36 Military Presses for my 36th!
Today is my 36th birthday.
Last year, I decided to start marking the day with a shirtless and in shorts kettlebell exercise, done outdoors, reps matching my age : ) For my 35th, I did 35 Snatches with a 24kg kettlebell in Kelowna, temperature -10C.
This year it was only -5C and I decided to do 36x 16kg Military Presses per arm.
Next year, I want to up the ante and do 37x 24kg Snatches per arm!
Here's the video:
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wing Tsun Chi-Sau Marathon!
Me and Master Ralph after the lesson.
On Friday December 18th, I went to my private lesson with Master Ralph Haenel of Wing Tsun Vancouver. I had been informed beforehand that I was to be part of a "warm-up" set of 6 lessons in preparation for Saturday's 14-hour Chi-Sau marathon.
Yes, that's right... a 14-hour Chi-Sau marathon!
Master Ralph wrote a great blog post about the marathon, AND how hard training of the basics is of the absolute importance, if real-world Wing Tsun skills are your goal.
The Tan-Sau of death and other secret techniques of Wing Tsun Kung Fu - part 2 of 2
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
There's snow on the roof... and fire in the furnace!
You all know about the amazing 63 year-old, octuple-bypassed powerhouse named Irv, now I would like to introduce two other awesome dudes...
Comrade Brockster from the Dragondoor Forum and Russian Oleg Pronnikov, a tough 72 year-old European Kettlebell Sport Champion.
Brockster aka Brewster Righter is a 163lb, 73 year-old, hard-training Comrade from Long Island, New York. I first became aware of him via a funny online picture where he is posing with his wife and grandaughter in front of his house, kettlebells at his feet. I posted the link on the Dragondoor Forum and was surprised when Brewster turned out to be a member : )
Recently, he set a new AAU National Deadlift record of 358.2lbs in his age group.
Here's a video of his record-setting deadlift:
The next inspiring gentleman is 72 year-old European Sport Kettlebell Champion Oleg Pronnikov, who recently performed 249 16kg Snatches in 10 minutes. Oleg did not even start lifting kettlebells til after his 50th birthday!
Oleg on the competition kettlebell weights being made lighter for those over 70:
"They say now that they want those who are older than 70 years old, to lift a 12 kg kettlebell. I think that it is better to lift a pan in the kitchen than a 12 kg kettlebell. A 16kg is the Girevoy Sport weight.”
Here is a link where you can watch some of Oleg's championship performance!
I found out about Oleg at Caestus: The Extreme Girevoy Sport Records Blog. A fun site to visit as long as you don't mind terribly translated Russian : )
We can all only hope to be as awesome as Brockster and Oleg when we're in our 70s!
You all know about the amazing 63 year-old, octuple-bypassed powerhouse named Irv, now I would like to introduce two other awesome dudes...
Comrade Brockster from the Dragondoor Forum and Russian Oleg Pronnikov, a tough 72 year-old European Kettlebell Sport Champion.
Brockster aka Brewster Righter is a 163lb, 73 year-old, hard-training Comrade from Long Island, New York. I first became aware of him via a funny online picture where he is posing with his wife and grandaughter in front of his house, kettlebells at his feet. I posted the link on the Dragondoor Forum and was surprised when Brewster turned out to be a member : )
Recently, he set a new AAU National Deadlift record of 358.2lbs in his age group.
Here's a video of his record-setting deadlift:
The next inspiring gentleman is 72 year-old European Sport Kettlebell Champion Oleg Pronnikov, who recently performed 249 16kg Snatches in 10 minutes. Oleg did not even start lifting kettlebells til after his 50th birthday!
Oleg on the competition kettlebell weights being made lighter for those over 70:
"They say now that they want those who are older than 70 years old, to lift a 12 kg kettlebell. I think that it is better to lift a pan in the kitchen than a 12 kg kettlebell. A 16kg is the Girevoy Sport weight.”
Here is a link where you can watch some of Oleg's championship performance!
I found out about Oleg at Caestus: The Extreme Girevoy Sport Records Blog. A fun site to visit as long as you don't mind terribly translated Russian : )
We can all only hope to be as awesome as Brockster and Oleg when we're in our 70s!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
My 100th Blog Post: Fitness and Fun Combined!
Behold the Ultra Machine Super Pitcher!
"Simple but interesting!"
"We all can have fun while playing it!"
And better still, "Even breaking pitch can be free done!"
I picked this little beauty up in Vancouver's Chinatown for a cool $18. Now, I can set up a batting cage right in the living-room. Why? To work on hand-eye coordination of course! Also just so I can have a batting cage in the living-room : )
The sticker on the machine says "Basketball".
Here's a video of me and Tony in the "cage"
Thursday, October 15, 2009
It is not necessarily the Martial Art, but rather how you train it!
Further to discussions I have had with my Wing Tsun Sifu, Ralph Haenel...
There has always been a lot of talk about what martial art is the best. Some people prefer the traditional route of Karate or Judo, and some swear that MMA-hybrid training is the way to go.
The important thing to keep in mind is that a well-trained exponent of almost any martial art will be able to take care of themselves in most real-life (ie non-competition) situations. By "well-trained", I mean the martial artist has put their skills regularly to the test under as much pressure as they can allow. After all, if we are training for the however unlikely physical altercation, does it not make sense to train as close to the real-life possibilities as we can?
A great example of this is a Karate black belt I met many years ago in London, Ontario. This 20 year-old had been competing in tournaments since he was 10, and had won many national championships. A year before I met him, he and his brother were attacked by two average-sized gentlemen while walking home at night. He related to me how he had just frozen, was totally ineffective in defending himself and the altercation ended with him beaten up and his brother stabbed in the arm and leg. All of his training seemed to have failed him. What he understood though, was that throughout his 10-year karate career he had never once faced anything like the aggressive, go-for-broke dudes who beat him up. There was always his Sensei or a referee to jump in after a point was scored and the tournament-fighting was all about one hit and little or no follow-up. He was very interested in meeting my teacher at the time, a Combat Kenpo Instructor who had us kicking all kinds of hell out of each other to lower our fears of getting hit and learn to commit to our attacks. After all, you could get beaten up anyway so why not give it your best shot?
