Update

My updates will continue to be limited. We are working on a few special projects in addition to our current projects. Basically my writing time will be increased with these projects. An additional project is the development of a hybrid kettlebell and bodyweight program. I am the initial subject animal and will complete week 4 of the 12 week hybrid on Saturday (7/30). To date I am very pleased with the results. This program has the potential to be ajoined with a much larger strength and conditioning project. Your athletes will get much, much stronger. I frequently post workouts on my facebook page, I invite you to check them out. Here is todays workout sample:

1. TGU X 10 minutes (if more than 20 total you are most likely moving too fast; stability)
Rest 2:00
2. Push Up to a Renegade Row 5 X 5e (total of 50 push ups and 50 rows (25 e); more stability
Rest 2:00
3. Swing X 10 minutes @ 30:30 (if your butt, legs and knees get soft go down in weight and harden up; swing to chest level and be aggressive on the backswing)

Old School Kids

It is obvious that your children are a product of the environment you choose to provide exposure to. I have two girls 6 and 4 years old. Our family is not perfect, however I believe their mom exposes them to some very beneficial life elements that I want to share with you.

1. The only fast food they eat is Chik Fil A Waffle Fries; why? because that is the only fast food that is guaranteed to condone to the dietary restrictions of our 6 year old (gluten/casein/soy free).

2. My kids say "M" when we pass by a McDonalds. They do not know what the golden arches are.

3. My 6 year old (pictured) performs and instructs yoga. She learned it from a DVD and she has instructed mommy, daddy, mason (sister), Lisa (teacher), and Grandpa (80 years old), All were willing victims.

4. My 4 year old swings a 4 kg kettlebell. She just moved up from her 3 lb. kettlebell.

5. Both of my kids do headstands and my 4 year old is close to locking out a handstand.

6. My 6 year old can do "skin the cat" in our garage gym. On rings attached to a pull up bar.

7. Both my kids do burpees.

8. Both my kids sumo deadlift kettlebells. We do not allow them to go over 12kg.

These are just some examples of what we instill to our kids on a daily basis. Our next adventure will be the martial arts; it does provide a nice combination with the gymnastic/yoga base they are developing. Riding bikes, the bouncey houses and the playground are all good activities. If you have the means and the opportunity do not keep your kids from exploring more detailed functional movements. If they choose to continue them throughout the teen years and into adulthood, their bodies will have a better chance at defying age.

Old School Wellness - PHYSICALITY!

We offer a variety of classes for diverse corporate populations:

1. Advanced workouts - High Intensity Kettlebell and Bodyweight movements

2. Agility - Fieldwork; change of direction, speed, and running power

3. Mobility - Yoga, static stretching, and static kettlebell movements/complexes

4. Special activities - Zumba, Couch to 5K, and 1 on 1 kettlebell training for the beginner

5. Desk Mobility - Mobility without leaving your office

Our clients also partake in traditional barbell and weight training. Which is supervised upon clinet request.

Check this post from http://www.artofmanliness.com/ :

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/05/22/the-5-switches-of-manliness-physicality/

35 pounds = 1 Dead Hang Pull Up

Jimmy traded his 35 pounds of excess for his first dead hang pull up yesterday.

Pull Up - 5 X 5

Yesterday's circuit:
10 rounds of 20:10; straight through
1. Snatch L
2. Push Up
3. Snatch R
4. Squat Thrust

Weekend Warrior

Around our house we earn our occasional Saturday night out.

Normally, I have time for one lung buster during the week, on Saturday I schedule another one. The nice aspect of this one is that it allows the pure girevik the opportunity to do all the snatch work with one hand transfer per round; without setting the kettlebell down:

1 time through:

1. 500m Row

2. 21-15-9

a. Snatch - 21 each; 15 each; 9 each with 1 hand transfer

b. Burpee(6 count; define the push up)

3. 500 m Row

Move rapidly but not rapid to the point of worrying about beating some time that has no meaning in the real world.

Time Flies

Enjoy every day.

I pulled this one out of my gallery. Funny how we forget how effective some workouts can be. I lightened the load to a 20kg kettlebell to concentrate on quality; much like an old man golfer that hits it 200 yards but straight as an arrow on every swing of the club.

