Thursday, March 25, 2010

CLASSES CANCELED Saturday, March 27th

I sent out an email informing my regular students that I have to cancel this Saturday's 8am and 9am classes.  I will be in Hagerstown from 9am-9pm for a Chiropractic Assistant Workshop.  I'd rather be training and teaching, but sometimes I have to suck it up too!

In the interim, for those of you who have your own kettlebells, here are some basic routines you can put yourself through so that you don't miss your workout.  Remember, most of your success will come from consistent training despite inconveniences....

Circuit Training

Swings x 10
Snatches x 10
Presses x 10

          Perform the 3 exercises in a row with as little rest as possible.  Repeat the circuit 4-5 times.

Descending Ladder Training

Goblet Squats - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
2 Arm Swings - 10 reps for 10 sets

     Alternate between a set of Goblet squats and 2 arm swings.  The reps of the goblet squat decrease each time, but the reps of the swings stay the same.

Ascending Ladder Training

Pick a weight you can press less than 6 times.

Perform 1 Arm presses, 1 rep, 2 reps, 3, 4, 5...without resting between sides.  Repeat the ladder 1-2 more times.

Pick a weight you can turkish getup less than 5 times.

Perform your getups, 1 reps each side, 2 reps, 3, 4...without resting between sides. Repeat the ladder 1-2 more times.

Have fun....and good luck!!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Women of Strength

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  There is nothing masculine about a strong woman. Period.  In almost all cases, the women who look masculine and participate in fitness and sport competition have some level of experience with drug use.  Certainly, there is the minority of women who are born with higher levels of testosterone, growth hormone, and other androgens, which contribute to greater muscle mass and more masculine features.  But realistically, you probably don't know one personally, as they are fairly rare.

So ladies, don't shy away from the heavy iron!  Don't limit your progress because you are afraid they will turn you into a man.  The fact is, lifting heavy stuff is hard. It hurts, its frustrating, and you have to make funny noises and get sweaty.  However, it is also one of the most beneficial activities you can do.  And even better, the confidence you gain from being successful at heavy lifting changes your life.

So, without further ado, here is my wife, kicking some kettlebell A$$...



Friday, March 12, 2010

Another Shout Out to You Ladies!

As always, I am constantly trying to encourage more women to try kettlebell training.  Initially, many women (and men for that matter) are hesitant because of how fast moving the exercises look.  After learning the basics, it quickly becomes apparent that the dynamic exercises are safe and incredibly effective.  If you notice in the video, many of the women are overweight.  You do not have to be a "fitness guru" to begin your kettlebell training.  With the exception of those acute spinal, hip, knee,and shoulder injuries, most people can begin some form of training immediately.  Those with specific injuries or health conditions should see an experienced chiropractor prior to engaging in kettlebell training.  Anyone in the Baltimore/ DC area can contact Capital Sports Injury Center to schedule an appointment with Dr. Steven Horwitz, DC, at 301-622-9000.  You can also visit http://www.dcsportsinjury.com/ for more details.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Keep Your Goals In Mind!

      Be sure to chose your methods of training to meet your needs and goals.   I train for "strength and power."  I love lifting heavy stuff, sometimes even competing in powerlifting and other strength events.  I love martial arts, gymnastics, and bursts of quick speed and coordination.  This means that I train to improve my performance in these examples, using heavy weights, high speeds, and multi-directional functional movements. 

     70% of my training involves low reps (3-5), low sets (2-5), and long rest periods (2-5 minutes) between sets.  The other 30% of my training involves the opposite methods, with lighter weight, higher reps (10-20), moderate sets (3-5), and short rest periods (30-60 seconds) between sets.  However, this 30% of my training is mainly to improve my general fitness, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular health.  It has little effect on improving my performance in strength and power events. 

     This also means that if you are a triathalete, swimmer, runner, cyclist, etc, you would not be spending much of your time training like me.  Perhaps things would be flipped, with 70% of your training being that of muscular endurance and cardio, and 30% being geared toward building a larger strength base or correcting strength imbalances across joints.  If you are training for overall fitness and health, you get to choose how you split up your training, but I would suggest an even 50% strength/ power and 50% endurance/ cardio.  Too often, people go overboard with the cardio, and miss out on all the wonderful benefits of greater muscle mass, strength, and metabolic demands.

    Most of you should be training smarter....not harder....