In case anyone thinks I'm knocking Karate, here's a great video of a Karate Instructor who obviously trains for real-life. Martial Art notwithstanding, he is cool under pressure and delivers a well-timed and very-effective blow!
It is clear why MMA-style fighting is seen as very effective on the street. I can assure you that in a streetfight none of these guys would risk their noggin and pull someone into their guard from standing, but the aggression, powerful punches and much-lower fear of getting hit on the way in will win most fights for someone training in this way. MMA competitors actually fight on a regular basis in the closest thing to a streetfight you can legally sell tickets for : ) They are truly meeting an aggressive opponent who means in no uncertain terms to choke or knock them out!
At Wing Tsun Vancouver, Sifu Ralph is a big believer in realistic training and as we advance, he gives us the opportunity to raise the stress-level even higher. This is of course a choice as some take WT more for the body-awareness, joint-mobility and spiritual growth. This "softer path" is just as legitimate but will not prepare the student well for a real-life violent encounter. After all, you would not train for a swim-meet by doing the strokes on dry-land!
Here's a short example of what we get up to in our private lessons. Remember, this is not the way you HAVE to train. Training like this is a choice at WT Vancouver. Only the individual student can decide if they want to truly train for effective self-defence.
I've included a couple more WT videos below to illustrate how higher-stress and more intense training makes for a better WT fighter and, of course, a better fighter in ANY martial art.
So next time, before you are tempted to engage in a pissing-match about what style is the best, ask yourself first if you are training as hard and as "well" as YOU can!!!
Do.
Further to discussions I have had with my Wing Tsun Sifu, Ralph Haenel...
There has always been a lot of talk about what martial art is the best. Some people prefer the traditional route of Karate or Judo, and some swear that MMA-hybrid training is the way to go.
The important thing to keep in mind is that a well-trained exponent of almost any martial art will be able to take care of themselves in most real-life (ie non-competition) situations. By "well-trained", I mean the martial artist has put their skills regularly to the test under as much pressure as they can allow. After all, if we are training for the however unlikely physical altercation, does it not make sense to train as close to the real-life possibilities as we can?
A great example of this is a Karate black belt I met many years ago in London, Ontario. This 20 year-old had been competing in tournaments since he was 10, and had won many national championships. A year before I met him, he and his brother were attacked by two average-sized gentlemen while walking home at night. He related to me how he had just frozen, was totally ineffective in defending himself and the altercation ended with him beaten up and his brother stabbed in the arm and leg. All of his training seemed to have failed him. What he understood though, was that throughout his 10-year karate career he had never once faced anything like the aggressive, go-for-broke dudes who beat him up. There was always his Sensei or a referee to jump in after a point was scored and the tournament-fighting was all about one hit and little or no follow-up. He was very interested in meeting my teacher at the time, a Combat Kenpo Instructor who had us kicking all kinds of hell out of each other to lower our fears of getting hit and learn to commit to our attacks. After all, you could get beaten up anyway so why not give it your best shot?
In case anyone thinks I'm knocking Karate, here's a great video of a Karate Instructor who obviously trains for real-life. Martial Art notwithstanding, he is cool under pressure and delivers a well-timed and very-effective blow!
It is clear why MMA-style fighting is seen as very effective on the street. I can assure you that in a streetfight none of these guys would risk their noggin and pull someone into their guard from standing, but the aggression, powerful punches and much-lower fear of getting hit on the way in will win most fights for someone training in this way. MMA competitors actually fight on a regular basis in the closest thing to a streetfight you can legally sell tickets for : ) They are truly meeting an aggressive opponent who means in no uncertain terms to choke or knock them out!
At Wing Tsun Vancouver, Sifu Ralph is a big believer in realistic training and as we advance, he gives us the opportunity to raise the stress-level even higher. This is of course a choice as some take WT more for the body-awareness, joint-mobility and spiritual growth. This "softer path" is just as legitimate but will not prepare the student well for a real-life violent encounter. After all, you would not train for a swim-meet by doing the strokes on dry-land!
Here's a short example of what we get up to in our private lessons. Remember, this is not the way you HAVE to train. Training like this is a choice at WT Vancouver. Only the individual student can decide if they want to truly train for effective self-defence.
I've included a couple more WT videos below to illustrate how higher-stress and more intense training makes for a better WT fighter and, of course, a better fighter in ANY martial art.
So next time, before you are tempted to engage in a pissing-match about what style is the best, ask yourself first if you are training as hard and as "well" as YOU can!!!
Do.
From the Dragon Door Forum: Evidence we're becoming a physically weaker species!
Click here to read an article about the book Manthropology - The Science Of The Inadequate Modern Male.
The author, Australian anthropologist Peter McAllister, claims among other things that Australian aboriginals would have beaten Usain Bolt in the 100-metres, given modern training and equipment.
It is indeed true that most modern men and women are far less physically able than they were in the not too distant past. Of course life expectancy has increased due to advances in hygene and medicine, yet the ability of the average person to run, jump and lift things has seriously declined.
Read the article and then ask yourself what you can do to help reverse this trend. Imagine how advanced we could become as a species if we placed the same importance on physical fitness as we do on the invention of new technology!
Thanks to Randy Hauer, RKC TL for posting this on the Dragon Door Forum.
Click here to read an article about the book Manthropology - The Science Of The Inadequate Modern Male.
The author, Australian anthropologist Peter McAllister, claims among other things that Australian aboriginals would have beaten Usain Bolt in the 100-metres, given modern training and equipment.
It is indeed true that most modern men and women are far less physically able than they were in the not too distant past. Of course life expectancy has increased due to advances in hygene and medicine, yet the ability of the average person to run, jump and lift things has seriously declined.