6 rounds of 20:10 (20 seconds of work; 10 seconds of rest); 1:10 rest in between rounds:

1. Swing
2. Push Up
3. Mountain Climber
4. High Pull Left
5. High Pull Right
6. Burpee
7. Thruster Left
8. Thruster Right

456 total reps

Active Rest

Active rest day activities depend on how I feel. The nice quality of these training days is that there is no programming. Here is yesterdays smorgasbord of activity: 1. Warm Up with morning agility group 2. TGU X 20 3. Tactical Pull Up 5 X 5 4. Low Lumbar Stretch 5. Hip Stretch 6. Piriformis Stretch 7. Brettzel 8. Pigeon Pose 9. Upward/Downward Dog 10. PVC OHS 11. Sotts Press w/ Overhead Squat - light 12. Cool Down Yoga Moves

Thai Friday

Thai Fried Rice w/ Chicken Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 350 g (12.34 oz) Calories: 794 Total Fat: 22.1g Sodium: 1300mg (varies by recipe) Total Carbohydrate: 116.4 Total Protein: 29.1 I invite you to post your thoughts on this recipe. What are the nutritional deficiencies/excesses when consuming this product? What should you be careful of? What are your alternatives? I challenge you this Friday. The challenge: Transport your Thai Fried Rice w/ Chicken meal to the mailing station and weigh it. I bet it is more than 2 pounds (the styrofoam container weighs virtually nothing). Now read the serving size above and the calories per serving. If you consume the entire meal then by my estimation you will have consumed in excess of 2000 calories! Some Americans eat out for lunch every day. Another ingredient in our countries' recipe of obesity.

Breads, Starch, Rice, and other Grains

Spring Break - Bonita Springs, Florida

Starch

I am not a believer in the system dictating that starch and starch like products should be the cornerstone of the American diet. It is one of the core reasons I no longer carry the title of "Dietitian". Additionally, overconsumption of these products has led us down the insulin resistant problem paths we encounter today. The insulin resistant path begins with obesity, then diabetes, then kidney disease, then calcification of tissues, then heart disease. This is a disturbing trend and the overconsumption of sugar is the trend setter.

A good dietitian and nutritionist however knows that in addressing these problems you also have the psychological and behavioral eating patterns that made and continue to make our clients what they are today. Personally, I believe in the power of sugar over the power of the calorie. There will be more of this psycho-babble in the near future.

All of this leads back to the concept of moderation. How much starch and sugar do I really need? How much starch and sugar do I really want? The want question dominates. As a human you really do not need much starch and simple sugars to survive. As a human you may want a lot of starch and simple sugar. Want is always going to win in todays society. We have the means to get what we want, we will get it. This dominates over any politically correct method of systemized eating----DIET against the course of your lifetime-----the long haul. Remember my continuing question. Do you plan on maintaining the current eating behavior for the remainder of your life?

Below is my hierarchy of grains, completed in conjunction with nutrition expert Dr. D. Allan Higginbotham.

Breads, Rice, Cereals, and Pasta - Recommended

Gluten Free Bread
Whole Wheat Bread
Oatmeal
Total and whole grain, low sugar cereal
Sweet Potatoes
Brown Rice
Rye Bread
Pumpernickel Bread
Winter Squash
Small, whole grain bagel
Whole Wheat Pasta

Breads, Rice, Cereal, and Pasta - Restricted

White Starches
Potatoes
All types of French Fries (sweet potato included)
Grits
Corn - white and yellow
Croissants
Biscuits
White Bread Rolls
Fried Rice
White Pasta
Granola
Sugar Cereals
Tortillas - fried and not fried
Popcorn
Pretzels

FOSI and Kettlebell Burn

FOSI and the TGU - Emphasize the bridge on the way up AND on the way down.

"Form Over Speed and Intensity"

You have heard me mention Kettlebell Burn. The program is perfect for those of you that enjoy concentrating on your workout during your workout. Form Over Speed and Intensity (FOSI) correlates nicely as well. Within "Burn" there are no fancy movements, no manmakers, nor juggling; just the basics, which is all we need.

