trying to preserve. This is according to a 2004 study by Issurin and Lustig Motor Ability; Residual Duration (days). Let's break it down...

Aerobic endurance = 30 +/- 5 days

Maximum Strength = 30 +/- 5 days

Anaerobic Glycolytic Endurance = 18 +/- 4 days

Strength Endurance = 15 +/- 5 days

Maximum Speed = 5 +/- 3 days

The two points this pulls is single efforts and basic 'cardio' DO NOT need to be trained every week. If your one of those that gets on a stepper and beats your self sweaty daily, your not training evenly. Move to a strength component. Which brings me to my next point. Add a strength movement (a load) to endurance (VO2) and you still have a least 10 days that a person can skip training that specific area and still MAINTAIN. This is staying at the same level...not increasing ones performance. So, If your trying to perform better you need to step up beyond these limits and back off before the over training limits. The standard is hit VO2 once a week. If you over train, the body can't recover and rebuild. It is the rebuilding that makes you stronger. A kettlebell at home is a requirement if your only making it to class once a week. Let me rephrase that, A kettlebell at home that you use is a requirement.

Tonight we work on snatch efficiency. We will work to fatigue in order to work on the body mechanic of efficiency. Gloves would be good.

SO, YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN ??

Bad knees, bad hips, microscopic tears, inflammation, compression fractures, shin splints, dehydration, bad back and more. These are all the signs of running poorly. Everyone thinks they can run. You just go run...right. The stress put on your joints and body is not joke. If your going to run then learn from some of the best HOW to run. Don't mess with your joints. Learn proper stride. Learn heel strike angles and get some feedback on your posture while your running. We have access to Leslie Branham-Paulsen. She is RKC and a volume of other certifications. Look at her!! She is in fantastic condition and she is a running coach. She can teach you about running. She is a personal trainer and running coach. Need I say more? I could say she is very high level but you know I wouldn't suggest somebody that wasn't on their game. Before you lace up the shoes, contact her for training and save yourself injury or setbacks. I thought of her this past weekend when I was watching the weekenders run the countryside up north. It looked painful for them. I see less pain in my class...but more intensity.

The bells will be swinging now. No more excuses for taking breaks. Kids are in school and I have no plans until winter break to take a break. Get ready to turn it on!!!!

Free is always good...

...especially when it comes to improving the way you move or feel. Jc has been fantastic at providing us with free massages during training time and many of you have seen her outside of the class. Now another free offer has graced our path. Lauren Asheim is giving free Kundalini yoga and Meditation classes each Friday for the rest of the month. Classes are from 5:30-7 pm. Yes you will miss KB class but you can see us on Saturday morning. Check out the link here. Anything that moves the body well and settles the mind is a good thing. A card can be found with the information on it at the studio as well.

Threw caution to the wind.....

..and slapped a PR on my shoulders. I had to burn an hour and a half this morning before I was able to go to bed after working the night shift. So, I thought I may as well go to the studio and get some training. I assessed my hands and found them to be in very good shape. I didn't want to train anything technical so I put snatches on the menu. Looked at my hands again and said "Screw it!!" AC on high. Music up. Shirt off. Time to rip it up with the Max VO2. Grabbed a 20 kg bell (#4) and 80 sets/7 snatches per work set, later I was drinking a beer without one tear on my hands. I have blisters and sore areas but nothing broke. It was a long ride but I was motivated and had a little fire in my belly. This is a personal record for me. It wasn't easy. The last 12-15 minutes I was being very deliberate on how I moved the bell. Now I can take a shower and go to bed.

Friday and Saturday will be the same training. I have a special treat. Protect your hands! See you then!!

We have resources....

...you just need to find them and ask the right questions. I got a great message from Leslie Branham Paulsen. She is tearing into the Secret Service Snatch Test at breakneck speeds. Recently she performed 250 snatches in ten minutes with the 12 kg bell. She made a great comment about the test. She stated that it "...brings a runner's endurance and mental toughness with the strength required of the kettlebell." I like that. Mental toughness. Going the distance with the SSST or Max VO2 without a doubt taps into the mental toughness. It's about desire. Accomplishment. Pushing the envelope and doing something at the edge of your abilities. But why? Why go thru the hell and subsequent hand care that follows. I guess we all have our own reasons. I do it to feel life. It's not the only thing that gives me a spiritual lift and mental cleansing. But it is one that carries with it a great deal of accomplishment and sweat equity. Nothing else in my life does to my body what a kettlebell does to it. So, I could never have this experience in my body without the kettlebell. Our daily lives lack any real intensity. I am not saying what we do isn't important. I am saying that REAL intensity can't be sustained over an eight hour day. Mentally we just can't handle the load. We manage more stress than anything else and this contributes to job 'burn-out.' Odd how a little intensity in your weekday can reduce the stress at work. It's a diversion but it is also a benchmark. How can you be stressed about the daily grind of work when your intensity is after work. National statistics have 13% percent of the american people as holders of gym memberships. A VERY successful gym has about 30% of their membership 'frequently' or 'actively' using the gym. That's 4% of general population based on a successful gym. Of that percent, what percent have any intensity in their training? 10% if your lucky! Stairmaster, stepper and tread mill babies slurping their sports drinks, watching Oprah and ending after one hour ( because thats a good workout ) make up the bulk of members. Please shoot me, stuff me and stick me in a corner if I ever become that drone. Look around the gym. You will have just a handful of members that stand out. Now take them and bring them to a kettlebell class. It isn't long before they wonder what the hell just happened to them. As you can see, our class is special and so are the members. What keeps bringing us back? We joke, but it is not the beer. It is the intensity. We feel after training. We see improvements and changes. Yesterday Kristin and Donna posted the #5 (53 lbs) for the first time. Ben is quietly becoming the incredible shrinking man. Bill and Jack have more mobility. Jon became more fluid with his movement. Deb grabs much bigger bells during training. These are just some of the observations I made by watching the progression of the students before and after yesterdays class. Keep this in mind as you come to and from class. Then start walking a little taller...proud chest. You' ve earned it!

"CIVILIZE THE MIND BUT MAKE SAVAGE THE BODY." - MAO ZEDONG

It's the little things...

LOOK AT HIS WRIST. IT'S STRAIGHT !!!! TIGHT FIST WITH NON-WORKING ARM!!
I spoke earlier of the pressing technique that was applied to my Marine Sniper friend at the previous RKC. That event was caught on film. After tweeking a few things, Chief Instructor Pavel moved him into pressing the Beast. It was a great thing to watch. I recently got an email from a very happy family member. After four years of not training with kettlebells, he's now sold. Why? Because he can comb his hair again. He hasn't been able to do that simple task with his operative shoulder since his surgery. He has been training with KB's for one month. Fortunately he has light bells otherwise I know he would do more weight (incorrectly) and screw things up again. Love the guy, but he is a stubborn power junkie.

I am back on track after 8 days of running in the woods. The diet suffered greatly but it was made up for by activity. Tonight we will bridge some gaps. I have been reminded of some old drills which may need to be revisited.