Read the article and then ask yourself what you can do to help reverse this trend. Imagine how advanced we could become as a species if we placed the same importance on physical fitness as we do on the invention of new technology!
Thanks to Randy Hauer, RKC TL for posting this on the Dragon Door Forum.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A tribute to a most valued member of our 9am class. RIP Winks the cat.
Winks in repose.
For the past three-years, Winks the cat had been an important part of our 9am class indoor-training. Her agile movements, acrobatic skills and dog-wrangling abilities impressed us most every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. Winks was also a prolific bird-catcher, despite only having the one eye! She was also stricken with three or more terminal diseases, and had been since I first met her three years ago. You would never know it looking at her. What a cat!
This summer's heat-wave was just too much for our Winks to endure and in July she succumbed to her many outwardly-unnoticeable ailments.
She will be missed. Especially by Bailey, the dog.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
It may be fun TV, but it ain't real!
I came upon a great blog post by Robert dos Remedios at Observations From A Strength Coach.
Robert is the 2006 NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year and currently is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach @ College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, CA and a sought after speaker and presenter on conditioning.
Robert talks about the super-popular television show, The Biggest Loser and how the training methods used are downright dangerous. Wait until you read about how two of the winners engaged in near-starvation to win the money!
From Robert's blog:
According to Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, director of nutrition for WebMD Health and the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, writes: “The Biggest Loser competition might indeed result in big losses, but it defies all the professional wisdom about safe and effective weight loss. That’s because the contestants are not addressing lifestyle behaviors and eating habits that they need to change permanently, not just during a nine-week race. This approach is similar to a fad diet, and we all know about them: You can lose weight on just about any diet, but when it’s over you gain the weight right back — unless you’ve changed your behaviors.” (see her article on Medicine Net). "
I came upon a great blog post by Robert dos Remedios at Observations From A Strength Coach.
Robert is the 2006 NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year and currently is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach @ College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, CA and a sought after speaker and presenter on conditioning.
Robert talks about the super-popular television show, The Biggest Loser and how the training methods used are downright dangerous. Wait until you read about how two of the winners engaged in near-starvation to win the money!
From Robert's blog:
According to Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, director of nutrition for WebMD Health and the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, writes: “The Biggest Loser competition might indeed result in big losses, but it defies all the professional wisdom about safe and effective weight loss. That’s because the contestants are not addressing lifestyle behaviors and eating habits that they need to change permanently, not just during a nine-week race. This approach is similar to a fad diet, and we all know about them: You can lose weight on just about any diet, but when it’s over you gain the weight right back — unless you’ve changed your behaviors.” (see her article on Medicine Net). "
I'm not telling you not to watch, but please be aware that what happens on The Biggest Loser is not the way to safely lose weight and effect a positive, lasting lifestyle change!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
From StaleyTraining.com, The Aerobic Conspiracy!
From the latest Charles Staley newsletter comes an article by National (USA) record-holding powerlifter Phil Stevens (www.lift4hope.org). Phil explains how the myth of long-slow-distance (LSD) cardio as the number one way to lose fat and get toned, got started AND why it is absolutely not true! Phil's opinion is based on the scientific facts of the latest research, showing the importance of weight-training in maintaining muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, hormonal function and cardiovascular health.
He does not say that LSD training is worthless, just that it is time to face the facts on what will really keep you strong, toned, energized and healthy!
Click here to read the article.
From the latest Charles Staley newsletter comes an article by National (USA) record-holding powerlifter Phil Stevens (www.lift4hope.org). Phil explains how the myth of long-slow-distance (LSD) cardio as the number one way to lose fat and get toned, got started AND why it is absolutely not true! Phil's opinion is based on the scientific facts of the latest research, showing the importance of weight-training in maintaining muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, hormonal function and cardiovascular health.
He does not say that LSD training is worthless, just that it is time to face the facts on what will really keep you strong, toned, energized and healthy!
Click here to read the article.
Monday, August 24, 2009
A Canadian RKC in Scotland...
This June, my Dad and I went to Glasgow Scotland to visit my Gran and attend my cousin's wedding. I was planning on teaching my Dad a new workout and hoping to be able to get him started on kettlebells.
This June, my Dad and I went to Glasgow Scotland to visit my Gran and attend my cousin's wedding. I was planning on teaching my Dad a new workout and hoping to be able to get him started on kettlebells.
Where to get a couple bells, I thought? My first instinct was to go to the RKC Instructors page. I looked up instructors in Glasgow and found Dr. Vadim Kolganov (www.dynamosambo.co.uk). Vadim is a former Moscow Champion Sambo competitor and has been competing in Sambo since 1980. He was the 2006 British Sambo Champion and continues to compete to this day! Recently, he was the guest of Dr. Mark Cheng at Kettlebells Los Angeles.
Click here to read about Vadim's visit on Mark's KBLA blog.
I sent Vadim an email asking if I may rent a couple kettlebells for my week in Glasgow. He responded the next day saying he would lend me some. This made me very happy as now my Dad would get to experience the power of the bells!
I met Vadim at a gas station where we transferred the bells from his car to mine. He very kindly met me halfway, shortening my absence from dinner at my Uncle's and thus cutting my Gran's tight-lipped disapproval in half : ) Phew!
The best part was that I was able to begin teaching my Dad in the Hardstyle system! My Dad was my very first fitness influence, up every morning at 5:30 or earlier, running, cycling, rowing or lifting weights. It is because of him that I have such a belief in the positive benefits of physical training. I saw firsthand how his being strong and in-shape projected a great aura of confidence. Now, in his 60s, my Dad is the perfect candidate for the brilliantly scaleable RKC system. Currently, he's working on a strength-program of Deadlifts and Pushups with Wall-Squats, Planks and Good Mornings as his teaching drills. When he arrives in Vancouver in September, he'll have all the patterns ready to get Swinging and Pressing! I am a very happy son : )
I am also very happy to belong to the RKC community, where we all understand each other's healthy obsession with kettlebells and Hardstyle training.