The Basics

In talking about the basics of this program I plan not to divulge the program format because the author is in business and would obviously want people to purchase his product. Allow me to mention that this is the most productive 70 dollars I have spent in a long time. The workout program has four, 4 week phases. Each workout is broken down into 3 segments for a total of 44 minutes. Within that 44 minutes there are 4 total minutes of organized rest time alloted. Here are the basic movements of phase 1 followed by a brief description of how I would perform these movements, concentrating:

1. Goblet Squat - Hold each bottom position for a 3 count when maximal depth is attained. Continue to safely attain maximal depth with shoulders back. Work flexibility not speed of movement.

2. Turkish Get Up - I average 35-40 seconds per get up, Emphasize each movement phase by pausing momentarily when you get there.

3. 1 - Arm Row - staggered stance, elbow in, bell to instep of opposite foot, pull to the rib cage.

4. Kettlebell Swing - Legs operate the same mechanics as an RDL with the exception of more explosive power generates in the swing because of hip and leg action/snap. DO NOT SWING THE KETTLEBELL ABOVE CHEST LEVEL, ARMS PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. If your hamstrings are not barking at some time during phase 1 (week 2 or 3 most likely) then you should reconsider your swing form.

5. The Reverse Lunge - Perform holding the kettlebell with two hands at chest level, with one hand in the rack position, or kettlebell locked out overhead. Focus on driving from the lead leg when coming out of the lunge.

6. The Clean and Press - Go as heavy as your 5 rep max. Define each clean and define each press. This is not a push press, but a hardstyle press. Breathe!

7. The Get Up Sit Up - Concentrate on keeping your chest big and your shoulder compact. I believe it would be wise to perform this phase of the workout with a lighter kettlebell (4 kg lighter) than you use performing your full TGU's.

Training for 40 of 44 total minutes requires stamina. The hidden beauty of this program is that you do not need to hurry through the movements, accumulating as many rounds as possible while maintaining a soft posture is the incorrect approach. Steady your pace and the conditioning will follow as your concentration inside each phase of each movement increases.

Most importantly.....have fun with it!

Turkish Get Up - Lesson Learned

Hindsight is always 20/20. Every once in awhile you get fortunate to the point that foresight prevails. The best career decision we made was to operate our business as we exist in our present state. One would assume that profits or that we are so much happier in the present work environment as the reasoning for this. The more accurate answer, however, is the amount we have learned in working with people that possess a variety of training backgrounds, yet mostly beginners to functional movement.

Many of our existing clients have heard me say it, I have learned more in the last 18 months than in any other 18 month learning period in my 44 years. This is not because of any advanced training methods or routines I have developed or stolen, but because you have forced me to go back to the basics of human movement and mechanics. This is something I drastically needed because it made me much, much better at what I do. I watch people all the time, how they move, exercise videos, gait analysis, etc. Fifteen minutes on the floor during a mobility and bodyweight segment usually identifies joint and muscle balance deficiencies. I have yet to work with anyone that does not have some form of a balance deficiency. These experiences lend support to a "rite of training passage" where the trainee must master the basic body movements before proceeding to external resistance devices.

Ghosts of Turkish Get Ups past

Turkish Get Ups HEAL. If there is another exercise anyone recommends better than the TGU then please provide it in the comments section (with your justification). Previous to receiving kettlebell training expertise from the likes of Pavel Tsatsouline, Valery Fedorenko, and Brett Jones I would design a workout at my gym..."10 minutes of as many TGU's as possible". I worked my way up to over 50 TGU's in 10 minutes (I can feel the gireviks grimacing) going up and down as fast as I could with a 16 kg. I really thought I was something else. Then, I moved up to a 20 kg with the goal of getting to that magical number of 50. Really thinking I was something else I decided to "try" this workout on my cleints. I wasn't something else....what I was....was STUPID. I chose a 10 minute workout of get up softness over the technicalities of this movements' shoulder compact principles, trunk stabilization, hip stabilization, the benefits go on and on. That is how good of an exercise the TGU is, it develops every stabilizer in your entire body.

