I get questions and feed back about Crossift fairly regurlarly. The most recent was about their new program to raise funds to incorporate Crossfit Marine-wide. I'm not sure I could support something that has more potential to hurt our front-liners than truly benefit them for the long run.
When implemented intelligently and appropriately, any program can be successful and create results.
The one thing Crossfit does do well, is build a sense of esprit de corps by surviving and competing within group workouts.
My rub with Crossfit is, I've heard more stories about people getting injured from lack of proper preparation and introduction into the program than people sticking with it over the course of a year plus.
The quality of a program is told by the duration, lack of (or reduction in) injury, and quality of life improvement of the individuals of the program, not necessarily the program as a whole or how it looks on paper.
With anything fitness, if you have good marketing, you can literally sell anything. I just saw a dumbbell that you shake back and forth to "get fit" at Target. People will buy anything if it pulls at their hope to be better than who they currently are. The hard and fast truth about the fitness industy is that it is a business... Every business purpose is to make money. Think about that before you buy and/or buy into ANYTHING. The guy that put it on the shelf wants your MONEY, not for you to be healthier. The true sign of quality merchandise is its sustainability, will you be able to use that workout tool and its prescribed program for the rest of your life?
The crossfit approach is a jack of all trades master of none. I met a girl that worked for their corporate office that said "Crossfit bastardizes everything and we know it." It mixes Olympic style lifts, body weight drills, and even kettlebells into most to all workouts. You are scheduled to do unhealthy amounts of reps with equipment you're not familiar with and drills you may have never done before, in a close space with a bunch of other people that don't know what's going on either. Often your preparation for the unfamiliar drills and equipment is a quick five minute introduction just before the workout. That's safe and responsible- NOT! Granted, it will get you "results" fast because your body's never moved like this, under this load, and certainly not for this amount of time. That's the short-lived upside.
The long-term down side is, once you get injured, you're immediately out and you deal with that, possibly avoidable, injury for the rest of your life. As Crossfit spreads like wildfire at bases stateside and overseas, permanent injury from a silly workout is not something our boys need to worry about in the AOR.
There are a few, very few, Crossfit gyms that implement intelligently. One I know of in particular is "The Pound" in Plano, under Troy Dodson. He's a very well educated movement coach and has been taught to know when to put on the breaks or take off the breaks. I'd look to him as a reference of form, workouts, etc.
Train smart. Train for the duration of your lifetime. Your goal shouldn't be to look good now, it should be to look good up until the day you die. Your death shouldn't be long, painful, or burdensome. You should live your life, long and full, up to the day you die, then drop dead.
30 November 2009
26 November 2009
A rambling by an AF wifey ;)
If you're a loyal reader of my blog, you know that I'm an Army brat (my dad is in fact still "in")and that I'm a proud Air Force wife...a Cop's wife at that. These military communities do an excellent job of helping one understand how and what to be grateful for, on any given day, none in particular. Too often we are separated from extended family and even immediate family during the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and any other day of the year. It may be as little as a three-day TDY to Florida or Alabama, or Texas, or as long as a year-long overseas deployment (with true return date: TBD).
This is life. This is our life: Coping with being lonely. Learning how to be alone. Understanding how a missed call really does feel like the end of the world (that make-you-want-to-vomit-and-crawl-into-a-hole-until-it-rings-again-feeling). Knowing just how busy to stay. Being comforted that your friends can empathize with the pre-, during, and post-deployment phases.
This is life. This is our life: Coping with being lonely. Learning how to be alone. Understanding how a missed call really does feel like the end of the world (that make-you-want-to-vomit-and-crawl-into-a-hole-until-it-rings-again-feeling). Knowing just how busy to stay. Being comforted that your friends can empathize with the pre-, during, and post-deployment phases.
We deal with the same day-to-day frustrations as those outside the gates; dead car batteries, finding a sitter, meeting the daily grind. But we also elbow and fight our way through the nuances only experienced by our fellow "dependants." (Like ER not really standing for anything related to an emergency.) :/
Our life has perfected the definition of uncertainty and the "hurry up and wait" method. We're all riding the tidal wave together. We've learned how to balance atop it, or otherwise get beaten down and sucked into the undertow.
We look forward to and are anxious about reunions...Have I changed? Has he changed? Will they remember me? Will I fit in again or will I be in the way?
Being a military family is to be in the heart and mind of a beast; moving and living inside it everyday, but never truly knowing his next move, what he's thinking, or just how powerful yet vulnerable that beast is. When compared to someone's life on the outside, it's quickly realized that life, this life, is anything but normal. We just do a good job of making it appear that way.
I am humbled daily by the kids, men, and women that live and survive this life. It's not for the faint of heart.
I have a great appreciation for life on both sides of the fence... A life we each and all can do anything we want with, because of those that stand and do something for a greater good, for our-collective-own good. They come in young and are given great responsibilities. But every day is just another ordinary, average day for the camo-wearers of "this great nation." God bless'em, I cannot thank them enough.
24 November 2009
"He who treats the site of pain is lost"
-Neurologist Karel Lewit
The site of pain is simply the manifestation of compensation elsewhere in the body. It is an area that has been over worked to make up for the “laziness” of another area. If one joint area is working hard to make up for immobility of another, the over-worked and compensating joint will send distress signals to the CNS long before (if ever) the dormant joint will.
This is often misunderstood in current western medicine. Sample case: you have been "diagnosed" with a "rotator cuff" injury. You go to the hospital, fill out a form you already have the two previous times you've been there, sit in the waiting area for a good 30-45 minutes after your actual appointment time, are ushered to another- albeit smaller- waiting room, wait there for at least another 10-30 minutes, a nurse or tech comes in to take your blood pressure (sometimes he or she will talk to you but usually just a 'hi how are ya') she leaves, you wait another 10 or so minutes in that frigid and sterile room before the doc blows in like a tornado (because he has better things to do than see you), asks ' does this hurt? does that hurt?' says 'um, hm' and scribbles a note that you need to see a "therapist," before you get to ask anything, he's out the door. You think, 'what just happened' then gather yourself and mope out the door to the receptionist who couldn't possibly be more annoyed at you or the twelve screaming kids in the 40 minute waiting room behind you. Successful trip, right? Right.
Up to three weeks later, you see a "specialist." More waiting, but perhaps not as long as the previous doc. He torques your "injured rotator cuff" this way and that, shocks it, heats it, freezes it, laods it, basically confuses it as much as you are, because aren't you paying him to make it feel better and less painful??? He says, 'um hm. You're going to have to come back a few more times.' It's now your job to take care of the follow-up(s)...how many? Who knows? Not even the doc. If he's got a new boat or a kid in braces or college, it may be quite a few more times, if not indefinitely. You still have no idea what exactly is hurt or is going on in your shoulder. However, you do feel...worse. Oh, let's not forget the infamous rotator cuff homework, so you can torture yourself in between those expensive and non-productive appointments. You start the homework, but never get through all the drills because...it hurts.
Congratulations, you're helping your shoulder solidify painful movement. Actually, you're teaching yourself to move in pain. Remember-the brain wires what it does. Practicing moving in pain = wiring for painful movement. How is your brain supposed to learn to move your shoulder without pain if all you do is teach yourself that moving your shoulder is painful? The signal "That hurts" gets reinforced and your shoulder never gets better...even decades down the line you're still complaining of that old rotator cuff injury. I doubt that 10 years down the road your rotator cuff is still injured. The tissues have in fact healed, however the pain signal is still firing...because that is what you taught yourself! The pain signal was solidified during all those reps of seeing the therapist and during your homework drills.
What's the answer? Save your money. Heal yourself: move what you can, in as full range of motion as possible, without moving into pain! This approach will allow the tissues to heal, but not cut off movement signals between the painful area and the brain, and will eventually take the breaks off completely. The healing time will be much less than going to see a doc and your chances of resuming full, normal movement will be significantly better. If you move what you can, in as many different directions as possible, without moving into pain, you are re-teaching the brain to wire non-painful movement for the affected area.