Thanks again, Vadim!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Irv does it again!
You all know Irv from such past posts as, Another Reason I Love My Job and Irv Sumter-Frietag, future Adonis part 2...
Well, Irv has just set another Personal Best! Now that he's in the orthotics courtesy of Physio extraordinaire Steve Nairn, Irv has been able to get back to some short-distance running. When we first started, Irv could only run for one leg of a four-leg soccer-field before having to walk for recovery. Last week, Irv threw down the gauntlet and told me he wanted to go for three-legs non-stop. He did it, I filmed it with my cellphone, and though you cannot really see him for most of the run, the ending is well worth it!!!
Take that 8-bypasses, says Irv!
Click here to read Irv's story at fit4real.ca.
Enjoy...
You all know Irv from such past posts as, Another Reason I Love My Job and Irv Sumter-Frietag, future Adonis part 2...
Well, Irv has just set another Personal Best! Now that he's in the orthotics courtesy of Physio extraordinaire Steve Nairn, Irv has been able to get back to some short-distance running. When we first started, Irv could only run for one leg of a four-leg soccer-field before having to walk for recovery. Last week, Irv threw down the gauntlet and told me he wanted to go for three-legs non-stop. He did it, I filmed it with my cellphone, and though you cannot really see him for most of the run, the ending is well worth it!!!
Take that 8-bypasses, says Irv!
Click here to read Irv's story at fit4real.ca.
Enjoy...
New West Hardstyle Kettlebell Workshop!
We covered basic principles of the Hardstyle System, including breathing, tension and power-production, then moved on to the Swing, Getup, Clean, Press and Squat. As the participants would be doing their further training together, I taught them the appropriate partner corrective drills for each lift. A great feature of the Hardstyle System is the use of what we call a-ha drills; safety/form-correcting exercises that have only two performance choices, right and wrong. This makes it very easy for one to continue to improve, even without regular RKC instruction.
To arrange your own Hardstyle Kettlebell Workshop, contact me at 778.898.4649 or or mailto:steve@fit4real.caand find out how kettlebell training can make you ridiculously strong, while at work... Plus an additional 12-20mins at home, 3-times a week : )
On Sunday August 16th 2009, I went to New Westminster to conduct a private Hardstyle Kettlebell workshop. The workshop was organized by kettlebell enthusiast Rish Koya of teachmeforex.com, for some co-workers, friends and his Bikram Yoga instructor.
I was impressed with how hard they worked AND how it only took about two sets of 15 punishment-burpees to keep their backs straight when putting the bells down!
We covered basic principles of the Hardstyle System, including breathing, tension and power-production, then moved on to the Swing, Getup, Clean, Press and Squat. As the participants would be doing their further training together, I taught them the appropriate partner corrective drills for each lift. A great feature of the Hardstyle System is the use of what we call a-ha drills; safety/form-correcting exercises that have only two performance choices, right and wrong. This makes it very easy for one to continue to improve, even without regular RKC instruction.
I look forward to my next visit to New West, and would like to again thank Herminder Gossal of Bikram's Yoga College New Westminster (http://www.locktheknee.com/) for allowing us the use of her studio!
To arrange your own Hardstyle Kettlebell Workshop, contact me at 778.898.4649 or or mailto:steve@fit4real.caand find out how kettlebell training can make you ridiculously strong, while at work... Plus an additional 12-20mins at home, 3-times a week : )
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
So, how's that working for you?
Recently, I started teaching kettlebell classes at the first gym I worked in. I had last been there on a weekly basis over two-years ago. I have now been working out there about once a week and teaching classes 4x a week for the past 4-months.
Many of the same members I knew before still work out there. One of the first things I noticed was how many of them are still doing exactly the same workout. Same exercises, same rep/set schemes, same weights... same results! There were, of course, some exceptions who were still training hard and had advanced in weight, size or shape. What were they doing? The ones I knew and talked to had been paying attention to their body's reaction to training and had found, through trial and error, the most effective way to ensure their body's advancement.
The important part here is that they kept seeking out ways to improve every time they hit a plateau. Whether it was assistance exercises to bring up a Deadlift, cycling through poundages to ensure fatigue management or trying logically created programs for long enough to truly gauge their effectiveness, they were aware of, and had taken action on, their training goals.
It was pretty cool to get such an opportunity to see a "study group" like this over a 6-year period!
It was pretty obvious that being aware of your training program and the results it brings makes a very measurable difference in the end result.
So, I ask you... How's your fitness program working for you?
You know what the answer should be!
Do.
Recently, I started teaching kettlebell classes at the first gym I worked in. I had last been there on a weekly basis over two-years ago. I have now been working out there about once a week and teaching classes 4x a week for the past 4-months.
Many of the same members I knew before still work out there. One of the first things I noticed was how many of them are still doing exactly the same workout. Same exercises, same rep/set schemes, same weights... same results! There were, of course, some exceptions who were still training hard and had advanced in weight, size or shape. What were they doing? The ones I knew and talked to had been paying attention to their body's reaction to training and had found, through trial and error, the most effective way to ensure their body's advancement.
The important part here is that they kept seeking out ways to improve every time they hit a plateau. Whether it was assistance exercises to bring up a Deadlift, cycling through poundages to ensure fatigue management or trying logically created programs for long enough to truly gauge their effectiveness, they were aware of, and had taken action on, their training goals.
It was pretty cool to get such an opportunity to see a "study group" like this over a 6-year period!
It was pretty obvious that being aware of your training program and the results it brings makes a very measurable difference in the end result.
So, I ask you... How's your fitness program working for you?
You know what the answer should be!
Do.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Think your workout is hard? Lift 88lbs over your head 862 times in 3-hours, then get back to me!