Now that we know that the Turkish Get Up is not an exercise to be completed in a repetition for time format let's cover a bit of history. In the good old days of real gymnasiums old time russian strongmen would teach their newbies the TGU before any other resistance movement. They did this knowing that if their stabilizers were developed, their chances of getting hurt would diminish considerably when switching to barbells and other resistance devices.

23 TGU's (12L/11R) in 15 minutes

On Monday I started a new program.... Kettlebell Burn. In the first phase of Mondays' workout I performed 23 TGU's using a 20 kg kettlebell in 15 minutes. Nice pace, a TGU every 39.13 seconds. Compare that to a get up every 12 seconds.

When you've stopped learning you've stopped getting better and therefore stopped advancing in your career.

Finito

Ryan and Aindrea have joined our Wellness team. Ryan works in physical performance and Andi in special projects (Scaleback Alabama and Health Education)

I enjoy the satisfaction of completing projects in every aspect of my life. From the professional perspective, we are near completion of our class curriculum/lesson plan project. Personally, I completed the 12 week Kettlebell Muscle program. Here was the final workout; you do not set the bells down until the circuit of exercises is complete.

5 rounds; 2 minutes recovery between rounds:

1. Double Squat X 5

2. Double Snatch X 5

3. Double Military Press X 5

4. Double Clean + Double Push Press X 5

5. Double Squat X 5

Kettlebell Burn program begins Monday. Program overview will get covered next week.

Have a nice weekend.

Leftovers

I do things a little different on the weekend. I live a little by eating bad food and drink a little beer. This is what I call living and not being a slave to a new fangled eating lifestyle that, in reality, aims to make the select few a bunch of dough.

Now that that is laid out there for you I want everyone to understand that I appreciate that certain diets/lifestyles are absolutely healthy and can change your life. "A scientific study shows that blood glucose and other disease indicators improved by eating mostly vegetables in replacement of white starches." Really???? Wow the stuff researchers are discovering these days...astounding work! Time to turn off the sarcasm font.

We are all human. I do not expect any client to discover themself by doing a complete makeover and restricting every single bad food/beverage in their life. Really after 25 years of a fine relationship do you expect me to give up my porters, pale ales, and double dog pale ale? No, uh - uh, don't think so.

What I do expect is modification of these "bads".

Before my story details presume I will let you know that I am not a fan of any chain restaurant.
Last night my wife calls the house phone wondering if I wanted anything from Outback Steakhouse. I thought for a minute....."sure, I'll have the mushroom and swiss burger and fries"

"Fries?" she said.

"Yeah, sure, why not" I retorted.

After the kids are asleep we dig in. Immediately after opening the "to go" carton I cut the burger in half and take about 1/3 of the fries, placing these portions on my plate. The "to go" carton remains went into the refrigerator for Saturday. This is behavior modification. I eat one or two "bad meals" on the weekends and drink a little beer. It is control that must be in your mind. You control your habits. I do not expect you to completely disavow yourself from the foods you enjoy. You must, however, cheat in moderation.

Think about the leftovers and the money you'll save.

Kettlebell Muscle

Blogging has been limited due to work, husbandry, and fatherhood; Thank you Byron for my reminder to not completely alienate social media networking.

Geoff Neupert has designed a program that is ideal for the time scrapped individual . I am now in week 11 of Kettlebell Muscle, just 4 workouts from completion.



Through 11 weeks here are my results (body weight and body composition determinants). Weight and composition were tracked on an OMRON BIA scale with contacts an the surface of all 4 limbs. Although it's accuracy issues are questioned, the composition testing method is an extremely stringent test. I had measured an average of 5.3% lower on our OMRON hand held devices.



Body weight November 29, 2010: 191 lbs
Bodyweight February 11, 2010: 194 lbs.



November 29, 2010 Body Fat estimate : 20.4%
February 11, 2011 Body Fat estimate: 17.1%



I am enjoying somone else's programming. It is nice to get input and utilize the products of other fitness professionals in the industry. Next up is Geoff's Kettlebell Burn program (16 weeks) and a body weight return to the low to mid 180's and re-acquainting myself to the Turkish Get Up.



Keep moving functionally. FOSI - Form Over Speed and Intensity