Loving the Clubs

Quick training

ASLR strap "stretch" and Brettzel

2# Club Swinging

16kg ASLR and Shoulder openers

2# Club Swinging

16 kg Get-up x 2+2

2# Club Swinging

16 kg Get-up x 2+2

2# Club Swinging

16 kg Get-up x 2+2

2# Club Swinging

Feeling great and moving better than ever

Clubs, KBs and fun...

Planned on an easy "just move" session but broke a sweat and felt great

Prep work - ASLR strap "stretch", Brettzel
Club Swinging
16 kg Hip and Shoulder openers
Club Swinging
16 kg Get-up x 2+2
Club Swinging
16 kg Get-up x 2+2
Club Swinging
16 kg Get-up x 2+2
Club Swinging
16 kg Get-up x 2+2
Club Swinging
Finished with a little Hip flexor stretch and strap stretch

Actually used a mirror today to check my club swinging positions and was pretty pleased - although perfection is far away...
Get-ups and shoulder openers are feeling great.

Getting ready for the first Trip of the year...

A little training today:

Chin-ups (bodyweight) x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

ASLR progressions

16kg Get-up x 5+5

16kg Arm Bar and shoulder openers

16kg ASLR and hip opener progressions

Club swinging later in the day

Since the surgery and working on some of these progressions (shoulder and ASLR) I am hitting 3/3 on the ASLR and 3/3 on the SM and feeling good and moving well.

For those of you not familiar with the scoring system or with the FMS - please visit www.functionalmovement.com

I will post a complete schedule for the year soon. Thats right I need to confirm one more workshop and I will be booked for 2o10. Life and business is good.

Easy day of "Training"

Chin-ups (body weight) x 4 sets of 5 reps

Club Swinging

Stretching - ASLR, hip openers etc...

Chin-ups were good - felt the surgical site a bit (small burning sensation I was warned about by the Dr.) but after the first set felt really good.

Stretching felt great as well and Club Swinging.

A little Sunday training...

Mobility prep - hip openers, Brettzel

16 kg ASLR and Shoulder openers

16 kg Get-ups x 3+3, 2+2, 1+1

16 kg One arm swings x 5 sets of 10+10

Club Swinging

Feeling good

Chugging along...

Feeling pretty good after yesterdays barbell experiment and hit a bit more today:

Club Swinging to begin...

A little ASLR and Brettzel

16 kg ASLR and Shoulder mobility drills

16 kg Get-ups 3 singles each side

16 kg 1/2 kneeling press x 2 sets of 5+5

16 kg Single leg deadlift x 5+5

16 kg Swings x 40, 40

(two arm x 10, Left x 10, Right x 10, Alternating x 10)

Lightyears away from where I've been but on the road back.

ASLR and SM is the best its ever been and I am intent on taking my time with the journey back to and beyond my previous training.

A little training today...

Yesterday I went through a bit of Get-up/Leg Raise/Shoulder mobility stuff then had to take care of a furnace/humidifier issue.

Also a good bit of club swinging...

Today:
ASLR, Shoulder Mobility 12 kg Get-up stuff
12 kg Get-up 3+3
Squat 135 x 3 sets of 3
DL 135 x 3 sets of 3
A smattering of pull-up stuff

I'm all about the stuff... ;-)

Couldn't help myself - had to get into a little squat and DL.
PL style squat and two sets sumo/one set conventional DL - very light but testing the water.
Moving well and feeling good

Interesting moment on TV...

I caught a bit of Fight Quest today (can't even remember the channel). Where two American fighters go around the world and train in various fighting styles. Today was an episode where they were in China (i think) learning a bit of the Wushu style.

Two great moments - one of the fighters went to a temple to live with and train with the Monks and about 30 seconds into training with the Master he "uncovered" his inflexibility and he suffered greatly for it. (and he was very asymmetrical - right being much tighter)

Then when leaving the temple the Master told him (paraphrasing) "Kung fu does not matter - developing the spirit is what matters."

Now this went right over the head of the fighter who just wanted to "break peoples noses".

Just found it interesting...

*Added today - point being with the info above...

Mobility/flexibility is a foundation for whatever you do. Laying the foundation for your training (whatever that is...) is important.

A busy few days...

My good friends Jeff O'Connor and Mark Cheng were in town to film a new DVD project.