On March 28, 2009 Vitaly Sitnikov's set a new kettlebell lifting World Record: 862 Reps of One-Arm Jerks with a 40kg (88lb) kettlebell in three-hours.
He did not put the bell down the entire time either, but rather held it against his thigh while resting.
75,856lbs total lifted. Crikey, what an effort!
Click here to see more pictures and the original post at Caestus : The Extreme GirevoySport Records Blog.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The real benefit of martial arts!
Regardless of style, all martial arts provide benefits far beyond just fighting ability. After all, 90% of us will never have to use our fist-fighting skills in a life or death situation. I think Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Chun sums it up well in the below video.
Here is an 85 year-old man who is not even considering retiring!
We should all hope to be this active at 85, both physically and mentally.
Regardless of style, all martial arts provide benefits far beyond just fighting ability. After all, 90% of us will never have to use our fist-fighting skills in a life or death situation. I think Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Chun sums it up well in the below video.
Here is an 85 year-old man who is not even considering retiring!
We should all hope to be this active at 85, both physically and mentally.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
5 Reasons Eric J Moss Rules:
For the past couple weeks, I have been corresponding with Eric J Moss, RKC. I believe this particular round of correspondence began from me reading one of his incendiary posts, calling someone out about something... In any case, Eric is a pretty cool dude and you should read his blog often.
Reason #1: Eric J Moss noticed I had not updated my blog for a couple months. His subtle calling-out has prompted this entry and more will follow so as not to be so shamed again.
Reason #2: Eric J Moss will show you not one, not three, not even seven, but ten ways to overhead-press a kettlebell. Don't believe me? Click here to see for yourself!
Reason #3: Eric J Moss was the first person to ever call me Comrade. The significance of this can only really be understood by our fellow Hardstyle acolytes.
Reason #4: Eric J Moss will astound you even further by demonstrating not one, not three, but five different ways to squat with a kettlebell! Click here to learn how to get some really strong legs.
Reason #5: Eric J Moss will not tolerate fitness charlatans, dinosaurs or snake-oil salesmen. In fact, he will do his best to inform us about them so we can be ready to explain why Hardstyle will honestly and permanently change their lives, as it did ours!
This concludes my tribute to Eric J Moss, RKC. Now get over to his blog and start reading!
For the past couple weeks, I have been corresponding with Eric J Moss, RKC. I believe this particular round of correspondence began from me reading one of his incendiary posts, calling someone out about something... In any case, Eric is a pretty cool dude and you should read his blog often.
Reason #1: Eric J Moss noticed I had not updated my blog for a couple months. His subtle calling-out has prompted this entry and more will follow so as not to be so shamed again.
Reason #2: Eric J Moss will show you not one, not three, not even seven, but ten ways to overhead-press a kettlebell. Don't believe me? Click here to see for yourself!
Reason #3: Eric J Moss was the first person to ever call me Comrade. The significance of this can only really be understood by our fellow Hardstyle acolytes.
Reason #4: Eric J Moss will astound you even further by demonstrating not one, not three, but five different ways to squat with a kettlebell! Click here to learn how to get some really strong legs.
Reason #5: Eric J Moss will not tolerate fitness charlatans, dinosaurs or snake-oil salesmen. In fact, he will do his best to inform us about them so we can be ready to explain why Hardstyle will honestly and permanently change their lives, as it did ours!
This concludes my tribute to Eric J Moss, RKC. Now get over to his blog and start reading!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Another reason I love my job!
The video below shows my client Irv completing the last rung of a L/R Clean and Press ladder to 5. He did this non-stop, which is a total of 30 reps. A year ago, he could not do a ladder to 3 (12 reps) without resting for a while after the 2nd rung. I am very proud of Irv for his determination to improve. He has always done the independent workouts I provided and has advanced quickly and safely because of it.
Nice work Irv!
To read Irv's story in his own words, click HERE.
The video below shows my client Irv completing the last rung of a L/R Clean and Press ladder to 5. He did this non-stop, which is a total of 30 reps. A year ago, he could not do a ladder to 3 (12 reps) without resting for a while after the 2nd rung. I am very proud of Irv for his determination to improve. He has always done the independent workouts I provided and has advanced quickly and safely because of it.
Nice work Irv!
To read Irv's story in his own words, click HERE.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Deadlifting makes you happy, but too much deadlifting can make you sad!
Earlier this week, my client Ken told me how deadlifting seems to give him a feeling of healthy euphoria. I experience the same and especially so when I first started to deadlift. Ken has been deadlifting for 4-months, with an increase in weight and volume over the last two.
This amazing feeling comes from the release of hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone plus the rush of endorphins triggered by a relatively strenuous effort. Our increased confidence from a personal best does not hurt either! Of course, we want to make sure not to train overly long and hard, where we see these levels start to decline. This is why I advocate shorter, high-intensity workouts with the emphasis on form and safety. This allows you to stay within the accepted 30-40 minute high-hormone zone and still get all the workout you need.
Even with careful adherence to workout time and intensity, it is even more important to know when to slow down; when to allow time for recovery. We will not be able to maintain our optimal hormonal (happiness) levels if we are tired, moody and generally overtrained. We will also not be able to make significant gains in our training. This is something we all have to watch out for. The better we manage our fatigue and recovery, the longer we will continue to feel great, make gains AND stay injury-free!
This next part comes from a great podcast I listened to today at http://ironradio.org/ .
The podcast is titled Recovery While Training and can be found HERE.
The ironradio.org coaching group is: Dr. Lonnie Lowery (host), Exercise Physiologist and licensed sports nutritionist; Mr. Charles Staley, celebrity athletics coach and author, Mr. Robert Fortney, fitness industry journalist; Mr. Phil Stevens, fitness industry speaker, trainer and technician. All have successful competitive histories in power sports.
The host and guests put together an informal list of ways to monitor your fatigue levels and therefore identify when it is time to back off and return stronger on another day.