Don't limit your focus to the site of pain, move all the other joints across your body as well. Because of the way or bodies are designed and move, movement across the body causes a chain reaction of actual movement and movement mapping in the brain, in areas of the body you think aren't moving or can't move. That's right, if you didn't already know it, "the leg bone is connected to the hip bone, the hip bone is connected to the pelvic bones, the pelvic bones are connected to the spinal bones"...Surprise! You're all one piece. What you do at one end of the chain has an impact up and across the entire chain.
The site of pain is simply the manifestation of compensation elsewhere in the body. It is an area that has been over worked to make up for the “laziness” of another area. If one joint area is working hard to make up for immobility of another, the over-worked and compensating joint will send distress signals to the CNS long before (if ever) the dormant joint will.
This is often misunderstood in current western medicine. Sample case: you have been "diagnosed" with a "rotator cuff" injury. You go to the hospital, fill out a form you already have the two previous times you've been there, sit in the waiting area for a good 30-45 minutes after your actual appointment time, are ushered to another- albeit smaller- waiting room, wait there for at least another 10-30 minutes, a nurse or tech comes in to take your blood pressure (sometimes he or she will talk to you but usually just a 'hi how are ya') she leaves, you wait another 10 or so minutes in that frigid and sterile room before the doc blows in like a tornado (because he has better things to do than see you), asks ' does this hurt? does that hurt?' says 'um, hm' and scribbles a note that you need to see a "therapist," before you get to ask anything, he's out the door. You think, 'what just happened' then gather yourself and mope out the door to the receptionist who couldn't possibly be more annoyed at you or the twelve screaming kids in the 40 minute waiting room behind you. Successful trip, right? Right.
Up to three weeks later, you see a "specialist." More waiting, but perhaps not as long as the previous doc. He torques your "injured rotator cuff" this way and that, shocks it, heats it, freezes it, laods it, basically confuses it as much as you are, because aren't you paying him to make it feel better and less painful??? He says, 'um hm. You're going to have to come back a few more times.' It's now your job to take care of the follow-up(s)...how many? Who knows? Not even the doc. If he's got a new boat or a kid in braces or college, it may be quite a few more times, if not indefinitely. You still have no idea what exactly is hurt or is going on in your shoulder. However, you do feel...worse. Oh, let's not forget the infamous rotator cuff homework, so you can torture yourself in between those expensive and non-productive appointments. You start the homework, but never get through all the drills because...it hurts.
Congratulations, you're helping your shoulder solidify painful movement. Actually, you're teaching yourself to move in pain. Remember-the brain wires what it does. Practicing moving in pain = wiring for painful movement. How is your brain supposed to learn to move your shoulder without pain if all you do is teach yourself that moving your shoulder is painful? The signal "That hurts" gets reinforced and your shoulder never gets better...even decades down the line you're still complaining of that old rotator cuff injury. I doubt that 10 years down the road your rotator cuff is still injured. The tissues have in fact healed, however the pain signal is still firing...because that is what you taught yourself! The pain signal was solidified during all those reps of seeing the therapist and during your homework drills.
"He who treats the site of pain is lost."
What's the answer? Save your money. Heal yourself: move what you can, in as full range of motion as possible, without moving into pain! This approach will allow the tissues to heal, but not cut off movement signals between the painful area and the brain, and will eventually take the breaks off completely. The healing time will be much less than going to see a doc and your chances of resuming full, normal movement will be significantly better. If you move what you can, in as many different directions as possible, without moving into pain, you are re-teaching the brain to wire non-painful movement for the affected area.
Don't limit your focus to the site of pain, move all the other joints across your body as well. Because of the way or bodies are designed and move, movement across the body causes a chain reaction of actual movement and movement mapping in the brain, in areas of the body you think aren't moving or can't move. That's right, if you didn't already know it, "the leg bone is connected to the hip bone, the hip bone is connected to the pelvic bones, the pelvic bones are connected to the spinal bones"...Surprise! You're all one piece. What you do at one end of the chain has an impact up and across the entire chain.
17 November 2009
What is the basis of Z-Health?
For optimal accelerated results in decreasing pain, changing body composition, preventing injury, and enhancing performance for an athlete, a coach must first never underestimate the power of an individual’s nervous system. Neurology varies among and within individuals and therefore should be the primary focus of manipulation for physical modification. The Central Nervous System’s (CNS) top priority is an individual’s survival. This means of survival does not come without cost however. The Central Nervous System interprets and adapts to survival threats as compensations. These adaptations and compensations are the basis of Z-Health Principles: Proprioception, Efficiency, Arthrokenetic Reflex, SAID, and Wolf’s Law. The principles are interrelated, effecting individual structure and consequently function.
Proprioception, the brain’s 3-D map for an individual, is enhanced or inhibited by past experiences of success or pain. Protection from pain is top priority for the nervous system. Consequently, the body responds to pain as a threat. Any and all threats are responded to equally (the CNS has no “threat gage”). The body also seeks the path of least resistance at any cost for mobilization. The path of least resistance becomes inherently interpreted as efficient movement, and because the “body always adapts to exactly what it does,” (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand Principle) the body will develop compensations. Pain and efficiency continually transform the proprioceptive map to develop SAID compensations.
Compensations present as Wolf’s Law and the Arthrokenetic Reflex. The body lies down excessive tissues (indeterminate of threat) under lines of constant stress, Wolf’s Law defined, e.g. heel spurs due to repetitive heavy heel strikes. Due to constant heavy heel strike and the consequent jammed heel joint, the individual will shut down communication to the hamstring. This is defined as the Arthrokenetic Reflex: Jammed joints create weak muscles. Conversely, open mobile joints creates strong muscles.
If an athlete continually works to re-wire the once painful interpretation as safe, through quality R-Phase drills, the adaptation will then produce a new SAID. Consequently the individual’s structure will follow the new safe function, resulting in effective efficient mobility.
Proprioception, the brain’s 3-D map for an individual, is enhanced or inhibited by past experiences of success or pain. Protection from pain is top priority for the nervous system. Consequently, the body responds to pain as a threat. Any and all threats are responded to equally (the CNS has no “threat gage”). The body also seeks the path of least resistance at any cost for mobilization. The path of least resistance becomes inherently interpreted as efficient movement, and because the “body always adapts to exactly what it does,” (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand Principle) the body will develop compensations. Pain and efficiency continually transform the proprioceptive map to develop SAID compensations.
Compensations present as Wolf’s Law and the Arthrokenetic Reflex. The body lies down excessive tissues (indeterminate of threat) under lines of constant stress, Wolf’s Law defined, e.g. heel spurs due to repetitive heavy heel strikes. Due to constant heavy heel strike and the consequent jammed heel joint, the individual will shut down communication to the hamstring. This is defined as the Arthrokenetic Reflex: Jammed joints create weak muscles. Conversely, open mobile joints creates strong muscles.
If an athlete continually works to re-wire the once painful interpretation as safe, through quality R-Phase drills, the adaptation will then produce a new SAID. Consequently the individual’s structure will follow the new safe function, resulting in effective efficient mobility.
16 November 2009
Praise for Strength by Sara Workshops
Nov 7 Gainesville, FL Feedback:
1. What did you like most about this workshop?
"Getting to know a senior & Z-Health"
"Clear, concise explanations & demos"
"[Learning] different ways to describe the process of kettlebell moves helped me improve and will help with future clients..."
"Learning level II [RKC] moves and I LOVE that [it] was [a] small [group]. I didn't feel lost in the crowd."
"Adding more skills to my 'newbie' kettlebell learning. Most excellent to have the only female SrRKC come to Gainesville!"
"Z-Health & Level II skills...small size [of the group]."
