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.

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.

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...

New West Hardstyle Kettlebell Workshop!


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.

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.


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!
Enter The Kettlebell
Start your Hardstyle kettlebell training with ETK!
Power to the People - Russian Strength Secrets
PTTP Puts you on the path to Deadlift Dominance!