1. Keeping track of your level of perceived exertion for each workout. The host uses a scale of 1-20. Watch out if you see the numbers steadily declining!
2. Keeping track of your mood and motivation to train. This includes your emotional state both IN and OUTSIDE the gym.
3. Are you sleeping for 7-8 hours a night? Is it quality sleep, throughout the night? If your sleep is disturbed, your nervous system is telling you it needs a break!
4. A suggestion was made to quietly fill in your workout log right after you train. This gives you time to cool down and decompress from the intense mental and physical focus of your session. This way, you will be ready to take on the rest of your day feeling calm, as you should : )
5. Getting the most results with of the least amount of effort/exercises. No, this does not allow you to be lazy, just efficient in your exercise choices. A good example would be doing weighted pullups instead of separate pull, reverse-fly and bicep exercises. The same muscles get worked, but in less time.
6. "Every rep has a cost, but not every rep has a benefit"
7. Growth, Recovery and Progress happens outside the gym. Inside the gym is where we destroy ourselves so that we may recover stronger.
Some great advice from some top names in the game!
The moral of this story is, train hard, train well, and most importantly, TRAIN SMART!
Earlier this week, my client Ken told me how deadlifting seems to give him a feeling of healthy euphoria. I experience the same and especially so when I first started to deadlift. Ken has been deadlifting for 4-months, with an increase in weight and volume over the last two.
This amazing feeling comes from the release of hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone plus the rush of endorphins triggered by a relatively strenuous effort. Our increased confidence from a personal best does not hurt either! Of course, we want to make sure not to train overly long and hard, where we see these levels start to decline. This is why I advocate shorter, high-intensity workouts with the emphasis on form and safety. This allows you to stay within the accepted 30-40 minute high-hormone zone and still get all the workout you need.
Even with careful adherence to workout time and intensity, it is even more important to know when to slow down; when to allow time for recovery. We will not be able to maintain our optimal hormonal (happiness) levels if we are tired, moody and generally overtrained. We will also not be able to make significant gains in our training. This is something we all have to watch out for. The better we manage our fatigue and recovery, the longer we will continue to feel great, make gains AND stay injury-free!
This next part comes from a great podcast I listened to today at http://ironradio.org/ .
The podcast is titled Recovery While Training and can be found HERE.
The ironradio.org coaching group is: Dr. Lonnie Lowery (host), Exercise Physiologist and licensed sports nutritionist; Mr. Charles Staley, celebrity athletics coach and author, Mr. Robert Fortney, fitness industry journalist; Mr. Phil Stevens, fitness industry speaker, trainer and technician. All have successful competitive histories in power sports.
The host and guests put together an informal list of ways to monitor your fatigue levels and therefore identify when it is time to back off and return stronger on another day.
1. Keeping track of your level of perceived exertion for each workout. The host uses a scale of 1-20. Watch out if you see the numbers steadily declining!
2. Keeping track of your mood and motivation to train. This includes your emotional state both IN and OUTSIDE the gym.
3. Are you sleeping for 7-8 hours a night? Is it quality sleep, throughout the night? If your sleep is disturbed, your nervous system is telling you it needs a break!
4. A suggestion was made to quietly fill in your workout log right after you train. This gives you time to cool down and decompress from the intense mental and physical focus of your session. This way, you will be ready to take on the rest of your day feeling calm, as you should : )
5. Getting the most results with of the least amount of effort/exercises. No, this does not allow you to be lazy, just efficient in your exercise choices. A good example would be doing weighted pullups instead of separate pull, reverse-fly and bicep exercises. The same muscles get worked, but in less time.
6. "Every rep has a cost, but not every rep has a benefit"
7. Growth, Recovery and Progress happens outside the gym. Inside the gym is where we destroy ourselves so that we may recover stronger.
Some great advice from some top names in the game!
The moral of this story is, train hard, train well, and most importantly, TRAIN SMART!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Revisiting an old post with a new video...
Last November I posted an article called Keep Training? But I'm Injured!
In it, I discussed the fact that you can always find some part of your body to train, even if one part is injured. The injury I spoke about was bruised ribs. Well, my ribs were bruised again in a similar fashion by my Wing Tsun Instructor, Sifu Ralph Haenel. I had to again make adjustments to my training, as this time I was unable to do pullups or rows for 4-weeks.
During this time of "injury", I hit a Personal Best in the Deadlift AND VO2Max Snatch Protocol!
To read the November 2008 article again, click HERE.
And this time, I have the genesis of the injury on video : ) Enjoy!
Last November I posted an article called Keep Training? But I'm Injured!
In it, I discussed the fact that you can always find some part of your body to train, even if one part is injured. The injury I spoke about was bruised ribs. Well, my ribs were bruised again in a similar fashion by my Wing Tsun Instructor, Sifu Ralph Haenel. I had to again make adjustments to my training, as this time I was unable to do pullups or rows for 4-weeks.
During this time of "injury", I hit a Personal Best in the Deadlift AND VO2Max Snatch Protocol!
To read the November 2008 article again, click HERE.
And this time, I have the genesis of the injury on video : ) Enjoy!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
Heliomatrix - Dr. Ram and Team strike again!
The Heliomatrix - See video below!
You can control things on the screen by waving your hand!
Tony giving us his best "Burton Cummings"
A sweet old-skool ghetto blaster from another exhibit.
The Heliomatrix - See video below!This past Friday, March 6th, Tony and I went to the Midforms Festival at the BCIT Campus. Aside from my client Dr. Ram and Team's Heliomatrix, there were other "innovative exhibits showcasing the convergence of media art, electronic music, and digitalculture".
Dr Ram and Team last brought us Junkyard Wars 2008.
According to the good Doctor:
"The Heliomatrix is an adaptive mirror array precisely controlled by servos and coordinated by a network of microcontrollers. It is like a chameleon, with scaly flesh composed of reflective mirrors, each one capable of independent thought and movement. The array harnesses, reflects and manipulates light to produce a virtually limitless spectrum of effects, ranging from a sophisticated, multi-coloured light show to a savage display of the sun's incendiary power."
