Seminars, Lectures, and Demonstrations

Anyone interested in having us provide a training demonstration, lecture, or seminar in the Baltimore/ DC area, please contact us at 301-622-9000.  You can also visit our website http://www.dcsportsinjury.com/ or email us at painfree123@gmail.com

We can provide help with:

1) Kettlebell Training
2) Athletic Performance Training
3) Injury Prevention
4) Team Training and Safety
5) Fitness and Health
6) Nutrition
7) Personal Training

See some of our training videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MDSportsInjury

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!!

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$$...

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.

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....

Getting "Back" to Basics

In the midst of all this kettlebell talk, we sometimes forget to establish basic movement skills.  Many of the most important movement patterns can start with bodyweight exercises.  While most of you have done your share of pushups, crunches, and maybe even pullups, you may not have tried the inverted row.  This exercise is used to balance out your pushups and bench presses, helping to increase upper back strength tremendously.  Furthermore, your posture will improve significantly if this exercise is regularly performed.  Give it a shot!

Ladies!...And Gentlemen...Don't Jump on the Bandwagon!

I am sure most of you have seen the kettlebells that are now being sold in Target, Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, etc.  Many of them are extremely light, perhaps 5 or 7 pounds.  A lot of times, they have moveable pieces or separate handles, perhaps wrapped in pretty, colored vinyl.  Stay away from them! Don't buy them!  Kettlebells are traditionally forged as a single piece of iron/ steel, starting at 8kg, which is 17.6 lbs.  Unless you have a severe injury, which would prevent you from performing kettlebell training anyhow, you can safely use the 8kg kettlebell.  I have not met a man or woman yet who fails to perform a proper kettlebell swing with 8kg, once they learn the proper technique! 

Women are esspecially guilty of expressing anxiety when I suggest them to put down the 10 lbs kettlebell and pick up the 17.6 or 25 lbs kettlebell for swing.  They often are conditioned by society to believe that heavier weight is not for them, or that they will be hospitalized upon attempting to pick one up.  Ladies, how much does your squirming, hyper 2 year old toddler weight?  How many times do you pick them up, load them in the car seat, or out of the bathtub?  A inanimate 20 lbs kettlebell is no where near as hard to control as your son or daughter, and often just as heavy as your vacuum or bags of groceries.

Kettlebell training will get you stronger than you already are!  Stop performing 50 reps with your 5 lbs weight, and instead, opt to challenge yourself with the 20-30 lbs bells.  This truth applies to any traditional weight training you perform with barbells and dumbells too, so don't think it stops with just your kettlebell!  Your will get wicked strong and lean, as well as shed the bodyfat.  Even better, you'll be liberated from the social constraints of gender based strength training, which has been holding you back all these years with its lies!

Altering Training Methods

Given that kettlebells are still relatively new for many people, traditional sets vs. reps training schemes are usually how most people training.  For example, they may use a 16kg bell to perform snatches for 3 sets of 5 reps on each arm, with 1 minute of rest between each set.  Most exercises are novel and exciting initially, so they feel little need to change how they utilize their respective exercises.  However, as you learn to integrate more variety in your training, remember you can also chose different training schemes with the same exercises.  Some basic options that come to mind are the following:

1)  Circuit Training:  Chose 3-5 exercises, for example, a 1 arm swing, 1 arm snatch, and 1 arm clean & press.  Perform 10 reps of each exercise in a row, without rest.  Repeat the circuit 1-2 more times.

2)  Ladder Training:  Performed with 2 or more people in a group.  The larger the group, the more rest each person gets.  Chose an exercise, like a 1 arm snatch.  Each person does the same number of repetitions as the person before them, continuing in a sequence, until someone in the group fails to match the reps.  For example, I do 5 reps, you do 5.  I do 6, you do 6.  I do 7, you do 7...continue until done.

3)  1 Minute Intervals:  Chose a 1 arm exercise, like a 1 arm snatch. Perform 10 reps on each arm, as fast as you can.  Whatever time is left in your minute, that is your rest period.  Begin you second set on the "2 minute mark."  Perform up to 5-10 minutes straight.  You want an intense cardiovascular workout, give this a try!

Remember, keep learning, keep practicing...and above all, keep consistent.  Along the way, have fun!

If you can dream it, doesn't mean you should do it!

Do a youtube video search for "kettlebell exercises," and you'll find many exercises that are ridiculously complicated.  When you see them, don't just immediately attempt to perform them.  First ask yourself, "Why?"  Every exercise has a "cost versus benefit ratio."  That means every exercise you perform has inherent risk for injury, some more than others.  Likewise, each exercise has inherent benefits, which when performed correctly and consistently, outweigh its risks for injury.  Before you perform any exercise, be CERTAIN that the potential reward greatly outweighs any risks.  If you find yourself performing a pushup on a "bottom-up" kettlebell, while simultaneously having your feet wobbling on top of a stability ball, don't complain when you make your trip to the dentist!

MORNING WARM UP

One "secret" to prevent injuries and improve performance is the morning warm-up. It is simply 10 - 20 minutes of gentle mobility exercises done to lubricate the joints and get your body ready for the day. There is no gospel as to the order of the exercises, just be slow in your speed of movement and gradually increase your range of motion rep after rep. Steve Maxwell says the number of reps for each exercise movement should be equal to your age. Have you ever watched Steve? I would listen to him!