2. What did you like least about the workshop?
"[I] would never say 'like least' but some of the movements are beyond my current skill level. But it is great to be exposed...makes me want to continue!"
*This question was left blank on many to all forms
3. What was the most valuable information provided?
"I did a weighted get-up!"
Pistol cues
"The Z. Re-teaching of technique."
"The Z neuro info & demo"
"Introduced me to Z-Health and showed me new kettlebell moves I can implement" "Simple cues to help my clients & being evaluated by more experienced RKCs."
4. What three words best describe this workshop?
"Awesome, Informative, Makes me want to continue"
"Great, Full, Informative."
"Very, Very Informative."
"Excellent, Clear, Challenging"
"Improvement, Integrity, Rewire"
"Intimate, Informative, Friendly, Non-Intimidating."
On a scale of one to five, please rate the following
(1=Strongly Disagree. 2=Disagree. 3=Neither Agree/Disagree. 4=Agree. 5=Strongly Agree.)
I would recommend friends & family attend a future Strength by Sara Workshop:
All but one replied with "5," that one replied with "4."
This workshop exceed my expectations:
All replied with "5."
The presenters messages were communicated clearly & effectively
(Fellow RKC Jennifer Bryan taught the snatch. Fellow RKC Tim Shuman taught the Bent Press):
All but one replied with "5," that one replied with "4."
Sufficient Time was allotted for training activities:
All but two replied with "5," those two replied with "4" (one noting more time was needed on Clean & Jerk. Note: The Clean & Jerk was not a part of the agenda. I slipped it in at the end because we had a little bit of time to introduce it.)
This Strength by Sara workshop was useful:
All replied with "5."
I would attend a future Red Star Athletics workshop:
All replied with "5."
A recent e-mail regarding the workshop I did in Chico, CA on 4 Oct:
"I really enjoyed the workshop you put on for us in Chico. I use many of the joint mobility exercises you taught us every day. Many of my running friends have expressed an interest in perhaps doing a class. I learned so much that afternoon and am so thankful not only for what I learned but for what I've been able to help some of my friends with since your class.Thank you again." -Tina
When is the next Red Star Athletics: Strength by Sara workshop you can attend?
Join RKC II Karen Smith and me at her studio in Virginia Beach, VA in December!
Sign-up through http://www.kettlebell-elite.com/ or e-mail me to reserve your spot: SaraCheatham@hotmail.com
1. What did you like most about this workshop?
"Getting to know a senior & Z-Health"
"Clear, concise explanations & demos"
"[Learning] different ways to describe the process of kettlebell moves helped me improve and will help with future clients..."
"Learning level II [RKC] moves and I LOVE that [it] was [a] small [group]. I didn't feel lost in the crowd."
"Adding more skills to my 'newbie' kettlebell learning. Most excellent to have the only female SrRKC come to Gainesville!"
"Z-Health & Level II skills...small size [of the group]."
2. What did you like least about the workshop?
"[I] would never say 'like least' but some of the movements are beyond my current skill level. But it is great to be exposed...makes me want to continue!"
*This question was left blank on many to all forms
3. What was the most valuable information provided?
"I did a weighted get-up!"
Pistol cues
"The Z. Re-teaching of technique."
"The Z neuro info & demo"
"Introduced me to Z-Health and showed me new kettlebell moves I can implement" "Simple cues to help my clients & being evaluated by more experienced RKCs."
4. What three words best describe this workshop?
"Awesome, Informative, Makes me want to continue"
"Great, Full, Informative."
"Very, Very Informative."
"Excellent, Clear, Challenging"
"Improvement, Integrity, Rewire"
"Intimate, Informative, Friendly, Non-Intimidating."
On a scale of one to five, please rate the following
(1=Strongly Disagree. 2=Disagree. 3=Neither Agree/Disagree. 4=Agree. 5=Strongly Agree.)
I would recommend friends & family attend a future Strength by Sara Workshop:
All but one replied with "5," that one replied with "4."
This workshop exceed my expectations:
All replied with "5."
The presenters messages were communicated clearly & effectively
(Fellow RKC Jennifer Bryan taught the snatch. Fellow RKC Tim Shuman taught the Bent Press):
All but one replied with "5," that one replied with "4."
Sufficient Time was allotted for training activities:
All but two replied with "5," those two replied with "4" (one noting more time was needed on Clean & Jerk. Note: The Clean & Jerk was not a part of the agenda. I slipped it in at the end because we had a little bit of time to introduce it.)
This Strength by Sara workshop was useful:
All replied with "5."
I would attend a future Red Star Athletics workshop:
All replied with "5."
A recent e-mail regarding the workshop I did in Chico, CA on 4 Oct:
"I really enjoyed the workshop you put on for us in Chico. I use many of the joint mobility exercises you taught us every day. Many of my running friends have expressed an interest in perhaps doing a class. I learned so much that afternoon and am so thankful not only for what I learned but for what I've been able to help some of my friends with since your class.Thank you again." -Tina
When is the next Red Star Athletics: Strength by Sara workshop you can attend?
Join RKC II Karen Smith and me at her studio in Virginia Beach, VA in December!
Sign-up through http://www.kettlebell-elite.com/ or e-mail me to reserve your spot: SaraCheatham@hotmail.com
11 November 2009
Thank a Vet. Hug a Vet.
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag." (unknown)
10 November 2009
09 November 2009
Review for Ginnie Springs Workshop
Information-packed Workshop! Review Rating: 10
This weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting Sara for a day-long workshop covering both kettlebells and Z-health. I cannot speak highly enough of her in every regard. She is professional, caring, knowledgeable, hardworking, and inspiring. For almost 8 hours, she broke down basic and advanced kettlebell exercises and interspersed pearls of neurophysiologic wisdom, managing all the while to maintain a smile and wonderful attitude. I look forward to my next opportunity to learn from her.
Thank you Jennifer! We had a great time and the weather was perfect!
06 November 2009
Red Star Workshop TOMORROW! Register NOW!
Join Z-Health Instructor and the only female Senior RKC,
Sara Cheatham
Sara Cheatham
for an 8-hour kettlebell workshop
hosted by Jennifer Bryan, RKC
hosted by Jennifer Bryan, RKC
November 7, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Join us for a day of learning and camaraderie in beautiful north central Florida on the banks of the Sante Fe River at Ginnie Springs Outdoors.
http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/
http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/
We will spend the first half of the day covering the basics: swings, get-ups, cleans, and presses.
After lunch, we will address the squat and snatch and cover the more advanced skills of the windmill, bent press, and pistol.
Throughout the day, Sara will share her Z-Health wisdom, covering the importance of the Z-Health Joint Mobility Neural Warm-up and Pavel's 3S's for Squatting deeper, stretching further, and recover faster.
We will finish off the day with a workout you can easily implement into your current routine followed by spring-side cookout and camp fire.
Whole day (including the cookout)..... $175
To join us only for a Half-day..... $150
To join us only for a Half-day..... $150
FREE copy of Sara's latest dvd: Strength by Sara to the first 5 paid attendees.
FREE copies of Sara's latest e-book: Strength by Sara to paid attendees 6-10.
FREE copies of Sara's latest e-book: Strength by Sara to paid attendees 6-10.
Limited to 15 participants
05 November 2009
Herschel Walker Visits Pope AFB...at no cost
One of the very cool things about being military is this little thing civilians may not know about: "MWR." MWR stands for moral, welfare, and recreation. Usually military pays big bucks to get folks to entertain the troops, come out for a book signing, or boost moral overseas (think Bob Hope). But one Mr. Walker took not a penny of MWR funding to show up and speak at our po-dunk Community Center today. What would a Heisman trophy winner, Olympian, and former Viking, Cowboy, and Eagle football player have to speak about? Not what you're thinking...