I could not have said it better myself : )
See below for photos and video:
You can control things on the screen by waving your hand!
Tony giving us his best "Burton Cummings"
A sweet old-skool ghetto blaster from another exhibit.
Wing Tsun Chi-Sau Seminar with Sifu Ralph!
WT Vancouver Senior Students at Philip's kwoon.
Sifu Ralph and Nilo
Brian Yam and I at the Chi-Sau
WT Vancouver Senior Students at Philip's kwoon.On Saturday, Februray 28th 2009, the senior students of Wing Tsun Vancouver met at Philip's WT school for a review of Chi Sau (sticking-hands) Sections 1-4.
Sifu Ralph often arranges bonus classes/seminars for his senior students to ensure we are all up to speed on the Sections. This way, we do not miss out on important training tips should we have to miss some of the regular weekly classes.
This was the third such bonus class I have been to for Sections 1-4 and, as always, I learned some new ways to better train my Chi-Sau Sections! The saying "An inch wide and a mile deep" certainly applies here, as though the sections are few in number, the ideas hidden within them are many.
I am looking forward to this weekend's review of Sections 5-7!
Sifu Ralph and Nilo
Brian Yam and I at the Chi-SauThursday, February 26, 2009
Standing on the shoulders of giants:
San Jose RKC February 2009!
Currently my favourite photo...I had the immense pleasure of attending the February 2009 Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor Certification this past weekend. As you can see from the above photo with Pavel, I passed! This was by no means an easy feat as a lot was expected of us both mentally and physically. In order to attain my RKC certification, I had to snatch a 53lb kettlebell a total of 71 times in under 5-minutes, exibit a high level of technique in the 6 foundation exercises (swing, clean, press, snatch, get-up and front-squat), prove my ability to safely & effectively teach a randomly selected member of the public (thanks Debra!), endure 8 gruelling workouts and finally pass the intense Grad Workout at the end of the three-day workshop!
This was by far both the most difficult & challenging experience I have ever been through and also the most rewarding & informative. In just three days, I learned more about kettlebell training than I had in two-years of my own personal practice and teaching of clients. The depth of knowledge presented by Pavel, his Team Leaders and their Assistants was astounding! I can only hope to remember all I was taught, but would be fine for the rest of my life if I only remembered half of it : )
I was part of Team Toomey, led by RKC TL Mark Toomey and assisted by Logan Christopher RKC, Melody Schoenfeld RKC and Marty Covault RKC. I'm sure everybody felt the same way about their teams but I feel very lucky to have been part of such a great group! Mark is an amazing instructor with a depth of knowledge and experience second to none. Most importantly, he is just a great guy! One of the first things he said to the group was that he "jealously guards membership in this organization" and expected everyone to live up to his high expectations. His comments made us feel we had to prove to him and all the other Instructors that we deserved to be there and in the end prove we were worthy of the title, RKC.
Another TL, Jeremy Layport let the certification group know he would only pass those he felt comfortable enough to train a member of his family, come the end of the workshop Sunday. This served to further demonstrate the RKC commitment to excellence in its instructors.
I had decided a few weeks before the cert that I would make sure to go first in the Snatch Test. I believe I was inspired to do this by one of Mark Toomey's forum posts : ) It worked well as I did not have to see anyone else go through the test first and feel worried if they were struggling. At home, I had made sure to test myself and come the actual test, beat my best time by over a minute. Adrenaline is a wonderful chemical!
Master RKC Brett Jones sure was right about not concentrating all your training on the Snatch Test! For the 4-weeks preceding the cert, I used his RKC prep training template almost to the letter. Normally, I take the weekend off training so it took a bit of mentally getting used to moving my workouts to Fri, Sat and Sun : ) My usual weekend exercise is a couple relaxing rounds of frisbee golf... This training template prepared me for the three days in a row of hard work and also served as valuable revision of the 6 core lifts. I had been neglecting my Turkish Get Ups and Squats (in favour of DLs) for a few months and was able to plug up this chink in the olde armour before the RKC. If, you are planning on going to the RKC, I cannot more strongly recommend following Brett's RKC prep training template for at least 4-weeks prior!
As for Snatch training, I did one day of 15:15 VO2 Max training and one day of 24kg Snatch practice each week. The VO2 Max training really helped my hip snap for the 24kg Snatches and had the added bonus of upping my endurance considerably. I also knew we would be doing a VO2 Max workout during the cert so wanted to be prepared for it!
All in all, this was truly a life-changing experience for me. Not only did I learn so much more about Hardstyle kettlebell training but I was granted membership to a group of some of the finest, kindest, hardest-working and most ego-free people I have ever met in the fitness business. All of the RKCs truly carry their strength with a quiet modesty and adhere to the letter of their Code of Conduct.
See below for some pictures I took at the cert. I'll add some more when the official ones make it to the Dragon Door website.
Kettlebell power to you, comrades!
RKC Team Leader Mark Toomey - You can have your Fairmont, we'll take the HoJo!
Asst. RKC Melody Schoenfeld
- The reason I now stand up taller and no longer have a "chicken neck" at the top of my swings! It got the the point where I could sense her presence...
Asst. RKC Logan Christopher - Check out http://www.legendarystrength.com/ to see him pulling a truck with his hair!!!
Rudy Tapalla RKC of Crossfit Chicago - My awesome training partner for the weekend. Here we are minutes after the Grad Workout.
Mike Prosser RKC - Fellow team-mate. Check out his great forum post on the RKC weekend HERE.
Eric J. Moss RKC
- Keeping it real, New Jersey style!
My hands at the end of the cert. Unprotected but for fingerless cotton gloves during the 20-minute VO2 Max workout. How do you escape the RKC weekend without mangling your hands? Just follow Jordan Vezina RKC's advice HERE. Thanks Jordan!
