This is a basic circuit I did today. Basic because it doesn't use any of the higher level moves. I recommend doing the circuit four times if you can, and then shooting to do four times in under ten minutes.
BTW, the combo of swings and goblet squats is killer. They work together really, really well. Try it out and let me know what you think.
I tell folks that buy kettlebells that they don't need to move up in weight and buy more kettlebells unless they want to. Occasionally i have someone that just doesn't believe that they can continue to get a great workout with only 16kg even after doing kettlebells for quite a while.
Well I just had a killer workout yesterday with the 16kg. Here's what I did:
600 reps: 100 reps each of swing, rack squats, clean & press, lunges, snatch, get-up situps.
On some exercises, I did continuous sets of 25L/25R and for others I did 10L/10R. I noticed the 25L/25R caused me to put the kettlebell down a few times to catch my breath but 10L/10R continuously was doable.
Stick efforts like this into your routine occasionally and you'll maximize the value of this amazing tool.
I'll be conducting my first seminar in Tainan on the 30th of January. The times will be from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and we'll be at the Flying Club gym:
http://www.flyingclub.tw/index.php
If you or someone you know would like to attend please contact me. I need to know how many people are coming so I can bring kettlebells.
I'm very excited about this because we already expect 7-12 people and more are signing up. It looks to be a great seminar and all are welcome.
A seminar in Kaoshiung is on the cusp of being announced so stay tuned for that! Hope to see you soon!
Those are the real modern-day Vikings. :)
One of the best parts of the functional fitness paradigm is joint mobility. We're not talking flexibility so much, as in the static stretching you did in gym class, but mobility exercises to improve range of motion in the joints. Things like shoulder dislocates, wall squats, goblet squats, etc. are all considered part of the joint mobility component.
So what happens if you've lost range of motion and use joint mobility exercises to open up that area?
It's going to hurt.
There's just no way around it. Opening up a closed area to re-gain that range of motion means you're going to feel pain. This is often news to a client that has a lot of mobility issues since NOTHING in the mainstream fitness industry requires people to deal with their weaknesses. And since most all of us sit way too long everyday, most of us do have a lot of mobility issues. I still do and I make myself work on them every day. It's part of the process. For some people, it's most of the process of getting fit. At least at the beginning.
Now there's a difference betwen good pain and bad pain. Good pain is when the technique is correct and we experience some discomfort but we don't take it too far. Bad pain is when the technique/position is wrong or when a correct position is held too long, too deep, etc.
But a huge problem is that beginning clients with little or no ability to sense what their bodies are doing can't tell the difference. All they know is that it hurts. And if you put them in a position that hurts...
Telling someone to go gently into the pain but not too much works to a degree, but only so far. What often happens is that the entire process becomes annoying because nearly every session involves dealing with a degree of pain. It's not pleasant even though the client may be becoming capable of new movement. And because the process isn't pleasant, continuing to go through it in every session can become an issue.
So what's a trainer to do?
Do you allow half-movements because that's all the client is capable of at the moment or do you make clients work through issues more directly and possibly antagonize them?
This is one of the toughest things I deal with as a trainer and I'm constantly revisiting this issue. I don't have a clear-cut answer because I do a little of both. I push clients sometimes and other times I back off. Maybe I'm being inconsistent. I see it as being flexible.
But sooner or later, major issues have to be addressed and every single time it's what the client wants to avoid.
What are your thoughts on this?
You're aren't buying a fitness product or service -- you're investing in your health.
This is a big change for many people.
I once had an older client come in and she showed lots of issues in her movement screen. I gave her an initial workout and showed how I could help her. But she said she wanted to think about it and there was nothing I could do. When I contacted her later, she said she was using a public gym for the equivalent of US$1.50 per visit. The worst possible equipment, little of it, no instruction, no correction -- but hey, the price was cheap. And by the way, she could have easily afforded me.
Some people think they're buying something but that's not true. You can't buy health and fitness. It isn't for sale. You either invest in it and reap the rewards or you don't. Cheap doesn't matter when there's absolutely no return whatsoever. If you didn't invest, you bought something, instead. That's a big mistake.
Invest your time in using quality fitness products and services and you'll get a greater return than the time, energy, and money you put in. And isn't that what we all want?
One of the major differences between me and those around me in the fitness industry is that I teach people to practice their exercises. Practice? Why would you want to do that?
Think of your fitness as a martial art. You want to get better at the movements themselves. Movement, period, should be your first goal followed closely by movement quality. That quality only comes through practice.
Practice means increased stability and the ability to move more weight. You'll have more confidence as well because you know the movement. You OWN the movement. And here's where postural improvement comes into play. Movement quality is reflected in your everyday posture.
And by making quality part of your fitness path, the focus is more challenging and stimulating than calories burned, time spent exercising, or other boring measures.
So by practicing, you get: fat loss, muscle building (more weight can be lifted), postural improvements, mental stimulation, etc.
It's a win-win situation.
This was asked on a local board and below is my response.
I'm obviously biased in this area but IMO, "detox" isn't going to cure what is ailing you. It sounds to me like you need to get in shape and that means changing your mental and physical diet, and adding exercise to your regular schedule.
People who feel like this don't need detox nor are their bodies full of poisons. What's happened is that they've made poor choices that have resulted in a low energy state. If you eat crap food and get little to no exercise, then your body adapts to that input and output. You wind up with little mental or physical energy because you're not supplying it (food) nor do you need to produce it (exercise). So you're losing out in both the areas of supply and demand.
Instead of an expensive detox vacation, I'd recommend that the money be spent on buying higher quality, natural foods. High quality fruits, veggies, nuts, meat, milk, whole wheat products, etc. are a good start and if you still want some cheat foods, get high quality ice cream or something comparable. Quality is key. Processed food is out.
Second, either start an exercise program on your own or find a class to join (and yes, I offer them. Shameless plug.) The main thing is MOVE. Make movement part of your lifestyle by exercising 30 every day. Some forms of movement are better than others but you have to start somewhere.
Finally, you mentioned mental negativity and I see a lot of that. I recommend that people stop watching the news, period. News tends to extremely negative and a steady diet of it will depress you. Instead, spend your time with positive media and people that you find uplifting and encouraging. I use books on MP3 a lot for this. Seriously, negative media is one of the biggest mental outlook killers I can think of.
This is an example of what we do. And as you can tell, I taught Hitchcock everything he knew. :)
We had a good session that day and everyone worked hard as they always do. Anyone in the Taipei area looking to get in shape should ty us out. Comments on the clip are very appreciated! Thanks!
We wish all of you a happy new year!
Looking back, it's been a heck of a year for us. We switched over entirely from one service to another and it was the right decision. We want to thank all of our clients who made 2009 a success for us. Thank you so much!
We have some significant challenges coming up in the next year and some planned changes on the way. Our hopes for the next year are a bit ambitious but with your support and God willing, we'll make it happen.
I also want to thank all the readers who've stuck with us as we've evolved. Your patience is surely at a maximum :) and we thank you for it.
If ever you were thinking of training with us, now is the time. We have new classes starting, new equipment on the way, and we're looking forward to another year of giving clients the kind of fitness results they deserve.
See you next year!