Unfortunately, with the current high-pace of war (referred to as "ops tempo"), comes a backlash of mental disturbances, violence, and inability to digest the gravity of what all comes with war. I've heard troops express not feeling that their lives are worthwhile after seeing life and conditions in the Middle East. They feel as though their time stateside is a waste and they can be serving a greater good fighting for freedom for those that can't fight for themselves; a heavy burden, nonetheless for someone fresh out of high school.
Many fighting spend their first years away from the security of home and parents training for war, and then deploying on a rotation. Meaning they deploy for four to 18 months, come home for four to six months, then train and deploy again. I just talked with a wife that said every time her husband deploys, comes home, then deploys again, she feels like he's pressing his luck. One, two, or three deployments is not uncommon....six to ten is becoming more common. Think of the stress that that not only puts on the young troop, but how that impacts his young wife and baby who left everything they knew in little town USA to move to another middle-of-nowhere little town USA.
The stigma of seeking help still haunts the military. It's seen as a sign of weakness. Not only that, but if an XO or shirt finds out, which is inevitable, then it's put in the troop's record, FOREVER hanging over him and potentially thwarting his advancement and future placement. Fortunately, the Air Force is doing something about that. Mental Health now offers FREE sessions with a MLFC for the troop, their spouse, and even their dependants. MLFC stands for Military & Family Life Consultant. They are graduate level civilians that rotate through about every 12 or 16 weeks. They keep no record of what is talked about in the session(s). They simply listen and provide guidance, with no detrimental impact to the Airman's career...the commander and shirt don't get informed. (Homicidal, Suicidal, and abusive tendencies are disclosed for their protection, however).
So now you may have a better idea of what Mr. Herschel Walker spoke about at Pope. He was faced with DID: "Dissociative Identity Disorder," or in his words, multiple personalities. As a young boy Herschel was harshly picked on and often beat-up for his chubby appearance and embarrassing stutter. He describes himself as an outsider, put in the corner during class for being "special." Before ninth grade, he decided he wasn't going to be any one's punching bag anymore and dedicated himself to getting both smart and tough. This, he explains, is when the meek and weak Herschel exits and the no one will get anything over on me again-ever Herschel enters. He describes personalities wanting to kill, maim, and hurt others for disrespecting him, bouts of violence toward his wife that he can't remember, the football player, the ballet dancer, the classic devil and angel....
He did admit himself to therapy, or rather as he put it,"pretended" to attend therapy. Then, after jotting down defensive notes about others bearing their souls, realized he needed to face the truth and do the same himself. This is when it appears God plays a bigger role in his life. Describing the path and light God has for each of us, but we get distracted and wander off that path.
I've never been a religious person. I've considered myself more spiritual. But when the men in your family, that you love more than your own life, go to foreign lands and fight ruthless, heartless, bastards, and you don't hear from these men you love for long days and even longer nights- you pray. You seek God. A funny thing Herschel Walker mentioned in the briefing today was a scene from Forrest Gump: Forrest is in the hospital after getting shot and a man with no legs asks him if he's found God. Forrest responds with, "Well I didn't know he was missing." When someone you love deploys, you realize quickly something important has been missing: faith.
Something we all need, so much so that it's wired in our primitive DNA, is to know we are not alone. We NEED to be connected and to feel we are a part of a society. We need faith. Whether that faith lies in God or someone you care about and love, or your community, we need the security of knowing we are not alone.
It's tough when you're a young troop or young spouse new to the indescribable inner workings of military life. Things are made harder when you feel like you're the only one having extreme thoughts. Herschel Walker came out on his own time to say, Hey, You're not alone. You don't have to go at it alone. There are people willing, able, and ready to help you. They have faith in you. But, you have to seek that faith and get on the path that guides you to your light, to what you are meant to be and do, to be your best.
The Difference is in the Details
That difference can affect progress, goals, and may mean the difference in a trip to the ER or making substantial gains. You cannot make dramatic gains or progress if you are hurt from sloppy form. In fact, getting hurt means significant training set-backs.
Perfect practice is the only way to train if you want to make serious gains- fast.
Doing things correctly in the beginning pays off big in the long run. Learning all the details is time consuming and requires concentration.
Although the swing is the most basic kettlebell drill, it is one of the most technical. If you execute a smooth and simple looking swing, you are practicing all the details necessary to do so. It is not until the new girevik picks up the bell and attempts his first swing that he realizes how truly complex it is.
Get down the basics; wire your system to do things right from the beginning and you will do nothing but progress in your training.
If you are training lighter in the beginning to focus on form, treat the weight as though it is heavy. Then, when you progress to the heavier weight, your form will hold up under pressure.
Beginner kettlebellers make ten basic mistakes. All the errors can be fixed with a few simple corrections. Correcting what may seem like minor details in the beginning, but again, will save a lot of time and pain in the long run. Bypassing the details in the beginning, is asking for pain in the end.
Ten most common kettlebeller mistakes:
Bent wrists
Bent elbows in overhead drills
Disconnected shoulders on swings and snatches
Shrugged shoulders
Wide-arc cleans
Incomplete hip snap
Rounded back
Weight on the toes
Incorrect weight distribution in Windmills
Wrist banging
Bent Wrists:
When the wrist is hyper-extended (bent back), a lot of stress is put on the corresponding joints & connective tissues, as well as the vital nerves (radial, ulnar, median- specifically) feeding the lower arm and hand. This not only makes your lifts weaker, but is often the culprit of numbness resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome outside of training.
Straight wrists are one of the most overlooked, yet significantly compounding, and easiest corrections to make. Make sure your wrists are straight in all lifts, including overhead squats, snatches, cleans, presses, and get-ups. Video yourself or have a trusted training partner correct your form.
A straight wrist is more than a minor detail.
Bent Elbows:
It is ignorant to maintain the old school thinking of avoiding joint lockout. If you lock-out your joints in an unexpected real-life situation, and have not practiced it, the joint will be compromised, i.e. hyperextend, blow-out, damaged, etc.
If you cannot bring the bell into final alignment with your elbow locked and without pain or compromising other areas of proper form, see a chiropractor. You may have bigger issues than an uncooperative elbow: Such as compressed cervical or thoracic nerves that feed the arms, or other unknown, seemingly unrelated, structural issues.
The elbow should lockout at the top of presses, snatches, and get-ups. The get-up is a great drill to re-wire proper elbow lockout for all overhead drills. Most beginners have never seen anything resembling a get-up. Breaking down the movements into smaller fragments is often more manageable. The get-up sit-up, or half-get-up, is a respectable place to start:
As a beginner, practice looking up toward the bell when performing the get-up sit-up
o This will give you a clearer understanding of where the bell is during your movement
o It also allows you to see if you need to get out of the way of your falling bell
o It helps keep the wrist in check as well, because it’s in your line of sight
The other arm should begin at a 45º angle, lying by the corresponding side
Use your breath to help initiate the sit-up
o Take in a quick sniff through the nose
o Hold it as you pop up off the ground
o Exhale upon the full sit-up position
Use the unloaded arm to also help you pop-up
Slowly and under control, lower yourself to the lying position
Check the wrist, elbow, and shoulder through the duration of this drill
Disconnected Shoulder:
A disconnected shoulder is a major pitfall of beginners and sometimes longer term kettlebell lifters. If the lifter is not in control of the bell, or if it is swaying wildly, it’s a good indicator of a disconnected shoulder. If the shoulder is not properly “sucked in,” one faces not only potential shoulder damage, but also unnecessary back and neck strain.
To learn what a “sucked in” shoulder should feel like, practice the following drill:
1. Lie supine on the floor with one arm lifted up toward the ceiling
2. Have a partner gently pull on the lifted arm
Your arm will be pulled away from your body if it is disconnected, (or not sucked in).
3. Correct this issue by bringing the shoulder down and into your body by engaging the armpit muscles
This movement will engage more musculature, which will help stabilize the rotator cuff
4. Perform the partner drill again, but this time with the shoulder down and in, meaning you “put your shoulder blade in your back pocket.”
