Good Scoop from Great Minds

Here's today's blogroll scoop:

Senior RKC, Sara Cheatham has a great post about kettlebells for combat readiness. This is pretty much what I've been telling people for a few years. Of course, Sara backs it up with case studies. There you have it.

Here's something interesting from Mike T Nelson. It is a study of neural science and fat loss.

Sandy Sommer writes about cycling your workouts. This is important, you can't go hard all the time. Delaine Ross wrote an article for Dragon Door about a similar subject.

Last, I thought I would share a new blog I ran across last week. I think I've read nearly every post. George has finished my favorite bike race, the Furnace Creek 508, 4 times and has done it on a fixie. Oh, and he was a HAT. George you da man!


Today I had a co-worker asked me about kettlebells. He started attending a class at the rec center and the instructor is clueless. I asked him to show me his swing and holy cow; it's no wonder he is having serious lower back pain. If your lower back hurts from doing something, you are doing it wrong. Get help from someone that is certified in that activity. I am aware of this person in the Virginia Beach area, she has no idea what she is doing but she insists on teaching kettlebells. She even had the audacity to attend a free class at Karen's studio and tell Karen she was doing it wrong.

Now, let me tell you what really pisses me off about this. I don't try to make much cash by teaching kettlebell stuff. My MO is simply to break even so I can attend more training and become a better, more educated trainer. The fact is I refer most everyone to Karen Smith, RKCII. I do offer FREE instruction often for a few reasons. 1) if you are going to do this stuff, you need to do it correct. 2) Maybe you refer someone to me. No worries. So when I offer free training and someone says no, they can learn it on their own than my kindness ends. Figure it out on your own, I have better things to do anyway!

Practice:
ZNWU, movement drills
Ride: 30 miles - Zone 1,2
Clean and press: 5x5

(planned a complex but ended up correcting the above person and ran out of time for my own workout) C'est la vie.

Until Next time!

Strength Training: no need for innovation -- Part 2

Another thought on programs. A continuation of my last post.

There is a principle that states your body adapts to training. Your body gets used to the routine you are doing. Does that mean that the weight you are using is too easy? At this point, most people change what they are doing to the latest program in a health magazine. The solution isn't switching to another program or routine. The solution is adding more weight and sticking to what works!

When you adapt to the new weight, add more weight.

When you adapt to this, add more. And when this happens again...you get the picture.

All of this added weight and adaptation is you getting stronger.

It is so simple that you probably won't do it. I will!

Practice:
Z
JM
Maxwell bear squat-dive through push up 2x5 + pull up 2 x 10
LC Clean & Jerk 2x24K: 1 min on, 1 min off for 10 min (5 sets) I didn't count reps.

3 rounds

Pull up x 10
Evil wheel x 5
windmill 16K x 5/5

Strength Training: no need for innovation

If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. Thomas Edison.

As an MBA student, I spent the past 4 months learning about foresight, creativity and innovation and attempting to develop these skills. They are certainly the most important skills to develop for successful entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organizations. They are the skills used by people like Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Fred Smith, Sam Walton, and Ray Croc.

These are NOT skills necessary for successful training. There is no need to innovate new exercises or routines. There are hundreds of exercise plans and routines that are very effective. Most of them improve strength and hypertrophy or both. The guys that set records don't change routines for years.

Unfortunately most people see a routine with a specific purpose and proven results. They change it to “suit their needs.” The results are not the same and they wonder why. Most of these routines are very specific and provide the exact exercise for a number of sets and reps or specific time. Changing the program is NOT doing the program.

Let me provide you with some tips:

• Choose a couple exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time. (dead lift, pull-ups and bench press) or (snatch and clean and jerk)
• Work them for many sets with medium repetitions. (5 – 10 sets with 5 repetitions)
• Don’t work to failure; leave a couple reps in the bank.
• You are stuck in a rut? Keep working! Most people get stuck in a rut or think they are and change their routine. A better method is to back off the weight and build back up. Take the guessing out of the equation and back off every time there is a holiday.

Stick with the routine for 6 months to a year or several years. You will get results.