Advanced Progressions on the Kettlebells from the Ground Up Get-up - Answering questions on and a review of the Kalos Sthenos Get-up (including the origins of the High Bridge), Set up strategies, Hip/ASLR progressions, Shoulder mobility progressions, Stability and Half Kneeling progressions. In other words, a LOT of material and very useful information.

In working on the Progressions covered in the DVD I have already taken my ASLR to a 3/3 and my Shoulder Mobility to a 3/3 for the first time ever. And I have been worked over by these progressions using an 8 and 12 kg KB.

It will take a few months for post production but I will announce when the DVD is ready.

A "real" training session...

I've been "training" some for the past few weeks but had my first what I would consider "real" training session today:

Step #1 from CC Hanging Leg Raise progression x 20, 20, 12

Club Swinging

8Kg Get-ups x 5 singles each side (continuous)

Club Swinging

8Kg Single Leg Deadlift x 5+5, 5+5

Club Swinging

(some hip opening stretches in there as well)

Obviously a lot of work to do on the HLR progressions from CC but its a start - especially post hernia repair.

Right hip feel better than it has in - well... forever. Always had to fight very hard to do a good SLDL on the right side but today was way easier and smoother.

Club Swinging is feeling great. I learn every time I swing the Clubs.

Yes - I did "test" my movements today as described in yesterdays blog.

Grooving the Club Swinging...and a shout out to Adam Glass...

And a Cat picture since those seem to more popular than my training advice at the moment...

Adam Glass has been talking quite a bit about what he is calling Biofeedback in training - basically "testing" a movement to see how your body responds to it. Taking the toe touch as an example - measure or gauge your toe touch before you try a movement - lets say a "squat" (any squat) - then perform a few squats and then retest your toe touch.

Did it get better or stay the same or maybe even get worse?

If better - that is a good movement to train for today

If same - keep looking for a movement that does make a difference

If Worse - do not perform that movement today

Simple right?

Well - I teach this concept all over the world as a way to make sure the corrective strategy you are using to help correct a movement pattern is actually a good corrective drill.

Do a t-spine rotation then re-test the Shoulder mobility screen - better = keep the drill, no difference or worse = try another drill.

Applying this strategy to exercises is the next logical step and it was Adam that took that step.

For myself my ASLR (active straight leg raise) is usually an "issue" so during my club swinging practice today I test various Club Swinging postures and movements against my ASLR and found some interesting results.

There are two postures my body "liked" and one that didn't do a thing for me and only one Club Swinging movement that didn't improve my ASLR. What postures and movements? You'll have to wait for the Club Swinging Essentials product!

The link to Adam's blog is below - I recommend you check it out.

2009 Wrap up and looking forward to 2010

2009 was a very busy year:

27 trips total - taking me to Amsterdam (twice), Budapest (twice), Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Canada, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Connecticut, Kansas, West Virginia, New York, Philly, San Diego, Providence, Long Beach, Orlando, Ohio (twice), Minneapolis (a few times of course), Virginia, D.C, and a couple of others...Plus getting married (short honeymoon), surgery (and pulmonary embolism). Filmed 2 more projects - Club Swinging Essentials and Kettlebells From the Center - with Gray Cook. Writing the manuals to accompany these products has consumed the end of the year.

Mistakes of 2009 -

Training wise I made quite a few mistakes: 1) Travel issues - I let travel knock me out of any sensible training schedule - this simply will not do!, 2) Lack of direct "Core" work - now later in the year when the Hernia was in full effect there wasn't much I could do about this one but I certainly think it was an issue overall - so Hanging Leg Raises, Jandas etc... will be a consistent part of my routines this year (Convict Conditioning and BPA) in addition to the Reflexive Core Training in FMS, 3) I let go of any Max strength work - deadlifts and squats will return to the program as will pull-ups/chin-ups, 4) Bending & gripping work will be back in 2010.

Travel is an issue I need to deal with much better and I am taking more control over it is 2010.

Looking forward to 2010 -

Travel - I have about 4 workshop openings left for 2010 and it is January 1st. So I may actually start to schedule things for 2011.

Writing - the CK-FMS manual is next on the list after the manuals for Club Swinging and KBs from the Center are done and I am thinking that my own book has waited long enough.

Training - Obviously as noted above there were quite a few mistakes last year but I have to "make haste slowly" as I return to my training. Get-ups and Swings will be the starting point.

So lets get out there and make 2010 a great year!

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