Executed properly, your entire body should lift off of the ground as one unit.
Mimic this feeling during the swing to protect the shoulders and the back
Mimic this drill in overhead lockouts and get-ups
Shrugged Shoulders:
The temptation to let the shoulders creep up is very common and again, is asking for injury. Shrugged shoulders occur during presses, get-ups, snatches, cleans, and deadlifts, among several other drills. Not only does it look inefficient, it can cause serious nerve damage and consequently the opposite of the drill’s intentions, (read: high, shrugged shoulders make your presses, get-ups, snatches, cleans, deadlifts, etc weaker).
Pinching the shoulder blades together and sticking out your chest is the old school and, unfortunately, misdirected approach to correcting high shoulder carriage. It does not correct the true movement inconsistency, which is spinal alignment. You read correctly: shrugged shoulders have more to do with the spine than the shoulders. Often with proper spinal alignment, both the shoulder and elbow align properly as well. Improper shoulder carriage is the messenger of spinal mobility deficiencies.
Use proper posture during every kettlebell drill to avoid damage:
Extend (reach in front of you) through the sternum (breast bone) to properly align the shoulders
Keep your shoulders as far away from your ears as possible
Elongate, or stretch yourself, up to the ceiling through the top and center of your head
Lengthen yourself from tail to crown (create space throughout the length of the spine)
When standing, push straight down into the ground below you
When seated, maintain a neutral pelvis and lengthen from the tailbone
Wide Arc:
Another basic drill that is literally painful for beginners is the clean. First and foremost:
DO NOT OVER THINK THE CLEAN.
If you do, you will bang your forearms every time. The bell MUST remain as close as possible to the body when cleaning. The further the bell gets from your body, the wider its arc, and the more momentum it can pick up. Remember Newton’s Law: Force equals mass times acceleration (F=Ma). This translates to more energy transferred into your forearm or shoulder upon contact because the bell gains acceleration in a wide arc.
Read, then re-read, the following cues if you continue to bang your wrists or shoulders in cleaning:
Pin your forearm to your side and keep it there throughout clean execution
o Keep the bell as close to your body as possible throughout the movement
o Do this and you won’t torque your shoulders or elbows, and you won’t bang your forearms
Do not overdrive the hips or snap them as forcefully as you would in the swing
Do not overdrive with the hips either:
o Give the bell just enough energy to get to the ‘v’ of your forearm and upper arm.
Clean to your waist, not your shoulder.
When the bell reaches navel level, give it a quick pull toward you then immediately release your grip and punch through the handle
o The same pull-punch/loosen grip prevents wrist banging in the snatch as well
Anticipate the impact of the bell by getting the abdomen rigid to absorb the energy
o Do not shrug your shoulder up in anticipation for the bell’s “hit”
o Meet your body to the bell, do not wait for it to come to you
If you aren’t training for a particular event, it is okay to keep your clean repetitions low
Incomplete Hip Snap:
This is where most new kettlebellers get frustrated and confused. The swing is the best drill for teaching hip drive.
Avoid the temptation to use your arms to muscle the weight up in a swing
o Your arms should simply be a connection from your body to the bell
o Keep the shoulders down and in their sockets as you learn during the get-up sit-up drill from above
o Using the arms to pull up the bell is a sign that your glutes are being lazy, (consequently you are not fully extending the hips to snap up the bell to the front)
If you are having trouble taking your arms out of the equation, try the towel drill:
1. Loop a hand towel through the kettlebell handle
2. Turn the bell so the handle is facing front to back instead of the typical left to right
3. Grab the towel by either end with your thumbs pointing downward
4. Assume the starting swing position
5. Hike back the bell
6. As soon as the bell clears through your legs quickly snap it forward
If done correctly, you will launch the bell out in front and your arms, the towel, and the bell will form a straight line
7. Quickly throw the bell back between your legs to return to the hiked position and repeat
Don’t get concerned with the height of the bell
Get the hip snap down first and then start playing with height variations
Many new to kettlebell swings are also tempted to lean backward when trying to execute the hip snap. This is done in an attempt to get the bell up higher at the top of the swing (when the bell is snapped in front). Again, it is a sure sign that the glutes are being lazy and the hips are not fully extending.
Instead of leaning the upper body backward, visualize a straight line from your heels up through your legs and torso, and out the top of your head
Your body should form one straight line
Your arms and the bell should form another straight line
The explosive maneuver to snap the bell forward is just like a vertical jump, however you do not launch off the ground- use that energy to launch the bell instead
Squeezing the glutes hard at the top of the swing will save your back
Perfect practice is the only way to train if you want to make serious gains- fast.
Doing things correctly in the beginning pays off big in the long run. Learning all the details is time consuming and requires concentration.
Although the swing is the most basic kettlebell drill, it is one of the most technical. If you execute a smooth and simple looking swing, you are practicing all the details necessary to do so. It is not until the new girevik picks up the bell and attempts his first swing that he realizes how truly complex it is.
Get down the basics; wire your system to do things right from the beginning and you will do nothing but progress in your training.
If you are training lighter in the beginning to focus on form, treat the weight as though it is heavy. Then, when you progress to the heavier weight, your form will hold up under pressure.
Beginner kettlebellers make ten basic mistakes. All the errors can be fixed with a few simple corrections. Correcting what may seem like minor details in the beginning, but again, will save a lot of time and pain in the long run. Bypassing the details in the beginning, is asking for pain in the end.
Ten most common kettlebeller mistakes:
Bent wrists
Bent elbows in overhead drills
Disconnected shoulders on swings and snatches
Shrugged shoulders
Wide-arc cleans
Incomplete hip snap
Rounded back
Weight on the toes
Incorrect weight distribution in Windmills
Wrist banging
Bent Wrists:
When the wrist is hyper-extended (bent back), a lot of stress is put on the corresponding joints & connective tissues, as well as the vital nerves (radial, ulnar, median- specifically) feeding the lower arm and hand. This not only makes your lifts weaker, but is often the culprit of numbness resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome outside of training.
Straight wrists are one of the most overlooked, yet significantly compounding, and easiest corrections to make. Make sure your wrists are straight in all lifts, including overhead squats, snatches, cleans, presses, and get-ups. Video yourself or have a trusted training partner correct your form.
A straight wrist is more than a minor detail.
Bent Elbows:
It is ignorant to maintain the old school thinking of avoiding joint lockout. If you lock-out your joints in an unexpected real-life situation, and have not practiced it, the joint will be compromised, i.e. hyperextend, blow-out, damaged, etc.
If you cannot bring the bell into final alignment with your elbow locked and without pain or compromising other areas of proper form, see a chiropractor. You may have bigger issues than an uncooperative elbow: Such as compressed cervical or thoracic nerves that feed the arms, or other unknown, seemingly unrelated, structural issues.
The elbow should lockout at the top of presses, snatches, and get-ups. The get-up is a great drill to re-wire proper elbow lockout for all overhead drills. Most beginners have never seen anything resembling a get-up. Breaking down the movements into smaller fragments is often more manageable. The get-up sit-up, or half-get-up, is a respectable place to start:
As a beginner, practice looking up toward the bell when performing the get-up sit-up
o This will give you a clearer understanding of where the bell is during your movement
o It also allows you to see if you need to get out of the way of your falling bell
o It helps keep the wrist in check as well, because it’s in your line of sight
The other arm should begin at a 45º angle, lying by the corresponding side
Use your breath to help initiate the sit-up
o Take in a quick sniff through the nose
o Hold it as you pop up off the ground
o Exhale upon the full sit-up position
Use the unloaded arm to also help you pop-up
Slowly and under control, lower yourself to the lying position
Check the wrist, elbow, and shoulder through the duration of this drill
Disconnected Shoulder:
A disconnected shoulder is a major pitfall of beginners and sometimes longer term kettlebell lifters. If the lifter is not in control of the bell, or if it is swaying wildly, it’s a good indicator of a disconnected shoulder. If the shoulder is not properly “sucked in,” one faces not only potential shoulder damage, but also unnecessary back and neck strain.