An example of what your hands COULD look like after the RKC weekend!!!
Mark Toomey's sweet licence plate holder. Number obscured to dissuade any RKC groupies from causing him undue stress : )
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Training at home saves you time AND money!
Training at home saves you the time getting ready and getting there, not to mention the trip home. This makes you more consistent as well since you only have to budget 20-30 minutes for your exercise. It also saves you money as you can train in any outfit you want, no matter how old or mismatched : )
In the picture below, I am wearing one of my home training outfits. It consists of a two-year old, too-large t-shirt and Adidas shorts I bought back in 1996! I certainly would not wear such an ensemble to the gym, but at home... who cares!?!
You can also have messy hair, don't have to shave, and can watch The Office while you cool down and stretch.
Save your money and buy more kettlebells!
Training at home saves you the time getting ready and getting there, not to mention the trip home. This makes you more consistent as well since you only have to budget 20-30 minutes for your exercise. It also saves you money as you can train in any outfit you want, no matter how old or mismatched : )
In the picture below, I am wearing one of my home training outfits. It consists of a two-year old, too-large t-shirt and Adidas shorts I bought back in 1996! I certainly would not wear such an ensemble to the gym, but at home... who cares!?!
You can also have messy hair, don't have to shave, and can watch The Office while you cool down and stretch.
Save your money and buy more kettlebells!
A very informative interview with a great trainer!
Yesterday, I listened to an interview with renowned kettlebell trainer Mike Mahler of http://www.mikemahler.com/.
Mike is a former Senior RKC with Pavel Tsatsouline and has since struck out on his own. I always enjoy his informative monthly e-magazine and share many of his training philosophies.
The interview is based around optimizing hormones for strength, health and wellbeing and touches on such things as:
The importance of a balanced diet, where Mike recommends The Zone as a good starting point for most people. The most important point being that quality food is paramount no matter what diet you subscribe to.
The absolute importance of getting sufficient sleep. In fact, this is his number one recommendation for increasing positive hormonal levels!
The fact that we have been fooled by suppliment companies into thinking we need so much protein. According to Mike, the maximum amount we can metabolize at one time is 20-grams. Think about that the next time you go for that canned protein shake that promises 30 to 40-grams!
The amazing results gained from high-intensity interval-style cardio as opposed to the typical 45 to 60 minutes spent on an elliptical, stationary-bike or treadmill.
How lifting heavy weights will give both Men and Women the tight, toned and strong body they desire. Ladies, lifting heavy WILL NOT turn you into a female bodybuilder!
The importance of working the posterior muscle chain (back, glutes, hamstrings) for real-life strength and resistance to injury.
The fact that overhead pressing is the most effective pressing movement. Overhead pressing will improve your bench-press but not the other way round!
I urge you to take the time to listen to this interview. It can be found HERE. The page loads a bit slowly, so be patient!
Many of my clients will recognize some of the advice given : ) I'm not the only one who advocates simple, intense and multi-joint focused workouts!
Do.
Yesterday, I listened to an interview with renowned kettlebell trainer Mike Mahler of http://www.mikemahler.com/.
Mike is a former Senior RKC with Pavel Tsatsouline and has since struck out on his own. I always enjoy his informative monthly e-magazine and share many of his training philosophies.
The interview is based around optimizing hormones for strength, health and wellbeing and touches on such things as:
The importance of a balanced diet, where Mike recommends The Zone as a good starting point for most people. The most important point being that quality food is paramount no matter what diet you subscribe to.
The absolute importance of getting sufficient sleep. In fact, this is his number one recommendation for increasing positive hormonal levels!
The fact that we have been fooled by suppliment companies into thinking we need so much protein. According to Mike, the maximum amount we can metabolize at one time is 20-grams. Think about that the next time you go for that canned protein shake that promises 30 to 40-grams!
The amazing results gained from high-intensity interval-style cardio as opposed to the typical 45 to 60 minutes spent on an elliptical, stationary-bike or treadmill.
How lifting heavy weights will give both Men and Women the tight, toned and strong body they desire. Ladies, lifting heavy WILL NOT turn you into a female bodybuilder!
The importance of working the posterior muscle chain (back, glutes, hamstrings) for real-life strength and resistance to injury.
The fact that overhead pressing is the most effective pressing movement. Overhead pressing will improve your bench-press but not the other way round!
I urge you to take the time to listen to this interview. It can be found HERE. The page loads a bit slowly, so be patient!
Many of my clients will recognize some of the advice given : ) I'm not the only one who advocates simple, intense and multi-joint focused workouts!
Do.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Get to bed early if you wanna avoid a cold!
I was reading 24hrs and came across an important story...
A new study at Carnagie Mellon University in Pittsburgh shows that people who sleep less than 7-hours a night are three times more likely to catch a cold than those who get 7+ hours of sleep.
Volunteers who spent less time in bed, or who spent their time in bed tossing and turning instead of snoozing, were much more likely to catch a cold when viruses were dripped into their noses.
People who slept longer and more soundly resisted infection better...
This shows that even relatively minor sleep disturbances can influence our body's reaction to cold viruses, says the author of the study.
If you are reading this after 10pm, off to bed with you!
You will be thankful you did, as the yearly cold makes its way around your friends and colleagues!
I was reading 24hrs and came across an important story...
A new study at Carnagie Mellon University in Pittsburgh shows that people who sleep less than 7-hours a night are three times more likely to catch a cold than those who get 7+ hours of sleep.
Volunteers who spent less time in bed, or who spent their time in bed tossing and turning instead of snoozing, were much more likely to catch a cold when viruses were dripped into their noses.
People who slept longer and more soundly resisted infection better...
This shows that even relatively minor sleep disturbances can influence our body's reaction to cold viruses, says the author of the study.
If you are reading this after 10pm, off to bed with you!
You will be thankful you did, as the yearly cold makes its way around your friends and colleagues!