To learn what a “sucked in” shoulder should feel like, practice the following drill:
1. Lie supine on the floor with one arm lifted up toward the ceiling
2. Have a partner gently pull on the lifted arm
Your arm will be pulled away from your body if it is disconnected, (or not sucked in).
3. Correct this issue by bringing the shoulder down and into your body by engaging the armpit muscles
This movement will engage more musculature, which will help stabilize the rotator cuff
4. Perform the partner drill again, but this time with the shoulder down and in, meaning you “put your shoulder blade in your back pocket.”
Executed properly, your entire body should lift off of the ground as one unit.
Mimic this feeling during the swing to protect the shoulders and the back
Mimic this drill in overhead lockouts and get-ups
Shrugged Shoulders:
The temptation to let the shoulders creep up is very common and again, is asking for injury. Shrugged shoulders occur during presses, get-ups, snatches, cleans, and deadlifts, among several other drills. Not only does it look inefficient, it can cause serious nerve damage and consequently the opposite of the drill’s intentions, (read: high, shrugged shoulders make your presses, get-ups, snatches, cleans, deadlifts, etc weaker).
Pinching the shoulder blades together and sticking out your chest is the old school and, unfortunately, misdirected approach to correcting high shoulder carriage. It does not correct the true movement inconsistency, which is spinal alignment. You read correctly: shrugged shoulders have more to do with the spine than the shoulders. Often with proper spinal alignment, both the shoulder and elbow align properly as well. Improper shoulder carriage is the messenger of spinal mobility deficiencies.
Use proper posture during every kettlebell drill to avoid damage:
Extend (reach in front of you) through the sternum (breast bone) to properly align the shoulders
Keep your shoulders as far away from your ears as possible
Elongate, or stretch yourself, up to the ceiling through the top and center of your head
Lengthen yourself from tail to crown (create space throughout the length of the spine)
When standing, push straight down into the ground below you
When seated, maintain a neutral pelvis and lengthen from the tailbone
Wide Arc:
Another basic drill that is literally painful for beginners is the clean. First and foremost:
DO NOT OVER THINK THE CLEAN.
If you do, you will bang your forearms every time. The bell MUST remain as close as possible to the body when cleaning. The further the bell gets from your body, the wider its arc, and the more momentum it can pick up. Remember Newton’s Law: Force equals mass times acceleration (F=Ma). This translates to more energy transferred into your forearm or shoulder upon contact because the bell gains acceleration in a wide arc.
Read, then re-read, the following cues if you continue to bang your wrists or shoulders in cleaning:
Pin your forearm to your side and keep it there throughout clean execution
o Keep the bell as close to your body as possible throughout the movement
o Do this and you won’t torque your shoulders or elbows, and you won’t bang your forearms
Do not overdrive the hips or snap them as forcefully as you would in the swing
Do not overdrive with the hips either:
o Give the bell just enough energy to get to the ‘v’ of your forearm and upper arm.
Clean to your waist, not your shoulder.
When the bell reaches navel level, give it a quick pull toward you then immediately release your grip and punch through the handle
o The same pull-punch/loosen grip prevents wrist banging in the snatch as well
Anticipate the impact of the bell by getting the abdomen rigid to absorb the energy
o Do not shrug your shoulder up in anticipation for the bell’s “hit”
o Meet your body to the bell, do not wait for it to come to you
If you aren’t training for a particular event, it is okay to keep your clean repetitions low
Incomplete Hip Snap:
This is where most new kettlebellers get frustrated and confused. The swing is the best drill for teaching hip drive.
Avoid the temptation to use your arms to muscle the weight up in a swing
o Your arms should simply be a connection from your body to the bell
o Keep the shoulders down and in their sockets as you learn during the get-up sit-up drill from above
o Using the arms to pull up the bell is a sign that your glutes are being lazy, (consequently you are not fully extending the hips to snap up the bell to the front)
If you are having trouble taking your arms out of the equation, try the towel drill:
1. Loop a hand towel through the kettlebell handle
2. Turn the bell so the handle is facing front to back instead of the typical left to right
3. Grab the towel by either end with your thumbs pointing downward
4. Assume the starting swing position
5. Hike back the bell
6. As soon as the bell clears through your legs quickly snap it forward
If done correctly, you will launch the bell out in front and your arms, the towel, and the bell will form a straight line
7. Quickly throw the bell back between your legs to return to the hiked position and repeat
Don’t get concerned with the height of the bell
Get the hip snap down first and then start playing with height variations
Many new to kettlebell swings are also tempted to lean backward when trying to execute the hip snap. This is done in an attempt to get the bell up higher at the top of the swing (when the bell is snapped in front). Again, it is a sure sign that the glutes are being lazy and the hips are not fully extending.
Instead of leaning the upper body backward, visualize a straight line from your heels up through your legs and torso, and out the top of your head
Your body should form one straight line
Your arms and the bell should form another straight line
The explosive maneuver to snap the bell forward is just like a vertical jump, however you do not launch off the ground- use that energy to launch the bell instead
Squeezing the glutes hard at the top of the swing will save your back
Rounded Back:
A rounded back is often compensation for limited mobility in the hips and pelvis. Those that round their backs on swings are usually the same that think swings are bad for your back. In actuality, done properly, swings build a resilient back and solid mid section.
Hinge at the hips FIRST to begin your squats, deadlifts, and swings.
The swing can be thought of as an accelerated, dynamic deadlift. Just as you wedge yourself under the bar in a deadlift, the same is done for the swing: wedge yourself between the bell and the ground. The swing is a very integrated drill and at no point should any part of your body feel like it is on vacation.
If you are having trouble taking your back out of the equation during swings, try the slower butt-to-wall drill:
1. Stand in proper alignment with low shoulders and a long spine, facing away, about a foot, from a wall
2. Place the edges of your hands in the creases of your hips: Where your thigh meets your torso
3. Push your hands into the creases and follow suit with the hips toward the wall
You should feel your hamstrings loading just below the glutes
Your back should remain long and extended, including the neck and head
4. Do not look up, instead align the neck with the back
This prevents the muscle “off switch” in your brain from firing
5. Once your butt has tapped the wall, reverse the movement by actively engaging your glutes
The rep is finished when your hips are aligned as they were when you initiated the drill
Weight on Toes During Swings:
A sure fire way to know if form is off during swings is to watch hip movement. If the movement is started with the hips, the person’s weight should consequently transfer straight down into the ground. Conversely, if the swing is initiated with the knees, the knees will slip forward and the body weight will transfer to the front of the foot.
Super-glue your feet to the mat, and do not move them throughout the duration of a swing, deadlift, or press set!
Windmills:
The windmill is a complex drill and too often rushed through. Take your time with it.
After cleaning the bell, adjust both feet.
The heels should remain tacked to the ground
The toes rotate parallel to one another in the same direction, at 45º.
o In some variations of the windmill, it is acceptable to have the feet positioned differently
o But for beginners, turn the feet out at the same angle.
Once you have your feet in the correct position, shift your weight to the same side that you cleaned the bell
o If you can safely lift the front leg, you are bearing your windmill weight properly
Trace your front leg down keeping mind not to allow the weight to transfer to the front leg
o Keep the overhead, loaded arm perpendicular to the ground throughout the drill
o Do NOT “bring the bell with you” over your face as you descend
Reverse the movement by extending the hip in the direction of the feet
Keep in mind that the windmill is a back resilience drill:
The windmill is not a hamstring flexibility test
Snatch Grip and Wrist Banging:
Advancing to the snatch from the swing can be a daunting and sometimes frightening step. A ball of solid iron flying past your face to over-head is not for the faint of heart. Fear may ultimately be the deciding factor in your snatch. Do not be afraid of the bell. Fear will get you hurt.
The hands take the biggest beating in high rep snatching, and grip is usually the first thing to go. Don’t snatch if your grip is fried.
A swing-style snatch can be the culprit of grip failure. Help prolong your grip by keeping the bell as close to your body throughout the move. Keeping the bell close on the drive up as well as the drop reduces the velocity of the bell and thus the pull on the forearm.
Swing-style snatching, for the same reason as grip failure, can lead to wrist banging as well. This is a very painful and jarring experience.
If you are beating up your wrists, you are not snatching correctly!
Prevent beating up your wrists with the following:
Swing the bell to just above head-level
o Aggressively snap the hips and drive hard with the legs
o Do NOT lean back to get the bell higher
As soon as the bell reaches just above the head, quickly pull the bell horizontally toward you
IMMEDIATELY release your grip after the pull and spear your hand vertically through the handle
o The pull/punch should be thought of as one movement
o There is no down-time between the two movements
o Do not mistake the punch up with the forearm as a punch up with the entire arm
o The punch up comes from the elbow up through the hand
o The shoulder remains down and in the socket throughout the drill
Meet your wrist to the bell
o Do not wait for the bell to come to you,
o Anticipate the landing as you would in a clean
A completed snatch is the same position as a complete press
o The shoulder is down and in the socket
o The elbow is locked out
o The wrist is straight
o The Biceps is next to the ear, without tilting or rotating the head
o The bell is either directly overhead or slightly behind the head without craning the neck and head forward
A rounded back is often compensation for limited mobility in the hips and pelvis. Those that round their backs on swings are usually the same that think swings are bad for your back. In actuality, done properly, swings build a resilient back and solid mid section.
Hinge at the hips FIRST to begin your squats, deadlifts, and swings.
The swing can be thought of as an accelerated, dynamic deadlift. Just as you wedge yourself under the bar in a deadlift, the same is done for the swing: wedge yourself between the bell and the ground. The swing is a very integrated drill and at no point should any part of your body feel like it is on vacation.
If you are having trouble taking your back out of the equation during swings, try the slower butt-to-wall drill:
1. Stand in proper alignment with low shoulders and a long spine, facing away, about a foot, from a wall
2. Place the edges of your hands in the creases of your hips: Where your thigh meets your torso
3. Push your hands into the creases and follow suit with the hips toward the wall
You should feel your hamstrings loading just below the glutes
Your back should remain long and extended, including the neck and head
4. Do not look up, instead align the neck with the back
This prevents the muscle “off switch” in your brain from firing
5. Once your butt has tapped the wall, reverse the movement by actively engaging your glutes
The rep is finished when your hips are aligned as they were when you initiated the drill
Weight on Toes During Swings:
A sure fire way to know if form is off during swings is to watch hip movement. If the movement is started with the hips, the person’s weight should consequently transfer straight down into the ground. Conversely, if the swing is initiated with the knees, the knees will slip forward and the body weight will transfer to the front of the foot.
Super-glue your feet to the mat, and do not move them throughout the duration of a swing, deadlift, or press set!
Windmills:
The windmill is a complex drill and too often rushed through. Take your time with it.
After cleaning the bell, adjust both feet.
The heels should remain tacked to the ground
The toes rotate parallel to one another in the same direction, at 45º.
o In some variations of the windmill, it is acceptable to have the feet positioned differently
o But for beginners, turn the feet out at the same angle.
Once you have your feet in the correct position, shift your weight to the same side that you cleaned the bell
o If you can safely lift the front leg, you are bearing your windmill weight properly
Trace your front leg down keeping mind not to allow the weight to transfer to the front leg
o Keep the overhead, loaded arm perpendicular to the ground throughout the drill
o Do NOT “bring the bell with you” over your face as you descend
Reverse the movement by extending the hip in the direction of the feet
Keep in mind that the windmill is a back resilience drill:
The windmill is not a hamstring flexibility test
Snatch Grip and Wrist Banging:
Advancing to the snatch from the swing can be a daunting and sometimes frightening step. A ball of solid iron flying past your face to over-head is not for the faint of heart. Fear may ultimately be the deciding factor in your snatch. Do not be afraid of the bell. Fear will get you hurt.
The hands take the biggest beating in high rep snatching, and grip is usually the first thing to go. Don’t snatch if your grip is fried.
A swing-style snatch can be the culprit of grip failure. Help prolong your grip by keeping the bell as close to your body throughout the move. Keeping the bell close on the drive up as well as the drop reduces the velocity of the bell and thus the pull on the forearm.
Swing-style snatching, for the same reason as grip failure, can lead to wrist banging as well. This is a very painful and jarring experience.
If you are beating up your wrists, you are not snatching correctly!
Prevent beating up your wrists with the following:
Swing the bell to just above head-level
o Aggressively snap the hips and drive hard with the legs
o Do NOT lean back to get the bell higher
As soon as the bell reaches just above the head, quickly pull the bell horizontally toward you
IMMEDIATELY release your grip after the pull and spear your hand vertically through the handle
o The pull/punch should be thought of as one movement
o There is no down-time between the two movements
o Do not mistake the punch up with the forearm as a punch up with the entire arm
o The punch up comes from the elbow up through the hand
o The shoulder remains down and in the socket throughout the drill
Meet your wrist to the bell
o Do not wait for the bell to come to you,
o Anticipate the landing as you would in a clean
A completed snatch is the same position as a complete press
o The shoulder is down and in the socket
o The elbow is locked out
o The wrist is straight
o The Biceps is next to the ear, without tilting or rotating the head
o The bell is either directly overhead or slightly behind the head without craning the neck and head forward
Conclusion:
In most cases, a simple solution will fix a painful problem. Training improperly may not have immediate effects, but injuries will eventually rear their ugly heads and will hit you like a tons of bricks when you least expect it. Blowing your knees during a squat or slipping a disc at the bottom of a windmill is a bad time to realize you have technique problems. In most to all cases it isn’t the drill that causes the damage; it’s the poor form and follow through during the drill that causes trauma. If you are hurting during and after training, pay attention to the details and lift smart. Perfect practice is training for success without pain or injury.
In most cases, a simple solution will fix a painful problem. Training improperly may not have immediate effects, but injuries will eventually rear their ugly heads and will hit you like a tons of bricks when you least expect it. Blowing your knees during a squat or slipping a disc at the bottom of a windmill is a bad time to realize you have technique problems. In most to all cases it isn’t the drill that causes the damage; it’s the poor form and follow through during the drill that causes trauma. If you are hurting during and after training, pay attention to the details and lift smart. Perfect practice is training for success without pain or injury.
04 November 2009
Success through Simplicity
Our bodies are beautifully integrated machines. We use the whole body to get through everyday activities. So it only makes sense to train the entire body as a unit. When we do the same thing repetitively, that is what the body will automatically do. For instance, squatting: If you watch a small child squat, they do it with perfect form. Watch an adult squat and it is a completely different movement. Just as we learn how to squat improperly, we can re-learn how to properly execute the movement and make it involuntary. Functional, full-body lifts such as squatting are done throughout the day. If you use the restroom, you squat. If you get into and out of a vehicle, you squat. If you sit at a desk, you squat. Proper technical form resonates to injury reduction (during and outside of training) and ultimately, continual training progress.
In training, everyone has the same basic desires: getting and/or staying healthy and achieving strength/speed/insert-skill-of-choice-here goals. Pain free movement and optimizing function in day-to-day living is the bottom line to achieving these goals. Therefore, focus on basic movements applicable to daily living: squatting, dead lifting, upper body pressing, and upper body pulling. These factors are consistent.
Your time is valuable. Don’t waste it moving from machine to machine in the gym. Machine and light weight training are not applicable to real world mobility. Furthermore, machines limit range of motion. Joints need to be able to move in more than one plane, (machines focus on one plane of motion), and it is rare to lift anything in a restricted movement pattern. Get the most bang for your buck: Entire body drills with heavy weight best prepares the body for an array of unforeseen demands as well as day-to-day repetitious movements.
Heavy weight, whole-body training for men as well as women! Big, heavy weight does not necessarily equal big, heavy muscle. Women physiologically do not have the genetic make up to look like men. This is a huge mental hurdle for women to get over. The only way for a female to get huge is to take in extra calories or supplement with testosterone, or both. Watch your caloric intake, train hard, and you will succeed in improving your body composition.
An aside: I had a student that was very hesitant to snatch, as most that haven’t before, are. After she snatched 8 kilos, I wanted her to snatch 12kgs. Again, she was hesitant. I knew she could do it. Even though she doubted herself, she did not back down. She attempted it and kept snatching. She now snatches the 16 for reps with no problem and has her sights set on 24kgs. Although she’s lifting heavier in all of her lifts, her body fat percentage has decreased and so has her waist line.
Isolation moves are obviously the opposite of full body movements and unfortunately are all too common. Triceps isolation moves are popular among females. Some are stuck in this mind-set that if they don’t “isolate” the triceps with some silly kickbacks, they will never get a “horseshoe.” Mindlessly throwing around a rubber coated weight and doing endless sets of isolation exercises are hardly going to get you to your goals. Kickbacks are never a part of any smart, worthwhile strength and toning program. Moves like snatches, presses, and get-ups will have you checking out the “cut” on the back of your arms in just a couple weeks.
Extra “ab work” to get rid of the belly “pooch” is another all too common gym theme. There is a popular misconception that you have to do endless sit-ups to get a defined tight mid-section. Get-ups, heavy swings, and power breathing crunches are the answer to a solid, slim mid-section. These drills are effective and practical, and none resemble a worthless sit-up.
We’ve talked strength and toning up to this point. Let’s talk “weight loss.” However, weight loss training is no different than strength and toning focus! The three are not mutually exclusive. Remember the mention of our beautifully integrated bodies? The basic movements performed in a circuit-type fashion, with rests up to one minute will “target” weight loss. When working against the clock, never compromise form or safety. When form feels like it may start to deteriorate, break immediately, re-group, recover, and then get back to business. It’s important to recognize when to stop. If you injure yourself, you can’t train, and sometimes have to start over from square one months down the road. In the long run, you will be able to move through those previous stopping points. The end goal is injury reduction and goal achievement through consistency. When strating a program, give yourself a grace period to get into find your groove.
We can’t talk body change without addressing nutrition. Training time is a drop in the bucket compared to the time spent outside of training. What you do when you’re not training is more important than what you do while you are training. When it comes to nutrition, the basics still apply: Do what makes sense and keep it simple. Eat from the earth, eat from local farmers and growers, eat a variety of fruits & veg, eat organic, keep a journal to track how foods affect you, don’t stuff yourself, drink water, get more uninterrupted sleep.
Too often simple things are made complicated. Think basically, keep it simple, set goals, and stay on track…Establish clear goals, set a clear path, and be consistent. A lot of people get wrapped up in “variety” just for the sake of it, jumping around from program to program and never achieving anything. Don’t be a victim of this weak mentality. For some reason if something seems simple, it’s not good enough. However, if it’s simple, it’s sustainable. You will be successful with simplicity.
In training, everyone has the same basic desires: getting and/or staying healthy and achieving strength/speed/insert-skill-of-choice-here goals. Pain free movement and optimizing function in day-to-day living is the bottom line to achieving these goals. Therefore, focus on basic movements applicable to daily living: squatting, dead lifting, upper body pressing, and upper body pulling. These factors are consistent.
Your time is valuable. Don’t waste it moving from machine to machine in the gym. Machine and light weight training are not applicable to real world mobility. Furthermore, machines limit range of motion. Joints need to be able to move in more than one plane, (machines focus on one plane of motion), and it is rare to lift anything in a restricted movement pattern. Get the most bang for your buck: Entire body drills with heavy weight best prepares the body for an array of unforeseen demands as well as day-to-day repetitious movements.
Heavy weight, whole-body training for men as well as women! Big, heavy weight does not necessarily equal big, heavy muscle. Women physiologically do not have the genetic make up to look like men. This is a huge mental hurdle for women to get over. The only way for a female to get huge is to take in extra calories or supplement with testosterone, or both. Watch your caloric intake, train hard, and you will succeed in improving your body composition.
An aside: I had a student that was very hesitant to snatch, as most that haven’t before, are. After she snatched 8 kilos, I wanted her to snatch 12kgs. Again, she was hesitant. I knew she could do it. Even though she doubted herself, she did not back down. She attempted it and kept snatching. She now snatches the 16 for reps with no problem and has her sights set on 24kgs. Although she’s lifting heavier in all of her lifts, her body fat percentage has decreased and so has her waist line.
Isolation moves are obviously the opposite of full body movements and unfortunately are all too common. Triceps isolation moves are popular among females. Some are stuck in this mind-set that if they don’t “isolate” the triceps with some silly kickbacks, they will never get a “horseshoe.” Mindlessly throwing around a rubber coated weight and doing endless sets of isolation exercises are hardly going to get you to your goals. Kickbacks are never a part of any smart, worthwhile strength and toning program. Moves like snatches, presses, and get-ups will have you checking out the “cut” on the back of your arms in just a couple weeks.
Extra “ab work” to get rid of the belly “pooch” is another all too common gym theme. There is a popular misconception that you have to do endless sit-ups to get a defined tight mid-section. Get-ups, heavy swings, and power breathing crunches are the answer to a solid, slim mid-section. These drills are effective and practical, and none resemble a worthless sit-up.
We’ve talked strength and toning up to this point. Let’s talk “weight loss.” However, weight loss training is no different than strength and toning focus! The three are not mutually exclusive. Remember the mention of our beautifully integrated bodies? The basic movements performed in a circuit-type fashion, with rests up to one minute will “target” weight loss. When working against the clock, never compromise form or safety. When form feels like it may start to deteriorate, break immediately, re-group, recover, and then get back to business. It’s important to recognize when to stop. If you injure yourself, you can’t train, and sometimes have to start over from square one months down the road. In the long run, you will be able to move through those previous stopping points. The end goal is injury reduction and goal achievement through consistency. When strating a program, give yourself a grace period to get into find your groove.
We can’t talk body change without addressing nutrition. Training time is a drop in the bucket compared to the time spent outside of training. What you do when you’re not training is more important than what you do while you are training. When it comes to nutrition, the basics still apply: Do what makes sense and keep it simple. Eat from the earth, eat from local farmers and growers, eat a variety of fruits & veg, eat organic, keep a journal to track how foods affect you, don’t stuff yourself, drink water, get more uninterrupted sleep.
Too often simple things are made complicated. Think basically, keep it simple, set goals, and stay on track…Establish clear goals, set a clear path, and be consistent. A lot of people get wrapped up in “variety” just for the sake of it, jumping around from program to program and never achieving anything. Don’t be a victim of this weak mentality. For some reason if something seems simple, it’s not good enough. However, if it’s simple, it’s sustainable. You will be successful with simplicity.
02 November 2009
Praise for Strength by Sara products!
"[I] [h]ave been enjoying your e-book immensely...(that was what prompted me to get the dvd too). I live in a very remote area, and am just getting into kettlebells, but I understand that proper form from the start is vital. So it's also vital that in the absence of great teachers nearby, I get materials that demonstrate and explain the best possible form. I'm a detail-oriented person and I need detail-oriented kettlebell instruction! (It also seems to me that an RKC next to a name doesn't necessarily guarantee good form.)
Your combination of Hardstyle Kettlebell with Z-Health really appealed to me. And you mention details many others don't: ...I know exactly how my head should be during a swing now, shoulders...during swings,...glutes [not] firing optimally, visualizing... during the Clean... Anyway, many thanks for your great work...I enjoy it!"
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